Moving Checklist

4 Weeks Prior to Move

Make a "Move" file folder to keep track of documentation and records of the moving process.
Set up a calendar for your move to mark deadlines and reminders.
Hold a garage sale to rid yourself of furniture, clothes and other items you'd prefer not to move.
Contact a local charity to donate any unneeded furniture and items not sold in the garage sale.
Collect boxes, tape, rope, wrapping/padding material and other moving supplies.
Line up a moving company (or make reservations to rent a moving truck if you plan to move yourself).
Gather doctors, dentists, other medical and school records.
Put together (and keep accessible) all financial, tax, and employment documentation that may be needed during your loan process.
Contact your insurance company to transfer your policies (life, auto, homeowners).

Set a cutoff date with your current utility providers (this can include telephone, gas, electric, water, garage, and cable).
Establish a start date for utility services at your new home.
Let friends and relatives know of your upcoming move.
Donate canned goods and other non-perishable food items to a local charity to save the expense of moving them.
Verify your Voter Registration information and make any necessary changes in light of your move.
Register your new address with your subscriptions to newspapers, magazines, and association memberships.
Complete a change of address card with your local post office.
Research and keep record of tax deductions on moving expenses

Transfer stocks, bonds, bank accounts, and contents of safety deposit boxes to a trusted financial institution near your new home.
Organize the clothes you will be moving, separate them into suitcases, keeping those you need readily available.
Review the moving checklist so far, making sure you are still on track for the move.

Drain outdoor equipment: water from hoses, propane tanks from barbecue grills, and gas and oil from lawn mowers.
Discard any aerosol, paint, oils, and all flammable and/or toxic chemicals.
Label items you need to easily access and place them in a separate room or closet.
Schedule a pest control company to service your home before moving – especially on new construction.
Clean your refrigerator and let it air out at least 24 hours before moving.

RELAX
Put all the items and boxes you’ll need first at your new home into a separate area, then load them last (those items into the truck last will be unloaded first).
Conduct a final walk through of your home once everything is out of the house. Check cupboards, closets, behind doors, attics, stairwells, overhead in the garage, outside the home, and any storage sheds.

Prepare your new home before the moving trucks arrive. Have it cleaned and be prepared to instruct where you'd like items placed.
Take some time, sit back and enjoy your new home!