Complete Home Moving Guide

Written By

Machaela Casey

Home Moving Guide and Checklist

You’ve signed the lease or penned the mortgage, and now it’s time to move. No matter your situation, there is a lot to think about. Whether you are in a small studio apartment or a large four-bedroom house, you are going to be very busy between the signing date and the moving date. Keep scrolling to read our home moving guide. You will learn tips and tricks to stay organized during a move, and how to get everything done in the least stressful way possible.

Two Months (Or More) Before Moving

• Book a Moving Company. You should book the movers at least two months before your moving date to ensure that you will get the date you want. Advance home moving planning is especially important if you are doing a long-distance or international move. When booking, think about your budget, what types of services you want the moving company to perform, and make sure to let them know about any specialty items you may have that need to be packed with extra care. Nelson Westerberg has a wide range of services from totally hands-off to completely full service. So, whether you want to pack everything yourself or don’t want to lift a finger, we’ve got you covered.
• Start to Purge. Before you pack and move, get rid of everything you will not want in your new home. This will make the moving process easier – and depending on how much you get rid of, it could also make it less costly. Plus, it feels great to start in a new place with fewer belongings! Create separate bags of things to donate to charity, things that are beyond repair for the trash, and things to give away to friends or family. You can also have a tag sale to make a little bit of cash for the move. If you find that purging is hard for you, you may want to contact a professional organizer for a session to help with decisions.
• Look Into Official Changes. This is the time to research what you will need to enroll your children in their new school, how to register your pet in your new town, when to register your car with a new address, and if you’re moving to a new state or country, there will be even more of this type of information needed.
• Create a Printable Moving Checklist. On your computer, use a spreadsheet or word processing document to create a moving checklist template. This will help you stay organized throughout the whole process.

Six Weeks Before Moving

• Obtain All Official Records. You will want to get your kids’ school records, medical records for all family members, and any other official records. You can have them forwarded to the new school or doctor, or you can hang onto them yourself.
• Find New Professionals. Do your research. Find a new doctor, a new dentist, a new therapist, a new chiropractor, etc. Find whatever it is that you need to stay healthy and happy. Why do this so far in advance? Many practices aren’t always taking new clients, so you may have to get on a list to get the one you truly want. Look into how to transfer any prescriptions to your new location.
• Obtain Packing Supplies. If you haven’t booked packers and unpackers for packing services, you need to start packing soon. When packing on your own, make sure to order your boxes and packing materials from us. We will counsel you with our home moving planning expertise on exactly what you need so you’re not left hanging a few boxes short. We can also let you know about specialty packing items that might work well for any special needs you have.

Four Weeks Before Moving

• Start Packing. Some love packing and some dread it. If you’re the latter, then you may want to use our professional packing services. Otherwise, it’s time to get to packing! At this stage, you should only be packing a few boxes a day. Start with the things you use least, like books and seasonal items. List everything that is in the box on the outside with a permanent marker.
• Measure Current Furniture and Order New Furniture. Measure your current furniture, and write down the measurements. Compare it with measurements from your new home. This will give you an idea of what, if anything, you will need to buy to furnish your new place. That way, you can order the furniture and have it delivered shortly after you move. Taking this step early ensures you won’t be without a bed or a couch for a few weeks.
• Contact Utilities. Get in touch with your local utilities to let them know which day to discontinue service. It is always a good idea to do this in advance so you don’t accidentally get charged for someone else’s use. These may include water, electricity, natural gas, trash, cable TV, internet, and phone service.

Two Weeks Before Moving

• Start Eating. Ok, this one may sound silly at first, but it makes a lot of sense. Eat the perishable and frozen food in your home so you don’t waste it by having to trash it. If you do end up with some perishables leftover on moving day, try to donate it to local organizations that feed the homeless and less fortunate, or see if any of your neighbors could use it.
• Move Out of Off-Site Locations. Do you have a storage unit? A safe deposit box? A reserved gym locker? Make sure to get your items from these locations with plenty of time to spare so you don’t forget anything.
• Confirm All Moving Plans. Contact us, your movers, to confirm all plans and services. We are always on the ball, but it is a great idea to make sure everyone is on the same page, and let us know of any new developments or services you may need. You will also need to confirm any childcare or pet care booked for the move.

One Week Before Moving

• Pack Up. Now that your move is closer, start packing up all the things you use on a regular basis if you haven’t hired us for a full-service move that includes packing. Make sure to keep a separate bag of the clothes you will wear during the move, as well as any important documents, valuables or heirlooms, and medications. Make sure to keep a phone charger with you too!
• Tie Up Loose Ends. This step will look different for everyone. You may have one last bag to donate to the charity store, food to give away, appliances to unplug and disconnect, or furniture to disassemble. It may help to make a list and cross things off to make sure nothing gets left undone.
• Say Goodbye. This is the time to start to say goodbye to friends and family in your current area. You may have a going away party, or you may just stop by to give one final hug. Make sure kids also get the opportunity to say goodbye to their friends. Some people even like to take a few moments to say goodbye to their house once it is all packed up.

Moving Day

• Show Us Around. It’s always a good idea to be present to greet us and make sure everything is in order. Show us any specialty items or particularly fragile ones so we can make sure to take extra care. Then, it’s time to let us do all the heavy lifting.
• Clean Up. Now that everything is out of the house, you will want to sweep and mop everything. Wipe down remaining appliances, make sure bathroom fixtures are spic and span, and simply make it sparkle. Many people hire a cleaning crew for this purpose if they don’t want to deal with it.
• Move! Get in the car or get on the plane. The big day is here and it’s time to get to your new home and start unpacking.

In Your New Home

• Unpack. When you book Nelson Westerberg for a full-service move, you can ignore this step. We will do all the unpacking for you with your guidance on where you want everything to go. However, if you’re doing it on your own, it’s time to start. It may take a few days or even a few weeks to get everything set up the way you want it. As long as you work on it a bit each day, you’ll get there.
• Register Vehicles. Depending on your state, you may have just 10 days to re-register your car. You don’t want to get pulled over with the wrong registration because that can result in a hefty fine!
• Plan a Party. Once you’re all settled, it’s time to celebrate. Once you’re done unpacking and the stress of moving has left you, plan a housewarming party to truly break in your new home and fill it with joy.

This moving checklist will get you started on the right foot in your new home. As one of the most dedicated home moving companies in the country we try to provide as much information as possible to make your home move as stress free as possible.

If you have any questions or are ready to book your next move, please contact us!