What are the main things to do when moving house – a lot of people who try to organize a relocation ask some of the important questions but forget others. This article is meant to give you some direction in moving so that before moving day you will be clear on the main things to do when moving house. In order to simplify your moving you can make yourself a moving checklist. In this way you can organize better your list of things to do when moving house. Amongst the abundance of information on moving your furniture, car, relocating locally or out of state, there are other important things to do when moving house. They can make your move smoother, simpler and more efficient – however small they may seem at first.
Important Things to Do when Moving House – Use MyMove App
An even more precise approach would be to get advantage of the free iPhone app MyMove. It is easy to use and with it you are no longer limited by your computer or lists on paper. Any time you remember about more things to do when moving house you can easily add them to your list on your phone. So far the MyMove app has assisted over 1000 moves (and counting). You can also use it to browse moving companies, get quotes, read reviews, share your moving story and a lot more.
Basic List of Things to Do when Moving House
Here below you will find a list with some of the most important things to do when moving house.
- One of the most important things to do when moving house is what to do with mail when moving – this is the official USPS change of address form to fill in. The USPS also offers forward mail service – with it the US posts will send to your new address anything that arrives at the old one. In case you get some bills or you forget about subscriptions.
- Consider what to do with utilities when moving. It will be easier for you to change them if you make a list of all the companies you are dealing with like electricity, gas, cable, phone, vet, doctor, etc. Put in it addresses and phone numbers for contact. Update this list regularly and should you ever move again it will be right there for you to use.
In order to put order in your utilities when moving make a list with them. That way you can quickly organize their change.
- Think about downsizing: it can not only save you space but you will also save money. You can put up on ebay what you don’t longer need.
- At the same time before buying new stuff check out freecycle – a website where you can find a wide variety of items for free. These are just things that people no longer want and give them away.
- What can you do with your curtains – instead of running to buy new ones immediately take the size of yours. If they fit into your new home you can move them. If they don’t, you can resize them to save some money. Plan where and how to position your mirrors, paintings and anything that goes on the wall. If you don’t want any of these you will have the time to get rid of them rather than having to pay to ship them.
- What to do if you are packing yourself: begin packing as early as possible. Tel your friends and family that you are moving and when and how they can help you with it. For the heavy items use small boxes – that way you will be able to carry them. At the same time don’t forget your “open first” box. It should contain an extra set of clothes, some snacks, kettle, coffee, cutlery and plates. Put some cleaning materials as well – before the large items are unloaded you can do a little bit immediately, if necessary. Take duct tape with you as well – if something is rattling at the back of the vehicle you can quickly fix it.
- Amongst the most important things to do when moving house is to always pack your laptop and documentation to go with you even in a full moving. That includes travel tickets, vet/ doctor/ school records, etc. Make a backup of all the important data on your computer and carry it with you as well. You don’t want all your family and friends’ photos missing or damaged.
- Label the boxes clearly. You can put numbers on the boxes and make an inventory list with them and what is included in each box. Keep a printed copy of the list with you and one on your computer or on an external memory device. It will also be easier for you to use colors to mark the boxes denoting which box to which room it belongs – for example blue for living room, white for bedroom and so on. When unloading you will quickly be able to make sure all the boxes have arrived. At the same time when you need something you can quickly find it. For a small one-bedroom apartment move this may not be so important but if you are moving a large 4-bedroom house you may end up with so many boxes that you could get lost in them!
Prepare your "open first" box to go with you on moving day. It should contain some snacks, cutlery, plates, an extra set of clothes and some cleaning materials.
- When arranging the truck the last things to go in it should be your “open first” box and your bed – in this way they will come out first when unloading. When you arrive at your new home fix the beds and set the toilet and bathroom. Once you need them they will be ready to use. And whenever you get tired you can immediately go and have a rest.
- If you are renting your current house, after you have taken all boxes out of your apartment take photos of the place. When you move in to your new home try to check in the first few days that all utilities are working properly. Don’t just assume they are. It will spare you any trouble on a later stage.
Here is some more info if you are moving for the first time.
What do you think about these tips? Hopefully they will give you some valuable assistance to make your relocation smoother and simpler. If you have something more to add you can make a comment or share your moving story.
