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Moving Tips

If you prep early enough, your move can be as stress-free as possible. Follow the timeline below, but feel free to modify it to make your own personalized checklist!

Eight Weeks Before the Move:

  • Contact your movers to schedule a moving day.
  • Pack up items from your storage shed, attic, basement, etc.
  • Try to use up things you don’t plan on moving, like food and cleaning supplies.

 

Six Weeks Before the Move

  • Start evaluating what you want to keep and what can be sold or donated.
  • Make a list of who you will need to notify about your new address, like friends, professionals, subscriptions, motor vehicle registration, doctors, accountants, etc.
  • Organize any storage that you may need.

 

Four Weeks Before Move

  • Submit a name change to the post office.
  • Consider how you’ll move pets and make any necessary arrangements.
  • Contact utility companies to disconnect at your old address and connect at your new one.
  • Arrange for insurance coverage in your new home.
  • Source packing boxes.
  • Sell or donate any unwanted items.
  • Pack items that you won’t need for the next month. 

Three Weeks Before the Move

  • Arrange for travel during the move.
  • Collect important papers like your deed, insurance, will, etc.

 

Two Weeks Before the Move

  • If you’re moving far, get your car checked.
  • If you’re moving into a building with elevators, you may need to contact the building manager for use of the service elevator to move large pieces of furniture.

 

One Week Before the Move

  • Settle anything local, like returning library books, settling outstanding bills, etc.
  • Finish packing everything but the items you’ll need immediately upon arriving at your new home.


Two to Three Days Before the Move

  • Defrost your freezer.
  • Disconnect major appliances.
  • Set aside your packed up personal items that will be needed immediately at your new home. Have them packed last or bring them in your own car to keep track of them.
  • Confirm the move date and address again with your mover. 

Packing Tips

Read through these helpful packing tips to make your packing, unpacking, and organizing process as easy as possible!


Packing Materials

Gather the following packing materials so that you have all of them ready to start the packing process:

  • Tissue paper
  • Packing paper (plain newsprint)
  • 2″ packing tape
  • Masking tape
  • A utility knife
  • Scissors
  • Permanent markers
  • Professional quality boxes

General Packing Tips

  • Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need to pack.
  • Start packing items you don’t need right away.
  • Pack by room and label all boxes by what room you plan to put the items in. In addition, write a brief description of what’s in the box. If an item needs to be held in a certain direction, consider adding “this end up” where appropriate.
  • If you have heavy items, try to pack fewer of them in one box. For example, spread out items like books or records into different boxes, as these tend to be heavy items. A good tip is to start with heavier items and then fill in with lighter ones. Boxes shouldn’t weigh more than approximately 50 pounds.
  • Remember to pack fragile items with extra padding and to clearly label those boxes as fragile. Electronics, breakables, mirrors, etc. should be packed with care.
  • Keep all related items together. For example, put hardware in a bag or tape it to the item it belongs to.
  • Fasten electrical cords so they don’t cause a safety hazard or become damaged.
  • Strive to make boxes full so that items don’t shift during the move.