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There’s no doubt about it, moving to a new home is equal parts exciting and stressful. While you get to move to this new place, and design a home that’s completely yours, you also still have to deal with getting there, and more importantly, getting all of your stuff there. But if you start planning, and thinking ahead a little bit, move-out day will get less and less stressful. That’s why we put together this checklist: to help you get organized. Here’s a complete checklist of tasks you’ll want to take care of before the move.
60 Days Before You Move
- Records
Before you move, you’ll want to make sure all of your important files are kept in a safe space. Birth certificates, social security cards, medical records, everything that’s important, should be put into a file, and moved to a spot where it won’t be misplaced or forgotten. - Find Insurance Policies
All of your insurance policies should be located, and put into a file as well. If possible, you might consider saving copies to a flash-drive or external hard-drive and storing them in a safe location too. - Update Insurance Policies
Before you move, you’ll need to talk to your insurance agent to see if you need to make any changes to your insurance policies. While your homeowner’s insurance policy is a given, it’s possible that your auto insurance could change with the move as well. This is also a good time to ask about transit coverage. In case something happens during the move, you want to know that your family and your belongings are covered. - Track Moving Expenses
Many moving-related expenses are tax deductible. Make sure to hang on to as many receipts as possible if you’d like to deduct that from your taxes this year. - Alert New and Old Schools
Whether you’re the student, or you have kids, you’ll need to notify both the new and old schools of your departure and arrival dates. They need to know when you or your child will be starting classes, and they have to have enough warning to transfer school records and begin the registration process. - Doctors and Dentists
This is also a good time to let your doctor and dentist know that you’re moving. Make sure to ask for referrals of good doctors and dentists in your area, and make sure you can get your records released easily. - Membership Transfers
If you have memberships at any organizations with other branches where you’re moving, make sure to organize that membership transfer. This works well for gyms with multiple branches. - Consider a Garage Sale
When you’re doing a big move, it can be difficult to figure out what you want to keep, and what you don’t. A garage sale is a good way to get everything out and in the open, and get rid of what you can. The best part is that when you’re done with the garage sale, you know you don’t want whatever’s left. Just pack it all up and donate it. - Talk to Movers
Figure out who you’re hiring to move you, and if you’re not hiring movers, then talk to the company that you’re renting your moving vehicle from. You’ll want to make sure they’re all set and ready to go the day you want to leave. If you have a long trip, it’s important to get this taken care of sooner rather than later.
30 Days Before You Move
- Look Around for Packing Materials
If you’re not renting or buying packing materials, make sure to look around for things that will make good packing materials. Old towels, plastic and paper grocery bags, and newspapers are all great options. - Pack Things You Don’t Need
The sooner you get packing, the less stressful your move will be once the day finally arrives. It’s a good idea to pack seasonal items that you know you’re not going to use before you move in ahead of time. Then you’re checking things off your list as soon as possible. - Moving Appliances
If you plan on moving big appliances like a washer, dryer, or refrigerator, you need to know how to take care of that safely, before the move. Talk to your movers, or make sure you know how to properly move those big appliances without damaging them yourself. - Change of Address
You’ll want to fill out a change of address application, and make sure that you mail that to all important parties, including doctors, insurance companies, utility companies, etc. You can also set a forwarding address through the Post Office to ensure that none of your mail gets lost in the move. - Change Banks
Depending on where you’re moving and the bank you use, it may be beneficial to change banks. Start looking into this ahead of time, so you know what your best options will be. It’s also a good idea to let your bank or credit union know where you’re moving to, otherwise they could shut down your card, thinking that it has been stolen once you start making purchases in a new city. - New Driver’s License
If you’re permanently relocating, it might be in your best interest to get a new driver’s license for the state that you’re in. Check with your new state’s DMV website to see what you need to do to register your vehicle in that state, and to obtain a new license. This may involve changes to your auto insurance policy as well. - Professional Cleaning
Before you move into your new home, make sure you have any professional cleaning taken care of ahead of time. If you’re having the carpets cleaned, or you’re doing any kind of interior painting, it’s a good idea to get that done before you move in, and before you move all of your stuff. - Connect and Disconnect Services
You’ll also need to contact any and all service providers to switch your service to your new home, or stop service. This means your trash, internet, cable, electric, and gas service providers should all be contacted to ensure that you have all of these turned on in your new home when you get there, and turned off in your old home, so you’re not paying for services you’re not using. - Change Locks on Old Home
There’s no telling how many people you gave out keys to: neighbors, family, friends, babysitters, etc. When you’re finally moving out of your old home, it’s a good idea to have a locksmith come and change out all of the exterior locks so that a new buyer won’t have to worry. Make sure to give the keys to your realtor.
