The Ultimate Moving Checklist

Moving to a new place and at a crossroads? Although exciting, preparing for your move is no easy feat. Whether you’re relocating to a different town area, city, or country, the process can feel exhausting and complicated. Packing your belongings, moving them to a new place, and making all other arrangements is not as simple as it sounds. It requires careful planning and organization to ensure everything goes smoothly on your moving day.

If you are confused about how to start planning for your move, here is an ultimate moving checklist to help you get started.

Declutter

Get rid of the stuff that is no longer in use. It will make the moving process much easier. Throw away what has reached its scrap value, sell what you don’t need but is still valuable, and donate what you can.

Decluttering your home will take off a lot of weight when you begin packing and moving your belongings, which, let’s face it, is the hardest part of the ordeal. There is little sense in holding onto the stuff that will serve no purpose in your new home.

Get a Storage Unit

Moving from one place to another can be very stressful, and even more so when there is a gap between your move-out and move-in dates. While you can wait out the days in a hotel room or a friend’s place before you can finally move, you can’t haul all your possessions around as easily. All your precious belongings will need a temporary abode before you are ready to move to your new location, and this is where storage units come in handy.

Having a storage unit at your disposal can help you store all your stuff until your moving day. You could even start putting your things away in the unit as soon as you begin packing for the move. You don’t have to crowd your old home with a stack of brown boxes until moving day and let the logistics of their move overwhelm you. The transition between homes will feel much more convenient and stress-free if you use storage units to move your things gradually than all at once.

Schedule Cancellations and Setups for Your Utilities

Electricity, gas, water, and internet are only a few services you will need to cancel from your old location and set up for your new one. Reach out to all your utility providers and inform them of the change in location so that your last month’s bills don’t get lost in your old mail. While you are on it, see if your current providers can set up utilities in your new place by the time you move. If not, you may need to start searching for new providers in advance to save yourself the added stress on moving day.

Give Notice to Your Landlord

This one is for all the renters: Notify your landlord about your move before the standard one-to-two-month time period. Your landlord may just be one of the first people who need to hear about you moving. So don’t put talking to them on the back burner. Schedule a walk-through for the condition of your place, ask for your deposit, settle any debts, and get it out of the way.

Notify About the Change in Address

While your friends and family will know about your change in address, they are far from the only people who need to know it. You need to update your address for tax agencies, insurance providers, banks, your workplace, online shopping sites, subscription services, etc. After all, you don’t want the new people in your old home getting updates about all your banking or other personal details.

Take Some Time Off

Moving is complicated as is. Don’t let a busy schedule distract you or add to your stress before your big move. Request a couple of days off from work to get all your relocating affairs in order. Keeping minimal extra things on your agenda will leave you with more time to plan and execute your move without a hitch.

If you can’t get a day off from work, schedule your moving day on the weekend. You need to be there in person to make sure the transition from your old place to your new one is handled smoothly.

Empty Out the Fridge

The week before the official move, start emptying the edible things in your fridge instead of adding to the kitchen groceries. You don’t want your fridge brimmed to the full before the moving day with major confusion about what to do with it. You could, of course, pack everything in a cooler and transport it to the new place, but that is just additional stress you don’t need.

Consider this your time to test your culinary skills and make the best meals from what you have available. Make it your own MasterChef mission.

Don’t Forget to Pack Your Essentials

While you are concerned about storing and moving the big items to your new place, it is very easy to forget about the personal essentials still in use. Be it your towel, toothbrush, or clothes, pack your personal items before the moving day.

Make sure you keep the essentials in a separate bag for easy access. Even if you are moving out and moving in on the same day, you can’t unload and unpack everything all at once. Rather than sifting through the boxes for your essentials, you should have them readily available.

Bid Farewell to Your Neighbors

Meet the people from your neighborhood and hug them goodbye. Let them know about your moving day so the huge moving trucks on the driveway won’t catch them off-guard.

Set Up the New Place

Once you reach your new location, take a breather, wash off the sweat, and then begin making arrangements for your new place at a leisurely pace. Unpack your items, set your furniture, and change the locks. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Take off things from your move-day checklist one by one.

Conclusion

Moving to a new place marks a new chapter of your life. A fresh start in a new area, a new house, and around new neighbors. While the process is stressful, breathe, relax, and try not to let it get to your head. Your wellness is important. Take some time for yourself between tasks and allow yourself to unwind for a few hours. This will help you feel refreshed on the day of your relocation, making the whole experience more enjoyable and successful.