Checklist for Smooth Moving Day

You’ve spent months searching for a new home. You did your homework, narrowed your list and finally selected your dream home. You negotiated the price. You secured financing for your new home. You had the home inspected to make sure it met your expectations. You just completed the transaction and stepped away from the closing table with a smile and the keys to your new home.

But wait. You’re not done quite yet. There is still the matter of moving in.

Moving day can be stressful, expensive and maddening, even if you’re not moving far. Or it can be relatively calm, organized and affordable, if you plan ahead and anticipate potential problems.

We know: Some people are super-organized and others are, shall we say — organizationally challenged. There are many books and Internet resources that can help our less-organized friends get organized. Many moving companies also offer booklets, pamphets and free advice along with their other services. Here are some tips to make moving day as painless as possible.

Moving Checklist

1. Plan and organize: Learn what’s involved in moving. Plan on devoting enough time to packing and organizing everything for your move.
2. Start early: Start arranging for moving day after you sign your sales contract and once you are reasonably sure that your new home purchase will actually happen. Start researching movers. Ask friends and relatives who they used to move. Start lining up friends and relatives if you plan to do some of the moving “yourself,” because you will need help (which will usually settle for pizza and cold drinks after the heavy lifting is complete). Declutter and start packing items that you won’t need before you move and discard anything you don’t want to take with you by holding a yard sale, giving it to charity or throwing it in the trash. You’ll thank yourself when you arrive at your new home with less clutter.
3. Set a firm moving date: Make an agreement with the sellers about when the closing will be, when you can take actual ownership of your new home and when you can start moving your stuff into your new home. Sometimes, the seller will alow you to begin moving in early by renting the home to you before the closing. Occasionally the previous owners remain in their home after closing for a short time before you move in. Whatever kind of arrangement you make, put it in writing. You’ll also need to coordinate any special arrangements with your mover.
4. Compare moving options: Are you going to hire a professional moving company, do it yourself or some combination of the two? Depending on the length of your move, you should be able to move many items yourself, even if you only have a passenger car. Some large and delicate items are best left to professionals even if you are moving around the corner. When weighing your options, compare the rates and services as well as the availablity of each. Again, don’t wait until the last minute or you’ll invite trouble.
5. Make a notification list: Who else needs to know about your move? Utilities, schools, the post office, service providers that regularly come to your home such as housecleaning, lawn or pest control, family and friends, etc. should all be notified of your move. Some you can a simple post card once you know your new address and phone number. Others will need to be called to make sure everything is transferred smoothly.
6. Start packing: It takes much longer to pack things safely and securely than it does to unpack them. Don’t delay packing or you’ll set yourself up for a string of late nights the week before you move. If you’re moving in the summer, pack up the sweaters and flannel shirts now because you won’t need them until after you are settled in your new home. If you have lots of artwork or knick-knacks, box up all but the most essential items over a period of time leading up to moving day. Moving companies sell boxes, but you can also get boxes fro free from local businesses.
7. Label everything clearly: What’s in the box and what is its destination in your new home? Whether you enlist friends or a professional moving company to help you move, you hopefully won’t have to tote every box yourself. If you label everything clearly, whomever is carrying an item into your new home should be able to figure out where to take it to. Label all the rooms at your new home as well, so Susie’s boxes of clothes end up in Susie’s new room. If necessary, make a diagram or tag or color-code items to make sure they are not misplaced.
8. Designate staging areas: Once you start moving everything, things can pile up. So designate a staging area at your existing home where items to be moved can be stored while you wait for moving day. If you have a garage, you should consider leaving your car outside in the week or two before you move so that you can stage things there, where things are out of the way but safe and dry. Portable storage units that are delivered to your home are another alternative, as they can be loaded on your existing property, transported to your new home, and unpacked at your convenience.
9. Consider moving insurance: Your moving company should be licensed, bonded and insured. Ask what kind of coverage they offer and what would happen if anything is lost or damaged during the move. If you have expensive or delicate items, consider additional moving insurance coverage. Check with your homeowners insurance agent to make sure your coverage is up to date on any riders you may have for artwork, jewelry, antiques or special collections.
10. Make special arrangements for kids and pets: Moving is stressful for adults, but it can be downright scary for children and pets, especially if they haven’t moved before. Children can stay with a relative so they won’t be underfoot on moving day. Pets could spend the day at a groomer or with a friend so that they don’t disrupt the move. If your move is out-of-state, you’ll probably have a professional mover handle most of your stuff, so the family can travel to the new home together and discuss their feelings about moving into a new home during the trip.

While this list is in no way complete, we hope it gets you started to having a successful moving day.

In our last article in this series, we discussed the closing table and final settlement. In our next post, we will offer ideas on enjoying your new home after move-in.

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