What to Do Before Moving Day
Are you going to be moving soon? There is a lot to do before a move. With your possessions to pack securely in boxes and everyone in the family to take care of, it is easy to miss things. It can feel like you have so much on your plate that you are bound to miss something important.
To help you out, we have created a list of what to do before moving. This should ensure you avoid losing sleep, worrying about the things you might have forgotten.
Updating Your Address
It is important to update your address early with the U.S. Postal Service to ensure none of your mail goes missing. This task is easy to do, and you should get it out of the way weeks before your moving day. It is critical to do a USPS address change early on in the process to ensure you don't miss any of your vital mail.
You can change your address online on their website. Simply fill out their online form, and they will redirect your mail for free. Make sure you do this at least a few weeks before moving but preferably sooner to avoid problems. Maximum Real Estate Exposure has an outstanding resource that walks you through step by step on how to change your address with the post office.
Subscriptions and Memberships
Something straightforward to overlook in the chaos of a move is recurring payments. Make a list of all your memberships and subscriptions that you need to either change or cancel before your address changes.
You can sometimes find problems when you change your address, and the company hasn’t updated your billing details correctly. To try and avoid such situations, you should call these companies early so that you will minimize the chances of disruption.
If you have something like a gym membership that you can’t cancel, you might be able to sell it. There are online classified sites that exist just for this purpose, so don’t miss the opportunity to get some money back on a service you can’t use any longer.
Get All of Your Moving Boxes
One of the essential things to do before your move is to find places that have moving boxes. Boxes for moving are usually fairly easy to find. In fact, there are many places where you can get them for free. Point2 News has a terrific resource providing tips on where to get boxes for no charge.
If you are pressed for time and can't find any free boxes near your location, you might be able to find some businesses where you can pay for them. Some of the more popular locations to get moving boxes are Home Depot, Walmart, and Lowes.
You obviously can't start the moving process until you get your boxes, so this should be right at the top of your moving to-do list. One pro tip to think about concerning boxes - you will have a lot of them leftover. Here is how to get rid of the excess boxes.
Update Your Car Insurance
Contacting your car insurance company to update your address is particularly important if you move to a different state. The new state you are moving to could have different levels of required coverage.
If your move is only local, you could still face different charges even if you have only moved a few streets away. You should call your insurer weeks before your moving day so that you don't invalidate your insurance.
Dealing with Bills
With everything else that you have to think about, you can overlook your finances. It is all too easy to lose track of where you are with paying your bills.
So if you can set up some of your important bills with autopay, it can save you some headaches. You should be able to set up autopay with your bank or through the company you have to pay.
This is important so that you avoid paying extra costs or damaging your credit score. Moving from home to home is expensive enough without suffering extra costs that could have been avoided.
Take Pictures For Putting Things Back Together
One of the more important things to do before moving is to take pictures of things that are complicated to put back together. Before you dismantle all your electronics, you need to take photographs to show how you have everything connected.
Doing so will save you a lot of annoyance and time when you come to unpack and set things up in your new home. Take it from someone who has moved a few times; this can be a real time saver.
It is also a good idea to label the cords with some masking tape to know which electronic device they are attached to.
Packing Your Plants
Moving from house to house with many plants can be difficult and something you should try to deal with on the last day in your old home. If you want to take plants with you that aren't already in pots, make sure you don't pack the shovels and have pots or buckets to transport the plants.
You will have to be very careful when you dig up the roots and pack them in the bucket. Also, be aware that not every plant will necessarily survive the trip and replanting. Taking care of your plants before the move will help the odds they will flourish in your new home, and you won't be tossing them out with the trash.
A Moving In Box is Helpful
Don't forget to set aside the items you will need for the first day in your new home. This could include things like cleaning supplies, paper towels, bed linen, and toilet paper.
You could also pack paper plates and cutlery for your first few meals in your new home. Perhaps you want to bring a bottle of wine to celebrate moving into your new home as well. Just make sure you don't forget some glasses or paper cups to celebrate properly.
If you go through our list before a move, you should reduce the chances of something going wrong on the big day and beyond. Here are some other tips for moving that will ensure that your experience is a better one.
Final Thoughts on Tasks to Complete Before Moving
When you are buying, selling, or renting a home, there will be a lot on your plate. Moving is one of the most challenging experiences of the whole process. Part of having a less stressful move is proper planning. Using these tips and creating a moving to-do list, you should be able to put yourself in a much better place before the move gets going.
Hopefully, you have enjoyed the advice on moving preparation. Best of luck!
