How to Create the Ultimate Moving To-Do List

8 Weeks Before: Moving To-Do List

Before the relocation date comes, you have to plan and organize every little detail of your move. That is why you need to begin with preparations eight weeks in advance and keep track according to your schedule. Follow these tips on what you have to do at this point.

Create a Budget for Expenses

A local move will be less expensive than an interstate one. But to keep everything on track, create a moving expenses checklist. A great way to start would be to write down everything you’ll find in this article and outline the most important costs that can arise during a relocation period.

Decide What Kind of Move You Want to Do

There are three types of move, and a couple of aspects, like the budget, will depend on the type you chose:

• Do-It-Yourself Move: You’ll rent a truck or borrow one from a friend. Each box will be loaded/unloaded and transported by you and your friends.
• The Hybrid Move: You’ll also rent or borrow a truck and transport your things, but you’ll hire professionals to load and unload your stuff or vice versa.
• Full-service Move: If you want to have a more relaxed relocation, you’ll contact a local moving company near you and hire them to load and transport your things.

If you decide to move with professionals, search for one now. You can call a local company like Twin Brother Movers, who are experts at their job and will safely move each box and other items to your soon-to-be home.

Choose a School for Your Children

Another step you can do at this point is to find a school for your children. The relocation process can be stressful for them as well, and they will be sad to leave some friends behind. To make it less stressful for them, involve your kids when choosing a school. Remind them that the move is not a long-distance one and that they will be able to keep in contact with friends from the previous school.

Plan a Garage Sale and Declutter Your Home

It is important to declutter your place before you start packing. You will cut some expenses if you decide to let go of the items you might not be using anymore. Organizing a garage sale is a great way to get rid of such things. The money you earn might come in handy for unplanned costs, and the items you don’t sell you can donate to someone in need.

What to Do 6 Weeks Before

Now you have 6 weeks before the relocation. You can slowly begin organizing and packing your belongings, and remember to hang around with your friends and family. Take a look at our checklist of things that need to be done and follow them to be prepared in advance.

Arrange to Get a Free Friday From Work

The ideal scenario would be to get a free day from work on a Friday. If you schedule your move on the last weekday, you’ll have plenty of time to unpack and catch some rest over the weekend at your future house or apartment.

Follow These Tips on How to Get Cardboard Boxes and Start Packing

During this period, you can start acquiring the packing materials and other supplies you need for relocation. Also, begin packing slowly at this point. You don’t want to leave this for the night before relocation. Start with things you don’t use often or daily, and pack something each day. Remember to label each box and take special precautions for fragile items. Let’s see some useful tips that will help you do this step more efficiently:

• To cut some expenses, you can collect free boxes from restaurants and stores;
• Research packing hacks, like how to pack glasses for moving;
• Plan carefully how to pack and move unusual things you own, because there are items movers won’t move or are not qualified to, like guns and ammunition.

Take Photos of Electronics Before Unplugging Them

Take photos of all electronics before you unplug them. You’ll be thanking yourself for doing this when you finally arrive and start connecting all the wires.

Organize a Party a Month Before the Relocation

Even though you are relocating locally and you’ll probably be able to see your friends often, you might wish to organize a moving-away party. It is important that this special event is also well-thought-out and duly prepared. You will then create one last memory at your soon-to-be-former place with your closest friends and family.

3 Weeks Before the Big Day

You have one month now until the relocation, and you can do some specifics from your checklist of things to do. Let’s see what you need to do during this period.

• Notify all the people and companies about your relocation and give them your new address. Among them are your current landlord, local school, utility companies, government agencies. Think about places where you are subscribed and update them with your change of address.
• For your new furniture to be ready when you move, you must purchase it now or order it to be built.
• If some boxes get lost by accident or things get damaged, you’ll be reimbursed if you purchase insurance.
• Gather all personal and financial documents, like birth certificates, passports, social security cards, and move them by yourself.

Schedule a Petsitter and a Babysitter

We are aware that by now, you still have a whole month before relocation. However, it never hurts to schedule a nanny or babysitter for your kids in advance. The entire process of relocation is highly stressful and demands a lot of your attention. When the time to transport all the things finally arrives, you won’t want to watch over your shoulder every second. That is why you should leave your little ones with a nanny or a friend who can take care of them.

If you are moving with pets, you must know that your animal friends are very uncomfortable with the change in their environment. They can sense when something is about to go down and won’t be very happy about that. Contact a petsitter and remove them from your house or apartment on the relocation date.

Schedule Movers at Least 3 Weeks Before the Relocation

If you haven’t hired a local company by now, contact movers and schedule your relocation. While you’re at it, be sure to check again the items they cannot move. Among them are your household items labeled as flammable, corrosive, toxic, and poisonous. Find out how to dispose of them properly on the link below.

1 Week Before the Big Move

There’s only one week left before the big day, and now you need a couple more things to finish to be ready for the relocation.

• Donate all unopened food: Even though your move is short distanced, don’t cram your bags full of food you haven’t finished. Instead, you can donate it to a local food bank.
• Hire cleaning services: Be sure to leave a clean home for the next resident and do the same in your new home before everything arrives. If you decide to do this by yourself, remember that you will have to take free hours from work. That is why you will preferably hire cleaning services.
• Unplug the fridge and freezer: Do this the night before relocation to defrost your fridge and freezer and remember to put a towel in front to absorb water leaks.
• Collect essentials in one bag: Pack everything you will use for the first 24 hours in your home, such as toiletries.

Create a Relocation Playlist at Least One Week Before You Move

The whole relocation process can take an enormous toll on a person, but let’s think about it as an exciting adventure. What better way to have a positive mindset than with your favorite music? Be sure to create a playlist of some of your dearest tunes at least one week in advance.

Moving Day Checklist

The big day is finally here, and if you have followed our timeline, you are entirely ready. The relocation is almost over; just take care of these last steps, and your move will be done smoothly.

• Get up early: Set your alarm early in the morning and start your relocation. The sooner you begin, the more time you’ll have when you arrive at your new place for essential unpacking and relaxing after so much work. On top of that, if you wake up early, you can double-check that you haven’t left anything behind.
• Take inventory: Sign the bill of the inventory list and keep a copy! A useful tip is to take photos of fragile and breakable things. That way, you’ll keep track of all your belongings, and if something goes missing or gets damaged during transportation, you’ll be covered.
• Prepare a lot of water bottles: The big day will probably be the most exhausting one you’ll experience at this point. You don’t want people involved with the move to dehydrate, so be sure to prepare a lot of water bottles. Having a lot of water is especially important if you are relocating in summer.
• Tip your movers: You’ll pay them when everything is unloaded, and the move is finished. But remember to offer a tip to your movers as well, because they worked very hard for you.
• Unpack your overnight kit: The first thing you should unpack is your overnight bag. Take a shower and make your bed. You deserve to relax after all the hard work.
• Get to know your neighbors: We know that now you’ll have a lot of work with unpacking and preparing your place. But, it would be a good idea to begin making acquaintances with your neighbors right away. You’ll probably meet some of them walking a pet or playing with kids. Make sure to say hello, introduce yourself, and make a good first impression.

Final Words

We hope our to-do list will help you finish all the chores on schedule and remind you not to forget anything important. If you follow this list and check off everything from it, you’ll enter your adventure at a new place happily. Finally, if you are still looking for a reliable local company in New York, be sure to call Twin Brothers Movers. Our moving services include packing, packing supplies, labor services, and more. If you hire us, you can just sit back and enjoy, because your items will be properly packed and transported safely to your new place.