MOVE MOVING GUIDE A VALUABLE TIMELINE of moving tips
8 WEEKS BEFORE CREATE A BINDER MOVE If there s ever a time to be organized, this is it. Create a loose-leaf binder with pocket inserts so you can keep track of all estimates, receipts, items that may require additional insurance coverage, household items that you re selling, as well as a checklist of all actionable tasks. GET RID OF STUFF Rather than ask yourself what you DON T want to take with you, ask yourself what you DO. If you want to make the most of the items that didn t make the list furniture, knick knacks, clothing, small appliances, etc. try the following: 1 Give friends and family first dibs. 2 Pull out the sellable pieces and give them a week or two on Craigslist or ebay. 3 Sell what remains at a garage sale or give the rest to charity for a tax break. Some organizations will even pick items up, sparing you a trip. CHECK STORAGE UNITS If you have any items in storage outside of your home, go through it and see what you d like to take with you. Make sure to include these items when getting an estimate from your moving company, and arrange to have them picked up on the day of the big move. BE SURE EVERYTHING WILL FIT If you can, visit your new home or apartment to check room dimensions, as well as the size of door openings and tight hallways. Make sure your furniture will fit. If you can t visit the home, request floor plans from your real estate agent. If you re concerned that items might not fit through door or hallways, consult your moving company. If they share your concerns about any items you d like to take with you, look into companies that can disassemble furniture and reassemble on site. lg.com/yourmoveyourhome 2
8 WEEKS BEFORE RESEARCH MOVING COMPANIES With your clutter cleared, it s time to get mover estimates. Ask friends, family and colleagues for recommendations, or check trusted review sites. Look for movers who will visit your home or apartment to make an estimate. Make sure the estimate receipt has a USDOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) number on it. Some questions to ask: Is the company fully insured? Inquire about the following: * General liability * Bonding * Cargo * Worker s comp What are the payment terms? Cash, certified check, money order, credit card or electronic payments? When does the clock start ticking? Are there items that the company won t handle? How soon before the move can they deliver all necessary packing cartons? How much of the packing can they do for you and how much will it cost? Are there any hidden costs for delays? What is their cancellation policy? If your move-in date is delayed, can they arrange storage for your possessions? If you re considering doing the move yourself, check out your truck rental options to see how much you ll actually save. Sometimes the savings are less than you d expect. How big of a truck will you need? cubic feet Will you require a tailgate lift? * NO * YES What are the mileage rates? $ /mile What are the estimated gas charges? [ Miles/ Vehicle MPG ] X Cost of Gas/Gallon = TOTAL Determine vehicle insurance charges $ If you re changing cities, are there drop-off charges? * NO * YES ($. ) How much time will it take to move yourself versus having movers do it for you. ENROLL IN A NEW SCHOOL MOVE If your children will be enrolling in a new school, now is the time to begin that process. * Call or visit the new school to inquire about their requirements. Record the date school records will need to be transferred: / / * Notify the old school of the change * Request school records be sent PREVIOUS SCHOOL: ADMINISTRATOR: PHONE: NEW SCHOOL: ADMINISTRATOR: PHONE: PLACE ORDERS If you re ordering any new items (furniture, appliances, etc.), now is the time to start ordering them. Before you place your order, make sure your delivery date occurs after you take possession of your new property. If you re doing any renovations, be sure to confirm they ll be finished by the time the new goods arrive. Also confirm dates so someone can be there to receive deliveries. lg.com/yourmoveyourhome 3
4 WEEKS BEFORE RESERVE MOVING COMPANY MOVE Movers get booked up early. It s never too early to confirm your moving date on the phone, and request an email confirmation. Determine if the company is flexible if a closing does not happen as scheduled. GET PACKING SUPPLIES Order boxes and specialty packing containers from your mover, or pick some up from a home or hardware store. You ll need heavy duty packing tape, bubble wrap and wrapping paper for fragile items. Remember, it s always best to have the bubbles facing outward so they don t leave any impression marks. START PACKING NON-ESSENTIAL ITEMS Out-of-season clothes, footwear and sports equipment fall into this category. Plus specialty appliances that you rarely use. Here are a few tips: 1 Heavy items like books go in smaller boxes. 2 Light items go in in larger boxes. 3 Keep markers on hand and indicate the contents of each box and what room it should go into in your new home. 4 When stacking boxes in your old home, stack the heavy, light and fragile boxes separately. Heavy boxes should go into the truck first. CHANGE OF ADDRESS Submit a change of address form at USPS.gov, or stop by your local post office branch. Make a list of the parties you ll be notifying: * Banks * Credit card companies * Investment firms * Utility companies * Newspapers and magazines * Catalogs * Employer s HR department * Insurance companies * Mail-order pharmacies lg.com/yourmoveyourhome 4
4 WEEKS BEFORE MOVE TRANSFER UTILITY SERVICES Contact service providers to transfer existing services or establish new services if you re moving to a new provider area. Discontinue existing services the day after your move and commence new services the day before your move. Gas Electric Heating Oil Internet Cable / Satellite Home Phone Lawn Service OBTAIN COPIES OF MEDICAL AND DENTAL RECORDS If you re moving to a new area, it s important to have a copy of medical records for every member of your family. Of course, that includes your pets! You can also request the transfer of records to new medical providers. lg.com/yourmoveyourhome 5
