Many people get so wrapped up in comparing the best moving services and making sure they are getting a good deal that they forget that there are other things to take care of. Most people think they will remember all the last minute details, but things are always forgotten. You have a lot on your mind, you are sleep deprived and in addition to the move, you likely still have work and/or family obligations to take care of. This 2-week guide should help you stay on track.
Two Weeks Prior
- Confirm Your Movers – Don’t worry, your movers won’t think you are a giant pain if you call to confirm the time and day. It is a lot better than calling and screaming the morning when they don’t show up because someone double-booked the time!
- Change Your Address – It couldn’t be easier now to change your address since you can do it right online. Of course, you can still fill out one of those change of address forms at the post office instead.
- Take Care of Utilities – Gas and electric are pretty easy to take care of online. You can schedule when you want service off at one location and on at another, and you can leave a little overlapping time if you need to go back and clean. Just make sure you get confirmation codes. Your cable and internet will likely require a phone call. If you wait too long, you might find that all the install times are booked, especially if you are moving during a busy season.
- Arrange Pet Accommodations – Do you need to board your dog for a day, so he is out of the way of the movers? Are you driving cross-country to your new home, but a friend is going to drop your cat at the airport so you don’t have to listen to it meow for two days straight? These details need to be ironed out. Keep in mind that you will need vaccination records, so if you are overdue for a vet visit, now is the time to schedule an appointment.
- Cancel and Suspend Subscriptions – Do you still have the newspaper delivered? You will need to cancel this. Do you have magazine subscriptions? Don’t assume these will be forwarded with the mail, because sometimes they aren’t.
- Drain Gas – If you have gas in your lawnmower, snow blower or power tools, you need to drain it. Don’t put this off until next week just because it is a lousy job; you’ll have enough to do.
Final Week
- Carry-on Bag – Your carry-on bag will be full of essentials that you will need for moving day. This includes clothes, toiletries, and snacks. This will vary depending on whether you are moving cross-town or cross-country. If you have kids, they will all need bags as well.
- Odds and Ends – Mow the lawn, verify insurance, pick up dry cleaning, return library books and movies, clean out your fridge and freezer, research doctors in the new area and clean as much as you can.
The more you can take care of in that final week, the better off you will be. When you get into your new place, you should be able to kick back, watch a movie and decompress. The stress shouldn’t continue long after. Why wait until you are in the new place to start calling around to doctors and dentists? This should be done. If you are coming back to clean your apartment or rental home, you should only really have to do the carpets and floors, if you take care of everything else prior.
There is a lot of stress and anxiety invested in a move. From comparing the best movers to packing to taking care of countless details, you have every right to have your nerves a little frazzled. However, if you do it right, you should be able to just relax in your new place, and enjoy the beginning of your next chapter.
