What are the Important Things You Forget to Do When You Move

April 20, 2021 / Posted in Before the Move
Daisy Wilson

Daisy was born in Salt Lake City and in her free time, she writes about moving and watches Charmed.

Nearly 13 million American households move each year, while an average American will move 11 times in his lifetime. Considering these numbers, you would think that Americans have their head wrapped around relocating and packing but even if we move a lot there are still things you forget to do when you move.

Couple holding a cardboard container
It's easy to overlook some things when relocating

Even if practice makes it better and you may think that you got everything covered, there is still a chance you forget to do something. When relocating, people are usually focused on things you forget to pack, but there are numerous things to remember to do when moving, which are very important but easily be overlooked. Here are some useful advice and tips you can use as your checklist when relocating.

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What to Do Weeks Before Your Move

No matter what your reasons to move are or whether you are relocating for the first time or if you have years of experience you will need help with this whole process. One of the best tips for relocating is to plan everything in advance and to be organized. If you start this whole process at least three months before your big day, you will save a lot of money, time and you will avoid a lot of unnecessary relocation mistakes people are making. In order for things to go smoothly and for you to have a stress free relocation follow these tips and you will be fine:

  • Figure out what to do with your work – If you are quitting your old job but you still don’t have a new one you should plan this carefully. Getting a new job before you move would be the best solution, but if this is not possible you should think about saving some money on the side so you have enough for a couple of months until you are all settled in.
  • Create a plan of your move – Set a date of your relocation and start planning everything around that date. Create a budget for your relocation so you know how much money you will have to hire moving services. Who knows, maybe there will be enough money for a packing service as well.
  • Find a school for your kids – If you are relocating with kids you should not only find them a new school but also their old school to have all paperwork and to transfer their school record to a new school. This may take a while which is why it is important to start on time.
  • Declutter your house – In order to relocate efficiently, it would be best if you could downsize your house a little bit. Start with packing your garage and organize a yard sale. This way your costs of interstate moving will be less and your packing will be easier later on. Also if you decide to put your stuff in a storage facility, it will occupy less space as well.
Picture of to do list
Good organisation and planning is a key to stress free relocation

Schedule Free in-Home Estimation With at Least Three Long Distance Moving Company

When you are in a search for a cross country movers you will want them to come to your home and give you an estimate of your move. This way you can choose movers that fits your budget and needs best. There are questions to ask your movers while they are at your house, like how they make their price, will they charge extra if for instance you have to move a piano, or are packing materials coming within the price, do they know how to pack chandeliers and other questions that pop to your mind. Bear in mind that when you hire movers you should check if a moving company is legitimate. If they don’t have a website, or information about their company, or doesn’t have US DOT number they are probably a fraud. Even if they refuse to answer some of the questions you may have, you should avoid them.

Professionals holding boxes
Check your company before hiring

Most Common Items People Forget to Pack – Essential Box What to Put In There

In every relocation there are the most common things people forget to pack. And these items are usually forgotten because we use them until the moving truck arrives or if they are stored in a place we don’t visit that often. This is why the easiest way to pack for a move is to pack your box or bag of moving essentials items first. This bag should have all the items you will need for a couple of days so think about it like you are packing for a short vacation. If you are relocating with pets don’t forget to pack essential items for them too. Also make sure that you label this box properly and if you are not taking it with you double check if your movers put it on a truck last. So when they unload everything this box will be at your disposal right away. Here are essential items you must include:

  • Toothbrush and toothpaste,
  • Soap and hygiene products,
  • Make-up,
  • Phone chargers,
  • Clothes left at the dry cleaning,
  • Medicine,
  • Water bottles,
  • First aid kit,
  • Disposable plates and cups,
  • Food,
  • Hot beverages,
  • Valuables,
  • Documents,
  • Keys.
Woman putting medicine in a first aid kit
Remember to bring your first aid kit as well as your important medicine

One Week Before Your Big Day

Now that your big day is coming close it is time to do some arrangements people usually don’t remember to do on time, and later on they are too busy to do it. If you are shipping a car across the country, now it’s time to prepare your vehicle for auto transportation. Take all valuable stuff you have there and take your car for a cleaning, take the pictures of the car if there are any damages (you will need this for insurance purposes) and start preparing your car documentation for your auto transport company. Also, do a deep cleaning of your furniture, or at least the one you plan to take with you. So if you have a sofa that needs to be cleaned, hire a professional to do this for you. And don’t worry that it would get soiled in transport, since once covered with a professional sofa cover for relocation, your furniture will arrive intact.

