After my next move, I will have moved 4 times in 1.5 years. The moving checklist I am sharing with you today has saved my life during this stressful time.
MOVING, MOVING, MOVING
My first move was from college back to my parents. In order to graduate, I had to do an internship at my old hometown station and work as a news producer. I spent three months there before I moved again.
My second move was to my first big girl job in Alabama. In Alabama, I had the chance to really focus on my blog. I was posting 2 times a day, every day of the week. My blog was flourishing with new content.
When the opportunity arose to move back to Texas, I jumped for it. This meant after 8 long months in the south, I was packing all my things together to trek back to my home state.
After 10 months in my beloved townhome, I am now moving AGAIN. This time to a more permanent living situation. I am buying a house in the same city I live in now, making my moving distance tiny compared to the last three moves. I am so excited to settle in and become a pack rat, plus my sisters are moving in with me in the summer.
Because I am making such a huge step in my life, I want to include you all in the process. If you have any questions about moving or buying your first home, please leave a comment. I plan to write a few more posts on my experience, and I want to answer as many questions as possible.
MOVING SCHEDULE
6 WEEKS OUT
PURGE: My favorite thing to do before a move is purge. I go to every room and create a trash, donate and keep pile. Once I am done with the piles, I revisit the keep pile and scrutinize my decision for keeping each item. I usually get rid of all of my excess junk with this method.
RESEARCH: This is the perfect time to find out what services you need to use for your move. For example, I do not need movers or a rental van, but I do need to hire carpet cleaners. I use online review sites to determine who I narrow down my options, and then I reach out to the company’s to get a quote.
TIME OFF: I always request time off from work as early as possible to ensure I will have time dedicated to my move! Six weeks out usually guarantees that I have my time.
4 WEEKS OUT
CHANGE ADDRESS: Refer to the infographic above to see a list of things you need to change your address for (and pin for a later move). I also have to change addresses for all of my blogging things like affiliate accounts and sponsored posts accounts. Be sure to think of all the special things you do that will need an address change.
EAT IT ALL: I always write down everything I have in my fridge, freezer and pantry and make a meal plan focusing on the items in the refrigerator. This keeps me from having to waste space on food!
START PACKING: I always start packing early because I am too nervous to wait til last minute. I start with the least used rooms first, and then I make my way to the least used cabinets, and so on. Plus, I always take a photo of each room, so I will know how I decorated for the new house. Also, I create a binder that lists everything in each box, so nothing will get lost (I even take photos of the boxes).
SCHEDULE MOVERS: After you have done your research, it is time to decide on a moving company. I normally use UHaul with my family as the movers, but everyone does it a different way. Just make sure you have your decision and your plan set in stone.
3 WEEKS OUT
UTILITIES: Refer to the infographic on which utilities you need to make plans for. Remember, this should be adjusted to your lifestyle – just remember to turn off the ones in your current home!
SCHOOL: This is the time to make adjustments and call on your children’s new school. I personally do not have a lot of experience with this because I am not a mother, but three weeks gives you enough time to get everything in order.
PETS AND PLANTS: Make a plan for how your want to transport your pets and plants. In the past, I have loaded up Schmidt in my car because he is good on the road, and I have put my plants in the passenger seat floor. In this next move, I just have to go down the road, so it will be incredibly simple!
2 WEEKS OUT
SCHEDULE SERVICES: If you are using any other service besides moving, this is the prime time to make an appointment. I will be scheduling a carpet cleaning at this time, and if you are getting new furniture, make sure you will be at the new home when the delivery is made.
PACK IT ALL: You should be living out of a few suitcases at this point. I always have a weeks worth of clothing and toiletries in a suitcase to use until I make the big move.
1 WEEK OUT
CLEAN VEHICLE: You will be using your vehicle to move, and in some cases, you will be in it for an extended period of time. This means you will want it to be clean and functional. I always take my vehicle to get the oil changed and vacuumed before a move.
CLEAN CURRENT HOME: If you are renting and want your deposit back, you need to follow the cleaning guidelines in your lease. I always replace all old bulbs and deep clean the entire place.
SETTLE ALL BILLS/SERVICES: If you owe anything or have any services that are specific to your area, get them settled now! You do not want an old problem to follow you to a new home!
DAY OF
- Final walk through of your old home
- Walk through of your new home
- Plan all immediate home improvements (painting, etc)
- Make sure all windows are locked
- If you used movers, inspect all your items/report broken items
I hope you enjoyed these tips and this moving checklist! What are your tips?
Haha, and I can barely handle the logistics of moving back home just for winter break!
I like her tips as they are direct and practical. That said, I would add other things to this list when thinking about moving — especially if you are moving and in a relationship. I know this from having moved across the country several times and having moved once in a relationship. Here is a blog post of tips that help make moving easier for you and your relationship as given by a counselor. https://justmind.org/tips-to-make-moving-easier/
That’s a really useful article, Taylor. I’ll be moving to a new city early next year, and these tips are so practical; something I can follow so easily. I booked my movers through http://www.glovve.com and while my movers did share some of these tips, this list is really going to be of great help to me
Thanks for sharing!