A Moving Checklist Can Help You Organize

If you’re moving, here’s a tip: organization is the key to a successful move. Getting organized on the front end of your move will save you tons of time on the back end. This moving checklist can help you organize your move.

STEP 1 – Prepare to Get Organized

___If you’re using professional movers, contact them first to book your date, pay your deposit, and determine the level of services you’ll use and how much you’ll do yourself. Moving companies will pack your things, but prepare to pay handsomely for the convenience.
___Buy your supplies. Gather or purchase cardboard boxes, buy box tape, packing materials, dish packs, magic markers or labels, and any other moving supplies you will need.
___Establish a staging area. A section of your garage or an extra bedroom can be used for storing boxes that are packed and ready to move to your new location.
___Consider renting or buying a dolly or cart. Boxes get heavy, and your back can only take so much. The right equipment makes it easy to move heavy boxes and furniture.

STEP 2 – Reduce what needs to be moved to the new location.

A move is the right time to clear out un-wanted and duplicate items that you have. If you’re being moved by professionals, you’ll pay by the pound, so have a garage sale to get rid of things you don’t need. If time is an issue, or a sale is not your style, donate your excess to charity. Keep in mind this simple rule: if it’s broken, charities don’t want it either, so throw it away or recycle the item if possible.

___Box up extra plates, cups, dishes, pots, pans, knives and silver that you don’t really need or don’t use and give them to charity.
___Sell any furniture you don’t want to take along to your new house at a garage sale or through a classified ad in your local paper.
___Go through your closet and pull out anything you haven’t worn in six months, clean it, box it up, and give it to charity. Do the same for your other family members.
___If you have children, get them to help you box up a few boxes of toys they no longer play with. Most households can also throw out a few boxes of broken toys. Older kids may enjoy selling their items on ebay or at a garage sale.
___Clean out the attic. If you haven’t used something since you put it there, get rid of it.
___Gather up your un-used household paints and chemicals, cleaning fluids, oil, bleach or fireworks and dispose of them properly. (Moving companies won’t take them and you shouldn’t be transporting them either.)
___If you have lots of household plants, consider donating them to a nursing home or give them to friends as parting gifts.
___Inventory your books, puzzles, games, and movies, and give what you don’t need to charity.
___Take an inventory of your pantry and plan to use what you have before you move.
___Sort through “junk drawers” and throw out the true junk.

STEP 3 Pack away things you don’t use every day.

The earlier you start packing, the better, so start with the things you don’t use every day and the breakable items that take care to pack. Extra dish towels, sheets, and even blankets can make good packing material too, so use them to keep your delicate items safe and get them out of the linen closet at the same time. Keep in mind that you’ll have more time (and patience!) early on in the process to wrap things carefully to ensure they arrive undamaged at your new home.

___Pack up your small appliances that are seldom-used, like breadmakers, pasta machines, or crock pots, label the boxes, and put them in your staging area to be moved to your new home. Remember to keep boxes light enough to be carried.
___Use your dishpacks to carefully pack your good china, stemware, and breakables.
___Pack away your breakable décor items and knick knacks.
___Photo albums, books, puzzles, movies and games can be packed up early. Be sure to store them in a dry place.
___Put your off-season clothing into wardrobe boxes and begin emptying drawers of any clothing you’re unlikely to wear before the move.
___Go room to room and remove things that are not needed for daily living. Box and label them carefully.

STEP 4 – Take care of the personal side.

If possible, at least three weeks before your move, take time out from packing and cleaning to take care of the personal business related to your move.

___Open bank accounts in your new location.
___Visit the post office and pick up a Change of Address Kit. Or go online to www.usps.gov.
___Contact the publishers of the magazines you receive and inform them of your new address.
___Make any necessary changes to payments that are made automatically through your bank.
___Contact the utility and telephone companies, your trash company, and your satellite or cable television providers and inform them of your move. Establish new accounts and arrange for deposits to be made or refunded.
___Cancel your newspaper
___Contact friends or relatives to arrange for help on moving day.

STEP 5 – Countdown to Moving Day

As your moving day approaches, you should begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. By now your staging area is probably full, so it’s time to get out a suitcase and fill it with the clothes and toiletries you’ll need to get you through the move. Have your family members do the same. Once their suitcases are full of the essentials, you can start packing the rest of your belongings. At this time it’s best to confirm all details with your moving company or rental location. Remind your friends the day is approaching too!

___Empty the bedroom closets and dresser drawers and pack the rest of the family clothes. Mark each box with the room it will go to in the new house.
___Get the pictures and artwork off the walls and safely packed or stored for the move.
___Pack up all your kitchen except for absolute necessities. Be sure to mark kitchen boxes carefully and indicate which boxes are breakable.
___Box, if necessary, all electronics like TVs, stereos and computers or determine how they will get to the new location. Be sure to keep the cords with the appropriate items.
___Disassemble beds and large furniture items (unless your movers are handling that part).
___Empty the hall closet and linen closet, empty the contents from under the bathroom and kitchen sinks.
___Clean, clean, clean.

When the house is empty and the truck is packed, you can breathe a sigh of relief, because when you arrive at your new destination you’ll be unloading an organized load of fewer items, all neatly packed and well-marked for move-in.

Thank you to Connie Holubar for this Moving Checklist

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