Six-Week Checklist

This “count-down” calendar will help you to make your move easier:

6 weeks before your Moving day:

• Have a good look at your things, and decide what must go and what can be left behind. Any books you’ve read and probably will never read again? Records you haven’t listened to since ages? The children’s broken toy? Keep in mind that extra weight costs more money.
• If you have many things worth selling, let all your friends know.
• Plan in advance where you’ll want to place furniture in your new home. This eases the stress of making major decisions when your furniture arrives at your new home.

4 weeks before your Moving day:

• Notify the post office, magazines, credit card companies and friends and family of your change of address.
• Contact gas, water, electricity, telephone, cable TV services to schedule disconnection of services on the day following your move. You’ll want to phone or have warm water while you’re still in the house.
• Complete any repair work on your old home, and arrange for any critical services needed at your new home.
• If packing yourself, start packing articles which you don’t often use like special fancy dishes and glasses, specialty cookware, evening clothing, art pieces, photos, and decorative items.
• As you pack, remember to keep each box light enough to be handled by any of the members of your family – not just the strongest person. You’d better pack heavier items in smaller boxes and lighter items in larger boxes.

3 weeks before Your Moving day:

• Make an inventory of your everyday household goods, such as radios, pots and pans, etc. Decide which items you will get rid of or keep with you.
• Self-packers: It’s time to start your packing. Bear in mind to label the contents of all boxes and to pack carefully.
• Try as much as you can to put together in the same box your essential items. Write “Open First/Load Last” on these boxes. When you move into your new home, you’ll easily identify these boxes and get to important items like pots, dishes, alarm clocks, bedding, pillows, towels, favorite toys, etc.
• Pack your personal phone books from your old town. You wil stay in touch with old friends easier.
• Make personal travel arrangements (flights, hotel, rental cars) for your trip.
• Plan your food purchases to have as little as possible in the fridge before you move. Use up all frozen items, and buy only what you’ll eat in the next three weeks, because you can’t ship them.
• Contact your children’s schools, and arrange for records to be forwarded to their new school.
• Have you already sold anything?

2 weeks before your Moving day:

• Check with your insurance company to cancel current coverage or transfer coverage to your new home.
• Make arrangements for transporting your pets and any house plants.
• Meet with your bank to change account status.
• Cancel any subscription such as newspapers, magazines. Consider starting a subscription to the newspaper in your new town.
• Make sure you check all your secret hiding places to remove valuables and spare house keys.

1 week before your Moving day:

• Dispose all toxic or flammable items that can’t be moved. Drain the gas and oil from gas-powered tools such as lawn mowers (they must be moved emptied).
• Pack your “basic trip kit” of necessary items that should go with you: your cash or travelers checks, medications, essential toiletries, light bulbs, flashlight, toilet paper, pet food, spare glasses or contact lenses, baby or child care items, toys for children and your notebook with moving information.
• If you have young children, arrange for a baby-sitter to watch them on your moving day. Also arrange for a baby-sitter when you arrive at your new home.
• Pack your own suitcase of clothes.
• Put your “open first/load last” boxes in a separate place so the mover can identify them.
• Pay all outstanding bills. Indicate your new address on payment receipts.

1 -2 days before your Moving day:

• The movers will arrive to start the packing process
• Empty and defrost your refrigerator/fridge and freezer, clean both with a disinfectant and let them air out.
• Plan to take important papers, jewelry, family photos and important computer files with you.
• Provide the new phone number (if you have it) and include phone numbers or an e-mail where you can be reached while you’re in transit. It may be a number of your old neighbors or relatives with whom you’ll be in contact. It’s good to keep in touch in case that an emergency arises.

Moving Day

• Remove linens from the beds and pack them in an “open first” box.
• When the movers arrive, review all details and paperwork. Go with the movers when they take inventory. Verify delivery plans.
• If you manage it, give the home a final cleaning, or perhaps arrange in advance for someone who can do this the day after moving out.

Move-In Day

• If you arrive before the movers, take some time to tidy up your home (dusting shelves, etc.) so the movers can unpack items directly onto clean shelves.
• Review your plan to refresh your memory about where you want furniture and things placed.
• Check if telephone, electricity, etc. have been connected.
• Be present when the moving truck arrives.
• One person should be in charge of checking the inventory sheets as items are unloaded. A second person should direct the movers on where to place items. Once everything is unloaded, unpack only what you need for the first day or two.
• And last but not least, give yourself at least two weeks to unpack and organize your belongings.