You might have heard by now, but we’d like to think of ourselves as the “experts” when it comes to everything home moving.
Throughout our nearly 40 years of moving homes and businesses, we’ve seen what works – and what doesn’t work – since we began moving back in the 1980s. Throughout that time, we’ve come up with a few tips and tricks to make the moving process a bit easier on everyone.
While people tend to ask what our best tips are, there can be numerous answers to this question. One thing we always point to: a moving checklist.
Moving checklists are essential to organization with a home move, and organization goes a long way in ensuring you stay on track with your tasks, while helping to ease some of the pressure that comes with moving day. With a moving checklist, you’ll have the ability to track your progress in real time and get an idea of where you are in the moving process to get a better idea of what still needs to be done before the big day.
As moving day approaches, we recommend beginning at about a month out and slowly chipping away at the process so you don’t get overwhelmed. From buying and closing on a new home to packing up your belongings, hiring professional movers, changing the address on your utilities and bills, and much more – there’s a lot to be done, and a moving checklist helps you keep everything in order.
We’ve built our own moving checklist for you to get started with based on things we’ve seen over the years. We would also recommend taking a look at movetrac, a free moving resource we created for those who want a comprehensive app with resources and checklists all with the click of a button.
One month before your move
- Contact, schedule, and hire a mover as soon as you know you are planning to complete a home move to ensure you get the moving day you want.
- Begin the cleaning of various areas of your home – closets, attics, garage, etc.
- Begin changing your local address where necessary in areas like mailing, insurance, school records, and so on.
- Purchase moving boxes and packing supplies to help get things rolling on your move – local TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchise locations offer a wide-variety of moving and packing supplies to fit all of your moving needs.
1-2 weeks before moving day
- Start canceling anything that is tied to what will soon be your past home address – Internet, cable, newspapers, or any labor services you receive around your home.
- Call all of your local utility companies and be sure they know the exact day to stop charging your old home address for services.
- Start the packing process and go room by room so you don’t overwhelm yourself. Be sure to properly label and organize boxes so you know where everything is on moving day.
The week of moving day
- Finish up any last-minute cleaning around your home and ensure everything is set for when you officially move out.
- Continue working on packing all of your belongings, working to have all belongings packed and ready to go before moving day arrives. For items you no longer need, donate them to a charitable cause or sell them, if possible.
- Make transportation plans for the day of the move so you know how you’re getting to the new place. If you have kids or pets, develop a plan that fits their needs, too, and figure out where they will be while the move is taking place.
The day before moving day
- Get in contact with your moving company to double-check that everything is set in stone for the ensuing moving day. If you’re moving with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, we will send a pre-move email solidifying all important details of your move.
- Ensure all breakable items have been removed from dresser drawers and packed away.
- Take out some cash to hold you over during the moving process. This might come in handy if you need to get some pizza or snacks during the day!
- Complete any final cleanings of your home and appliances.
Moving day
- Pack an essentials bag for items you can access immediately when arriving at your new home. This can include anything from chargers to toothbrushes, quick snacks, etc.
- Make sure there is a clear moving path inside and outside of your home for movers to navigate.
- Be sure you are at the home when the professional movers arrive so that you are accessible should they have any questions or concerns.
- Once the movers have loaded everything onto the moving truck, do one final walkthrough of the home and make sure nothing was left behind. Last but not least – go say goodbye to your neighbors!
If you want more information on moving checklists, click here. If you are interested in hiring TWO MEN AND A TRUCK for your next home move, click here!
TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.