2 WEEKS BEFORE CONFIRM EVERYTHING MOVE There are a few important everythings that merit confirmation: The move-in date for your new home. Move-in bylaws that your new neighborhood or condo association might impose. The date and time with your movers or truck rental company Availability of the friends you ve asked for help. Parking regulations at your new home (particularly important in urban areas). Charity pickups (get a receipt for tax purposes). Insurance for your new home (renter s/homeowner s). CONTINUE PACKING Continue packing clothes, setting aside a basic wardrobe for the next few days. Most dressers can be moved with their contents in place as long as drawers are secured while moving them. Pick up some paper plates and cups or treat yourself to take-out, so you can pack your dishes, glassware, silverware and serving pieces. Keep in mind that it s best to pack plates in a vertical position. MAKE FINAL REPAIRS Walk through your house to make sure everything is in excellent working order. If you can t make the repairs yourself, contact a trusted resource. ARRANGE FOR TIME OFF If you ll be keeping the same job, let your supervisor and HR department know that you ll need to take off a day or more to supervise the move and get settled. lg.com/yourmoveyourhome 6
2 WEEKS BEFORE MOVE PACK UP OFFICE If you ll be moving to a new job, pack up your personal effects and bring them home so they can be included with the rest of your items on moving day. If you re relocating to a new office, see if your office will arrange to have your items moved for you. EMPTY SAFE-DEPOSIT BOX If you re changing banks, remove the contents of your safe-deposit box and put them in a secure carry-all that you ll personally monitor throughout the move. UPDATE VOTER REGISTRATION Voter registration laws vary from place to place, so do a quick search to see how you can update yours in your new locale. It s important to keep your registration up-to-date, not only so you can participate in elections, but also so you don t get a jury summons from your former city. ADD A FRESH COAT OF PAINT Painting a space is much easier when it s empty. If your new home needs freshening up, this is a great time to hire painters to take care of the walls a few days before you move in. With so many large items passing through common areas, like hallways, you may want to wait to paint those until after the movers have left. CHECK CAR If you re moving a long distance and will be driving your car, take it to a mechanic for a checkup and confirm that it s in proper condition to make the trip. If repairs are necessary, you will have enough time to make them. lg.com/yourmoveyourhome 7
1 WEEK BEFORE REFILL PRESCRIPTIONS Make sure you have a good supply of important medications. PACK BOX WITH MUST-HAVE ITEMS MOVE These will be your go-to boxes for the first couple of days in your new home, so it s a good idea for each member of your family to pack his or her own in addition to one for the whole family. Contents should include any personal essentials, similar to those you might take on a vacation. A suggested list is below, but add as necessary. Either keep boxes with you and move them yourself, or label them: LOAD LAST/OPEN FIRST. Personal Boxes * Change of clothes * Medicine * Toiletries * Clean bed linens * Clean bath linens Family Boxes * Change of clothes * Medicine * Toiletries * Clean bed linens * Clean bath linens lg.com/yourmoveyourhome 8
1 WEEK BEFORE MOVE DEFROST THE FREEZER AND EMPTY THE FRIDGE If you re taking your refrigerator and/or freezer with you, they ll need a couple days to defrost. If you re taking any perishable food with you, find a friend who can store it until moving day. If you re leaving your fridge behind for the next occupant, take this time to discard any food you won t be taking with you and give it a thorough cleaning. Also be sure to disconnect any appliances that will be moved and tie up their cords to avoid tripping over them. DRAIN YARD EQUIPMENT AND POWER TOOLS OF GAS AND OIL Be sure to empty the tanks before moving to avoid the risk of fire. Also, remember to drain garden hoses of water if they re making the move. Check: * Mower / Tractor * Snow blower * Lawn trimmer * Tiller * Chain saw * Barbecue * Generator * other * Leaf blower KEEP THE KIDS HAPPY If you re not moving a long distance, make arrangements to drop off little ones with a babysitter or relative. The same holds true for pets, who will be far more comfortable in a pet daycare facility or friend s home. MAKE LAST STOPS Before you leave town, check with dry cleaners, framers, cobblers or anyone with whom you may have dropped something off for cleaning or repair and accidentally forgotten. lg.com/yourmoveyourhome 9
1-2 DAYS BEFORE GET A FULL NIGHT S SLEEP MOVE With all the excitement of moving day, it s not uncommon to feel restless the night before, so make sure you get at least a full night sleep in the days leading up to the move. PREP NEW If your new home is nearby, make a trip to turn on the climate control, especially if you re moving in the summer heat or winter cold. Make sure the refrigerator is on and ready for any foodstuffs you ll be bringing with you. If you can t make the trip yourself, ask your real estate agent to stop by. This is also a great time to check your new home and confirm it s in the condition the previous owner or landlord promised. Take photos if necessary. If the house needs a good cleaning, this is a great time to scrub surfaces. GET CASH FOR GRATUITY Tipping your movers is up to you, and depends on the quality of service and difficulty of the move. Moving is tough work and gratuities are always appreciated, so be sure to stop by a bank or ATM so you have cash on hand. GET THE KEYS Nobody wants to arrive at their new home and not be able to get in. Be sure to call your real estate agent or new landlord to get the keys in advance or confirm how you ll get them when you arrive. lg.com/yourmoveyourhome 10
THE BIG DAY! HAVE A HEALTHY BREAKFAST MOVE You want to be energized and alert today. It s going to be a long one, even if you re moving around the corner. Start with a balanced breakfast, and keep water and snacks within easy reach. MAKE SURE YOU VE GOT THE RIGHT MOVER It can happen. Verify that the mover who shows up is the mover you hired. The USDOT number on the truck should match the number on your receipt. READ THE MOVER S BILL OF LADING BEFORE SIGNING IT Be certain that it accurately describes your household contents, the address of your new home and all estimated costs. CHECK ALL POSSESSIONS AS THEY RE MOVED INTO Take pictures of any damages, and notify moving associates. Other damage may be observed later on, so carefully inspect all items. UPDATE GPS Many navigation systems ask you to enter in the location of your home to make it easier to navigate back. This is the perfect time to update its, because, well, this is your new home. Congratulations! lg.com/yourmoveyourhome 11