Transfer Your Utilities

Some of the most often forgotten things to do is transferring your utilities on time. Having gas or heat is not that necessary if you are relocating in the summertime but if you are relocating in winter you will be in a bit of a problem. Call your service providers and inform them about your relocation. Also remember to transfer your internet or cable as well, and make sure your router and cords are in your box of essentials. Some of these utilities will not be transferred right away and make sure you tell your providers the exact date of your arrival to a new place so you can have everything up and running when you get there.

Change Your Address

This may take some time but it is really important to do. If you don’t change your address 7-10 days before your move, your mail will be delivered to you later. But this is not that difficult to do, just go online on USPS website, find a change of address form, and in just a couple of steps your request will be submitted. When you change your address the post office will forward mail to your new address for a year, and after that it will stop. So it is your responsibility to inform everyone about your address change and it is ok you don’t do it right away, but it would be advisable to do this in a couple of weeks upon your arrival. It’s because forwarded mail takes more time to get to an address than usual mail.

Cancel all Memberships You May Have

We all have a lot of membership fees that we are paying with our credit card and these payments are automated and easily forgotten. Before your relocation, call your gym or country club and ask them if there is a possibility of transferring your membership to another state and if not you can cancel them on time. Check out this video for more information on what you need to do before the big day arrives.

Most Common Things You Forget to Do When You Move – Moving Day

Your big day has finally arrived and now all the fuss and chaos in your home is starting to develop really fast. Good thing you prepared yourself on time for this moment. You have your bag of essentials and your documents, and everything is packed and ready to be loaded on the truck. But you need to have some stuff with you for this moment as well, and most important are cleaning supplies which people usually neglect to obtain. You will have to put aside a universal cleaner, mop and some rags in order to clean everything up in your old house and, more importantly, in your new home once you arrive. Also don’t forget to put some cash aside so you can tip your movers. There are a couple of supplies you can include as part of your essentials as well, like bulbs, batteries, trash bags, tool kit, and some used rags if the weather is bad. This is in case your new apartment doesn’t have everything you need.

Leave a Bag With Bedding a Side

One of the most important things when you arrive at your destination is to get some rest. Next couple of days are going to be strenuous. Put your bedding in one bag. You would want a clean bedding at your disposal once everything is over so you can make your bed and rest. You don’t want to go through all the boxes and look for your bedding. This is why it is crucial to label these properly.

Take Care of Your Movers and Yourself

When relocation starts we all run around and try to help with the move as much possible as we can. But it is important to take some breaks and sit and relax for a while. Prepare a bag for this purpose as well. Put some plastic cups inside, some plates, coffee or tea, and a lot of water bottles and snacks. While this break is taking place look around your house and go through every cabinet again in case you missed something. If you have a yard make sure you inspect thoroughly, since garden tools and kits are usually left in dirt. Also be sure your kids’ or pets’ favorite toys are not left behind in your backyard.

Woman holding a  bucket with cleaning supplies
Clean your house before your truck arrives

Things to Do After You Come to Your New Home

If possible it would be good if you can arrive at your new place before your truck. This way you can go through your house and check if everything is in order and in place. Check your pipes and water first – you’ll need it for cleaning. Before all the boxes arrive, take a picture of the place so you can have proof of apartment condition once you step inside. Also, now is a good opportunity to clean everything as well. Check where the main fuse is in your new home, and turn on your electricity. See if your alarm is functioning, as you don’t want to sleep in a new place feeling unsafe. For this purpose it is advisable to change your locks right away. Once your inspection and cleaning is complete put some protective blankets or old rugs on your floor for protection and wait for your moving truck to arrive.

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