When it’s time to move to a new home, there’s a lot to do. Lots of people get stressed – but the experience doesn’t have to induce anxiety. By understanding what’s expected of you, stress levels can drastically decrease. Our relocation checklist will help you to formulate your to-do list. From there, you can begin establishing a timeline and placing items on your calendar. Begin your moving journey with the following relocation checklist:
- Hire a moving company. Do your research and find one that offers a range of services you need, has a great reputation and has the necessary experience.
- Sort your belongings. Don’t automatically pack everything you own. View this as a chance to do a little spring cleaning – even if it’s winter! Divide your stuff into things you want to keep, things you want to throw out and things you want to sell/donate.
- Hold a moving sale. There’s no better motivation for getting your stuff sorted than scheduling a sale to get it into the hands of the waiting public. Not only will you save money because you won’t be paying to transport as many belongings, but you’ll make money off stuff you no longer need!
- Purchase moving supplies. You’ll need an assortment of boxes – everything from small to large, and specialty boxes like mattress, wardrobe, dishpack boxes and more – as well as tape, newswrap, bubble wrap, labels and a good marker.
- Hold a packing party. It’s no fun to pack by yourself, so invite friends and family to join you! Designate a window of time and ask them to drop by whenever they can. Be a good host and offer them food and drinks as well.
- Send records. Stop by your children’s school and request their records be sent to their new school. Do the same with any doctor or dentist records for each family member, if you know which doctors you’ll be seeing near your new home.
- Inform people of your move. Send moving announcements to friends and family with your new address and moving date. In addition, contact your bank and other financial institutions so they’re aware of your impending move.
- Arrange for storage. If you’ll be needing storage at your new home – whether because your stuff won’t fit or you can’t move in right away – then find a storage facility several weeks in advance.
- Prepare kids and pets for the move. A move can be a rough transition for those who aren’t adults. Talk about it frequently with your children, including what to expect and how they can be involved. Keep your pets’ routines the same and make sure they feel safe even though you’re busy packing up their home.
This relocation checklist is by no means exhaustive. However, it should help you get started with creating your own to-do list. If you need more help with preparing for your move, contact North American Van Lines. With more than 75 years of experience, we’re experts at creating a smooth moving experience for our customers.
