What to Do Before You Move
Let’s face it: moving is a challenge. There are a million things you need to do to get everything you’ve accumulated out of our old house and into your new one. The one thing you want to avoid? Arriving at your new home to realize a few weeks or months later you’ve left something behind. Even if you’re an owl who over-prepares before you move, things don’t always go as planned. Instead of stressing out over things you need to do before you move, find out some of the common things you might forget.
1. Find those hidden items before you move
Remember when you thought it was a good idea to hide a key inside one of those fake rocks and place it in your flowerbed or in some inconspicuous spot in the yard? Those hide-a-key items were logical and innovative before smart home technology became the new must-have for homes. If you still have those hide-a-key devices lingering around your yard or home, they should be found and collected before the new owner moves in.
On the subject of hidden treasures, as your children aged, you probably had to get craftier about hiding places for special gifts and things you really just wanted to keep hidden. Don’t forget to check these spaces for lingering items before you move! The last thing you want to do is forget about that future Christmas gift you kept hidden in the attic.
Ah, the attic. You probably forgot about that large, open space sitting above your head. Unless you make frequent trips up those creaky attic stairs, you probably forgot about the things you just couldn’t let go of and stashed up there. Before you move, make sure you dust the cobwebs off those items you should probably take with you to your new home.
2. Transfer prescriptions and collect important records
Remembering to transfer things like prescriptions and collecting medical records are extremely important, especially if you’re moving to another state. Even if you’re just moving across town, changing pharmacies is probably a smart move unless you want to drive all the way across town to pick up your prescription.
When you’re obtaining copies of records, don’t just stop at your physician’s office. Having school records on hand for the kids will save you from waiting long periods of time while the secretary faxes a request to the previous school. When you’re in the process of moving, time is precious and you should do anything and everything in your power to make these processes run quick and smooth.
Don’t forget about the pets! Stop by the vet’s office before you move and obtain copies of your pet’s records before you move. Even if your pet doesn’t have an extensive medical history at the vet, it’s a good idea to have copies of their vaccination records.
3. Take pictures of items you’ll have to re-assemble
Taking items apart and packing them into boxes isn’t too difficult. The challenge comes when you have to unpack those same boxes and put those items back together. The thing is, hooking up electronics seems easy until you have to unravel bunches of cords that don’t remotely look as if they’re supposed to hook up to the same equipment. Before you move, take pictures of your electronics and any other items that will need to be rewired in the new home. This way, you’ll know exactly what the item is supposed to look like when you finish untangling all those cords you shoved into a box.
4. Change your address
Even if you get along with your postman, he likely won’t be following you to your new home. Before you move, fill out a change of address form with the US Post Office. That way, all the magazine subscriptions, newspapers with those good coupons and all that beloved junk mail can find you at your new place. Instead of making the trek to the post office you can now change your address by filling out an online form on the USPS website. It’s convenient because you can fill the form out at any time, but don’t wait until the last minute to have your mail forwarded. Most people recommend changing your address at least one week before you move and others advise changing it as soon as you can get into the new home.
5. Pack essentials where you can easily find them
If you’re the type of person who packs items room-by-room, you may accidentally end up packing an essential item that will be hard to find once it’s piled in with the other boxes. When moving, many people often forget to pack their essentials in one box that’s easy to find. If you don’t do this first, you may find yourself digging through the maze of unpacked boxes to find your toothbrush or phone charger. Create a checklist before you pack items you’ll need immediately after moving such as toiletries, electronics chargers, work items, etc.
With all the different components involved in the moving process, it’s likely you’ll forget a thing or two along the way. Make sure you write down important to-do items before you move so you’ll be less likely to forget them! Most importantly, don’t forget to call Capital Movers for a seamless, worry-free moving experience. Contact us to request your FREE moving quote today!