Every year, about 19 million Americans move house and between 11 – 13% of these moves occur in the summer (data provided by the American Moving and Storage Association and the U.S census). The weather then is nice, the home-buying season is at its peak and the kids are out of school.
The process of moving house can be stressful regardless of whether you’ve moved house before or not. It’s for this reason that Moving.com – a leading online destination for moving-related resources – released a summer moving guideline to help you prepare for a smooth transition into your new home.
1 Month before the move
Get organized and notify utility companies that you will be terminating or forwarding their services. This is also the ideal time to shortlist local moving companies. Get quotes and identify the insurance policies that cover your property while on transit then fill out change-of-address forms for your creditors, doctor and lawyer.
21 Days before the move
Clean out drawers, closets and storage areas and pack things in 3 categories; ‘to be packed’, ‘to be recycled’ and ”to be given to friends’. You can arrange for a yard sale or donate to charity. If you can find time, take photos of your new home and figure out where your furniture will fit well.
14 Days before the move
Some people opt for a DIY move. If you prefer this, rent a truck, pack your stuff in boxes and figure out the logistics of the move. In case you hire a moving company, get their list on ‘non-allowable’ items and inquire about travel arrangements for pets. Once that is taken care of, schedule for a ”move out” cleaning service of the house you’re vacating.
1 Week before the move
Take care of all payments to the moving company. Start eating all frozen foods in your fridge or give them out to your friends so that you won’t have to worry about packing an ice chest on the moving day. Place basic items like toiletries, cooking supplies and rags in an ‘open-first’ box so that they are easy to find. Take a last tour of your new home and identify gas and water shut-off locations as well as the electrical breaker box. This may be handy in case of an emergency.
The D-day
Check to see that nothing is overlooked. Switch off the lights and lock all the doors and windows of your old home then off you go. Using the pictures of the new home you took before, move the boxes into their rightful place. You don’t have to unpack them in one day. Just start with the basic items like kitchen appliances, beddings and toiletries. After you have settled down a bit, introduce yourself to your neighbors and ask them about the best places to eat, do shopping and other tips
