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Moving

Checklist

 

Relocation can be a chaotic experience,

especially if you haven’t planned in advance.

This applies to many relocations, domestic and commercial.

Taking the time to do things in advance will help you in the long term.

To help you get organized and to stay in control, we compiled a list!

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You can print this page and use it to check off

tasks you have completed as you complete them,

helping you stay on top of it all.

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6 – 8 WEEKS – PREPARATION
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You’ve spent time visiting properties in the search of the right home, apartment, or office for your needs.

You’ve gone to the effort of going through all the legal channels, and almost everything is complete.

When it comes to relocation, there is no such thing is being too organised!

Now that you’ve found your ideal property, it’s time to be realistic about the logistics.

  • Now is the time to be contacting a professional moving company, to get a quote for any services required on your moving day.

  • One of our agents will come out to inspect your moving requirements,

  • as well as provide you with a moving quote and full documentation regarding our services.

  • Be sure to use this time wisely to ask any questions you have, and to read all documentation provided by our agent.

  • Take the contact details of your moving agent. Keep the details and the documents in a safe but easy to remember place.

 

4 – 6 WEEKS – SETTING UP MOVING SERVICES
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In this day and age, data protection, and identification theft are two issues every homeowner should be aware of.

Be sure to forward all of your mail to your new address.

  • Make a list of important documents you have and need to take with you, and check off each document as you find them.

  • Keeping these documents in a folder or security deposit box will make sure

  • you can always easily put your hands on them again if you need them.

  • Any old mail should be shredded and disposed of.

  • Notify the post office that you are moving home. A Change of Address form is available on the United States postal service website.

There will be a number of service providers you will need to contact prior to your move. All tasks that involve paperwork are tedious at the best of times.

The services below have been banded into five groups. An ideal tactic would be to handle all paperwork and service changes over the space on one week.

From Monday to Friday, you could tackle one group per day, making contact and notifying them of your change of address and any change of circumstances,

rather than trying to cram it all into one stressful day.

  • Alert the utilities companies that have been supplying your current home. These utilities could include:

  • Electric, gas, water, telephone/broadband services, cable/satellite services.

  • Next, consider financial services. These include bank and loan companies, credit card and auto finance companies.

  • Professional services also need to be notified of your change of address. These could include you doctor, dentist, optician, pharmacy, laundry services, lawyer and accountant.

  • Particular government bodies will also need to be made aware of your move,

  • such as Department of Motor Vehicles, Social Security Administration, State/Federal Tax Bureaus, City/County Tax Assessor, and so on.

  • Finally, make sure that any publication subscriptions you have are made aware of your change of details.

  • Update personal internet account details for PayPal, Google, Yahoo and other online accounts to ensure that any items you order arrive at the right address.

How much of the contents of your current home will be travelling with you? Moving to a new home is often the catalyst to a grand clear out.
If your relocation is long distance, you will be charged on the weight of your items, as well as the distance.

TLC Movers charges short distance relocations (those less than 100 miles) on an hourly or flat rate.

So if you have lots of unwanted items, you don’t want to pay for hours moving items you don’t particularly want or will keep in your new home.

  • Your friends and family may greatly need one of your unwanted items, solving two problems with one simple answer.

  • Make sure you call around, and let people know what you’re thinking of passing on. Appliances and furniture are usually very quick to move.

    • A garage sale will help raise funds that you can either contribute to your relocation, or use as funds for a purchase to go in your new property.

    • Use online selling stores to sell any remaining items. Online auctions are great for getting rid of unwanted items,

    • but bear in mind any fees that may be applied by selling through their site.

 

2 – 4 WEEKS – PACKING UP
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You may have already decided to pack everything yourself. This may sound more cost effective initially, but on many occasions,

people find things don’t always quite go to plan when they rely on friends and family. In one phone call,

you could find out how affordable TLC  Movers really is for your packing requirements, as well as your transit requirements.
However, if you have already made arrangements for your packing, ensure that you have all the right materials in order to pack your items safely and securely.

We can provide any materials you need to pack your items. Our site also has a page full of packing hints and tips to help you no matter how you decide to pack your items.

  • Ensure you have enough boxes of different sizes to accommodate your items. Check out our website for packing boxes.

  • Purchase and use specialized boxes for certain items, such as picture and mirror boxes, wardrobe boxes, and dish and china boxes.

  • Our packing box range includes these specialist items.

  • Ensure you have plenty of tape, bubble wrap, packing paper (including heavy duty packing paper). These items are also part of our packaging materials.

Once you are equipped for the job, you need to approach the task systematically.

  • Print off our packing guide for some great advice on packing all of your items if you have decided to take on the responsibility of boxing everything up.

  • Start with one room, and pack everything in it that is not essential. Finish as much as you can before moving on to the next room.

  • Keep a list for each room of items that still need to be packed to make sure no item gets left behind or forgotten.

  • Mark every single box with the room it needs to end up in on your move day. I quick listing of contents, such as ‘dishes’,

  • or ‘books’ allows you to put your hands quickly on the items you want.

  • Mark boxes with delicate contents as fragile.

  • Make sure boxes that you feel are fully packed can cope with the task, and move the box across the room, to check its stability.

  • If you know which boxes you want to open first, mark them with an exclamation mark, or a similar reminder so you know which boxes to start unpacking immediately upon arrival.

  • Once you have everything pretty much packed, speak to your representative, and advise them on the number and sizes of the boxes packed.

  • Keep hold of boxes for things you will want to save for last minute packing.

By this point, with thinking about everything, and organising all your details, you’re probably already starting to feel the strains of your relocation,

and you might be tempted to take a slightly lax attitude to your packing. Don’t give in to temptation, and be resolute throughout your entire move.

This is not a job to be last to the last minute. You will always, always have much more ‘stuff’ than you ever could have imagined.

If you’re finding the prospect of packing making you want to bury your head in the sand, simply call us and we"ll take the burden off your hands, and put it into well packaged boxes.

 

LAST TWO WEEKS
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It’s the last few days till your move day comes, you’re probably going to be feeling a little doubtful,

a little worried, and perhaps even a little sorry.

It’s only when you leave your home do all the good memories play on your mind. This, mixed with all the stress and anxiety,

can understandably lead to some emotional times for some.

Rather than mourn the loss of your home, try to remember how good it felt looking around your new home.

Remember all of the reasons you wanted to move, and the benefits the move will have.

  • Take the family to visit friends and favorite places, and spend some time reminiscing.

  • If there’re places you loved to visit, why not take some photos and savour those memories forever

  • Hold a going away party. Everybody loves a house warming party, but all too often we forget to celebrate the success we’ve had in our current home.

  • Having a simple and small get together before you leave your current home gives you one last memory of all your favorite people being together under your roof.

  • Remember to pack up any parting gifts friends and family may present you.

This may sound like a lot to organize around your move, but in hiring a company like Excalibur Van Lines,

you will have more time and resources to enjoy the last few weeks and days of your home, and have more time to prepare yourself and your family for the big day.

 
THE BIG DAY
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Before you know it, the big day is here. By using us, you can be sure everything will be in hand.

The day can still feel very challenging.

  • Make sure all last minute items are packed the night before, saving only a few items left for the morning pack.

  • Try to get a good night’s rest prior to your move, and don’t skip breakfast in the morning.

  • Make sure you have plenty of snacks and drinks throughout the day. The process of moving is both physically and mentally demanding,

  • so you will need the energy, as well as the occasional break.

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