How to Prepare Before You Move to a New Home?

By: Phil Sanders

It is very essential to prepare before your move to your new home. You do not want the entire moving exercise to be chaotic and panic-driven. You can definitely make moving an enjoyable thing if you plan well and do things systematically. Here is how you can prepare before your move to a new home.

Your Interaction with the Moving Company

Contacting the moving company one month in advance and asking them for quotes is a good way to prepare before you move. Ask them to come to your house and then on the basis of it, give a quote. Find out about the extent of insurance that will be used to cover the items whilst moving, and the money you have to pay towards insurance. Make sure you get quotes from three moving companies and then make a decision. When you choose one of them, notify them and ask them about the delivery date and the packing arrangements.

Two weeks before moving, confirm with the moving company about the moving, get information about the time they will arrive, the packing supplies, the vehicle used for moving etc. Take the number of a concerned person from the company and make sure that he is kept in the loop about the developments.

Notifying Authorities, Friends and Relatives About the Move

A month before you move, write an application to your post office, your mobile service provider and your gas company about the move so that they can wind up their services properly. It is also very important thing to remember when you prepare before you move. Let the school authorities know about your move so that they can process the request for your child in a proper manner.

Notify people in your professional circles, especially those who have an interest in your presence and job in the current destination. Notify your friends and relatives about the move and one week before you leave the place, leave your forwarding address. Get in touch with your bank and close the account only if you are going to open an account with a new bank in the other place.

Take Care of Important Documents and Valuables

Make sure all the important and pertinent documents are stored in a fire-proof box. They include your passport, driving license, tax related documents, employment letter, marriage record, birth certificate, financial records, stock certificates etc. In case you do not require certain goods or items, give them to charity, scrap buyer or hold a garage sale. Make sure you pack goods that you do not need two weeks before you relocate.

When you prepare before your move, keep all cleaning supplies and first aid supplies in a box that you can retrieve easily when you need. Start packing household goods 1 or 2 days before the move and take care of little but important things like defrosting the deep freezer. Make sure you keep your jewelry and other valuable items with you because movers do not assume responsibility for them. Make sure that all the boxes where you have packed items, are categorised, numbered and labeled properly.