Is your family growing and you need a bigger house? Or have you accepted a new job in a different city? Maybe your parents are ageing and it’s time to live closer to them? Whatever your reason, most of us will move homes at least once in our lives. To ensure a change like this goes smoothly, detailed planning and organizing are crucial. That’s why with the month of May being National Moving Month, we at Workman’s Friend have created a quick checklist. It is designed to maximize your time and effort to ensure your move goes smoothly.
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Two Months Prior
Walk through each room in your house and decide what items you’re going to keep and which ones you’re going to get rid of. Make a list of the stuff you’ll take with you to your new home. Place everything else that you won’t be taking in boxes or an unused space (i.e. basement) in your house. These items you’ll either, throw out, donate to a worthy cause, or sell at a garage sale.
Now is the best time to start researching different moving companies. Make sure the movers you’ve chosen are bonded, licensed (especially if you’re moving between two states) and can provide you with an estimated cost for the move.
If you’ve got children of school age, notify their school of your impending move. You will need to get copies of their records and coordinate with their new schools to learn about enrollment and their required paperwork.
Six Weeks Prior
Order all of your packing equipment. This may include boxes, tape, tape guns, bubble wrap, packing paper, and specialty containers such as wardrobes and dish-boxes.
If you need to make travel arrangements such as booking hotel rooms, airplane flights or renting cars, take this time now to do just that.
Don’t forget to call your insurance agents and make sure that you’ve got all the necessary coverage that you will need for your move.
Four Weeks Prior
Before you fill a single moving, take a moment and apply a layer of Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream to your hands. Our formulation will protect your hands as you work tirelessly to pack your boxes. Once our cream is applied, start by packing only the items you use rarely or seasonally (i.e. fondue pot, Christmas decorations). Don’t pack the items that you use on a regular basis until right before you move. Remember to keep an inventory list of each packed box and where it will go in the new house.
Ensure that all of your belongings will be able to move out of your old home and into your new one. If you’re unsure measure any and all, wide or oddly shaped items and then compare those numbers to the doorways they’ll have to pass through in order to get out of the house.
Make contact with your local utility companies and notify them of your impending move. It is recommended that you disconnect all of your services the day after you move.
Two Weeks Prior
Contact your movers and confirm the details of the move (i.e. time, date, location). Empty your storage units, safety deposit boxes and any other off-site storage locations. Determine and then notify your boss as to how many days you’ll be taking off around your move. Make sure that your employer and co-workers are very clear about when you will and won’t be in the office.
One Week Prior
In the final week leading up to the move, finish packing all of your general household items. Remember to always apply a layer of Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream when filling the boxes. You want to ensure your hands are protected from the dirty and grime associated with packing.
Pack a suitcase of all the items you’ll need when you do move including a change of clothes, your cellphone, medication, charger, paperwork (i.e. passports), and anything else you’ll need for a few days while your stuff is being delivered to its new location.
Moving Day
On moving day, meet the movers at your home. Either you or a friend can supervise to ensure they carefully move your boxes into the truck keeping an eye out for damage. Whether you opt for cleaning your former home yourself or hire someone to do it, make sure that is completed in a timely matter. Once the place is empty of your furniture, lock your home’s windows and doors, turn the lights off, and make sure nothing is left behind. Then you can close the door on your former home and look forward to the adventures in your new one. Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream is wishing you a happy and stress-free National Moving Month.