Moving Checklist

Assess what you need to take with you – then eat, donate, recycle, or throw the rest out!

  • Perishable foods and leftovers
  • Toxic materials (batteries, paints, cleaners, propane, flammables, bleach, batteries, mercury)
  • Old Electronics
  • Old books, cds/DVD’s, magazines and newspapers
  • Metals and wood from previous home repairs or building projects
  • Decorations that may not have a place in your new home
  • Return borrowed things and collect things you’ve loaned
  • Cash for payment/tips/miscellaneous

For help with donating your goods, check out (http://www.donationtown.org/about-us/)

Will your larger items fit through stairs and doorways in your new home?

  • Couch
  • Large chairs/barcaloungers
  • One-piece bookshelves, bed frames, and tables Framed art
  • Fridge
  • Washer/dryer

Prep if moving yourself

  • Pick up boxes and supplies (tape, bubble wrap, etc).
  • Get prices from truck/van companies and secure an affordable rental for the day of moving.
  • Ask friends or family to help pack and move your belongings.
  • Sketch out the floor plan of your new home to determine placement of furnishings.
  • Write out directions for items requiring special attention (chandeliers, collectibles, delicate plants, etc.)
  • Place all important documents in one binder (new and old leases, floor plans, maps to your new home, etc.)
  • Have copies of keys ready for any friends helping out, in case they get to your new home ahead of you.
  • Have copies of keys ready for any friends helping out, in case they get to your new home ahead of you.
  • Be sure to have water and at least one meal ready to serve for friends and family helping you.
  • Keep bathrooms in both locations stocked with enough toilet paper and soap for the day

Label it and you won’t lose it.

  • Use markers and colored stickers to label each box according to:
  • Weight (heavy, medium, light)
  • Color (each corresponds to a specific room)
  • Fragility (not at all, somewhat, very)
  • Need To Use (immediately, no rush, storage)

Change of address

  • Employer H.R. dept.
  • Postal service
  • Banks, checking and savings
  • Credit cards
  • Insurance companies
  • Doctor, Dentist, Hospital, Pharmacy
  • Newspapers
  • Voter registration
  • Veterinarian
  • Schools
  • Loans
  • Travel/auto club
  • Creditors
  • Utility Companies: Electric, Gas, Telephone, Trash, Internet/Cable

Prep if using movers

  • Get general pricing information from at least three moving companies.
  • Get an on-site written estimate from the moving company you choose.
  • Decide if you or the movers will be doing the packing.
  • Sketch out the floor plan of your new home to determine placement of furnishings.
  • Write out directions for items requiring special attention (chandeliers, collectibles, delicate plants, etc.). Confirm all other arrangements (scheduling, number of movers, etc.) in writing or an email.
  • Leave a representative at your old home to answer questions for the movers.
  • Have copies of keys ready for the movers, in case they get to your new home ahead of you.
  • Take an inventory of boxes and items that will be going with the movers.
  • Be sure to have water and at least one meal ready for the movers.
  • Keep bathrooms in both locations stocked with enough toilet paper and soap for the day

Repairs necessary to get your deposit back or prevent any issues on the final walk through of the sell of your house.

  • Fill tack or nail holes with caulk and paint them.
  • Clean out fireplace and gutters if applicable.
  • Clean and wash all surfaces including countertops, sinks, toilets and tubs.
  • Sweep up all dust and any mess created during the moving process.
  • Vacuum any permanent rugs, especially if you have pets.
  • Taken out any trash or pet waste and deoderize those areas thoroughly.
  • Reinstall any carbon monoxide or fire alarms you may have disabled by accident.
  • Paint over any nicks and scratches on walls
  • Make sure your front/back yard is neat and trimmed and that any cuttings are composted, mulched, or disposed of.

Have you dealt with all special circumstances yet?

  • Take the day off work.
  • Cancel any medical or social appointments.
  • Find someone to watch or board your pets.
  • Triple bag any fish in thick plastic and drained your aquarium.
  • Place temperature-sensitive plants in a new home or packed them up accordingly.
  • Make arrangements to pick up your children or have them picked up if necessary.
  • Arranged to move your TV antenna or dish.
  • Double check your attic and basement.
  • Drain the fuel from lawnmowers and other power equipment.
  • Firmly secure all tools in their boxes

General moving day tips

  • Arrive at your new home as early as possible to make sure utilities and services are connected.
  • Check traffic and weather reports and share the information with your friends or movers.
  • Make sure your friend or the mover driving has your exact address and keep his cell number on hand.
  • If moving yourself, help out as much as possible but don’t shy away from directing the action either.
  • If using movers, during unloading you should stay out of the way unless they specifically ask for your assistance.
  • Make one last tour of your home to confirm you or your utility company have shut off all switches and services: Water, Electricity, Heat & Air (furances, boilers, & AC), Cable & Internet, Phone

When its over and done

  • Thank your friends for all their hard work and promise to help them next time they move.
  • Or thank and pay the movers their stated fee. Include at least a $20 tip per mover, or more if your new home is four floors or more.
  • Before unpacking, double check your inventory list and see if all the boxes and items made it into your new home.
  • If not, ask your friends or the movers to check the truck or your old home.
  • If the item(s) still can not be found, retrace your friends’ steps or call the movers’ main office to file a complaint.
  • Unpack at your leisure and enjoy your first night in your new home.