8 Weeks before moving
| If using or considering professional movers, call for estimates from three companies. | |
| Call Chamber of Commerce in your new town for their residential information packet. |
6 Weeks before moving
| Inventory your possessions besides furniture—kitchenware, decorative items, electronics, and apparel. Decide what to move, sell, replace, or donate to charity. | |
| Complete and mail US Postal Service change of address forms to utilities, media subscriptions, membership organizations, and financial institutions. | |
| If moving out of town, obtain copies of all medical, dental, accounting, legal, and veterinarian records. | |
| If children are changing schools, arrange for transfer of educational records. | |
| If moving out of town, make travel arrangements for moving day. | |
| Contact your tax advisor to discuss potential tax deductions and liabilities related to your move. |
| If using professional movers, select the company and obtain itemized costs, including packing, loading, special charges, insurance, etc. |
4 Weeks before moving
| Repair, send out for reupholster or clean furniture, drapes, and carpeting as needed. | |
| Advertise a garage/yard/tag sale to dispose of unneeded possessions. | |
| If hiring a professional moving company to pack, schedule with the company for packing to take place 1-2 days before the move. | |
| Purchase adequate boxes, packing materials, and tape or request from professional movers. | |
| Arrange for short-term or long-term storage if needed. | |
| Make travel arrangements for pets, including necessary medical records, immunizations, medications, and so on. |
3 Weeks before moving
| Gather packing materials in a central location. | |
| Begin packing items you won’t need immediately or that will go into storage. | |
| Contact utilities on both ends of the move to order termination or turn-on for occupancy date. | |
| Confirm travel arrangements for family and pets. |
2 Weeks before moving
| If you are moving vehicles out of town, prepare them for the trip. Check tires and have cars serviced. | |
| Terminate newspaper and other delivery services. | |
| If necessary, arrange and confirm new bank accounts and local services in your new neighborhood. | |
| Schedule an appliance service firm to prepare major appliances for transport on moving day. |
1 Weeks before moving
| Gather important papers, records, and valuables for protected shipment to new home or safe deposit box. | |
| Notify friends and neighbors of new address and phone number if possible. | |
| Arrange for young children to be cared for on moving day. | |
| Obtain any prescription medications needed for the next few weeks. |
Week of the moving
| Defrost refrigerator/freezer and give away all perishable food. Plan simple meals or take-out for moving day to avoid using the refrigerator. | |
| Keep a box marked “Last Box Packed/First Box Unpacked” for tools, flashlights, first aid kit, and so on. On moving day, this should be the last box placed on the truck. | |
| Pack items to carry with you. Valuables, financial records, personal papers, signed bill of lading, and inventory from the movers. | |
| Give the movers a telephone number and address to reach you. |