Move-Out Week
- Lock it Up
Make sure you have all of your keys, alarm codes, and garage door openers together in one spot so that you can easily hand them over to your realtor. - Consider Wardrobe Boxes
If you’re hiring a mover, or you’re renting moving equipment, you might consider getting a few wardrobe boxes. They’ll make your life a lot easier, as you just hang up your clothes, like they are in the closet, zip ‘em up, and then put them right back in your new closet as soon as you get to your new home! No folding or ironing necessary, which saves you a ton of time. - Label Your Boxes
Absolutely make sure to label your boxes with the things you put in them. This way, movers know where things are going, instead of just stacking boxes willy nilly all over your new house. If you know what’s in each box, unpacking will be a lot easier. - Confirm Closing and Move-In Dates
It’s a good idea to double check with your realtor your closing and move-in dates, so you know where you need to be, and when. This also helps to avoid any unexpected surprises. - Have Somewhere to Sleep
It’s possible that your stuff may take an extra day to arrive, so to plan for that, bring some things with you to ensure you’re comfortable that first night. Even better, just find a hotel room or a friend’s house to crash for a night. This will save you the hassle of having to sleep on the floor, or rummage through boxes looking for pillows. You’re also left free to unpack however you like when you come back the next day. - Pack Your Own Box
Planning on staying in your new place the first night? Make sure to pack a box that goes with you. This will include all of the essentials you want on your person, like your laptop, chargers, smartphone, a change of clothes, and any other personal items you can’t live without. You never know when your movers might get separated from you, and you may have to wait a day or two before everything you packed finally arrives at your home. - Double-Check Utilities
Take this week before moving to double check that your utilities are turned on at your new home. You don’t want to get there only to find out that you don’t have power. Call your utility companies, and make sure they’ve got the address and the dates right. - Clean the Fridge
This is a task no one wants to tackle. Unfortunately, it has to be done. Clean out all of the food, throw away what’s bad, and make sure you defrost the freezer. From there you can clean it with a suitable disinfectant.
Move-In Day
- Have Cash
In case something goes wrong, make sure you’ve got cash on you. If your new bank account didn’t switch over as quickly as you thought, you’ll still need dinner. You’ll also want to tip the movers, and road snacks are an obvious must. - Give the Movers a List
If you did hire movers, make sure to give them a list of everything they’ll need. Your contact information, emergency contact information, and your exact address are just a few ideas. - Inspect Delivered Boxes
Once you get to your new place, make sure to inspect all the boxes delivered to your home by the movers. Ensure that nothing is broken, and if it is, make sure to report it to the moving company. In most cases they are considered at least partially responsible for broken or damaged goods. - Check Appliances
Whether you brought your own appliances or you got new appliances along with the house, make sure to plug them all in, and check that they’re working properly. Note that if you moved your refrigerator, it will have to stand up straight for three hours before you plug it in. - Locate Fuse Box and Main Water Valve
These are two of the most important locations in your house. You need to know where these are in case there is every some sort of emergency, if you blow a fuse, or if you need to fix a water issue. While your utilities should already be turned on, this is also the first place to check out if something isn’t working right. - Get Organized List
Alright, now it’s time to start the unpacking. It might be helpful to you to write a “get organized” list of all the things you need to accomplish, and what order you’d like to do them in. This prevents your from running from room to room, trying to unpack everything all at once. Start with one room, and move from there. - Secure Your New Home
If the previous owners hadn’t changed their locks before they left, or if you’re not sure, it might be a good idea to call a locksmith to change your exterior locks. This ensures that you’re the only one with keys to your home. You might install a home security alarm at this point as well. It’s also a good idea to make sure you have functioning smoke alarms. - Meet Your Neighbors
Finally, make sure you take time away from unpacking to meet your new neighbors! These are the people that will live next to you for years to come, so you’ll want to get to know them. There’s nothing wrong with a casual “Hi, I’m your new neighbor!” It’s a great way to start feeling like this new place really is your home.
Moving to a new home can be stressful, but your new homeowner’s insurance policy doesn’t have to be. If you need a new homeowner’s insurance policy call the trusted insurance experts at Doyle & Ogden. We partner with more than 15 insurance providers to ensure that we get you better coverage for the best price. Give us a call at 616-949-9000, or request your free quote online today!
