Preparing to Move

It's been said a million times, moving is stressful. We all know it is. It can especially be overwhelming when you starting to think about what exactly you need to get done before it's time to actually move. We have you covered – below you will find our list of all things you should do to prepare for your move and at what point you should get started on each. Not quite ready to move but looking for a new home? Contact us to speak to a CENTURY 21 North East agent who can help you find your dream home. 

2 Months Prior to Move

Start a moving binder. Stay organized with a binder so you can keep all of your important documents, such as mover quotes, in one place so you can ensure your important documents don't get packed up in the shuffle. 

Pack your first box. Put all of your important documents and small valuables into one box first. Keep this separated from all of your other moving boxes so you always know where it is and it's easy to find if you need something. 

Research & gather quotes from moving companies. Movers book up fast, especially in the summer months. Make sure you are collecting at least 3 quotes before deciding on movers and that you are doing your research. You can learn more about choosing the right movers here. Keep any and all quotes in your moving binder for easy reference in the future. 

Create a room-by-room inventory of your belongings. Okay, this seems incredibly tedious, but it's really not. Plus, knowing exactly what you own can help with your home owner's insurance as well as making sure everything is easily accounted for when you unpack after the movers leave. 

Sell or donate unwanted/needed belongings. We recommend going through your items before you start packing so that you have less to go through as you're packing. Sell anything you think is valuable first and donate the rest after. We suggested donating items to non-profit, local charities so you're giving back to your own community. 

1 Month Prior to Move

Pick a moving company. By now you should have multiple quotes for your move. Make sure to get a written contract from your movers before giving them a deposit so you don't get scammed. The same is true if you are renting a truck to move. This is the time when you should make that reservation. 

Buy packing supplies. This is a great time to stock up on things like bubble wrap, boxes and tape. Having everything you need from the beginning will make your packing a lot less stressful because you won't have to run out to pick up more things. 

Car care. Are you moving out of state? Make sure to get your car checked out before the journey so you don't run into any unexpected issues during the move. 

Contact your utility, internet, and TV providers. Choose a disconnect date to stop all utilities at your current residence. This is also a great time to do some research on who your providers will be at your new house and schedule time with them to hook your new home up so it's ready to go when you arrive. 

Fill your prescriptions. Be sure that you have enough medication to make it to your new home and that you are set up to receive any prescriptions at a new pharmacy if you are moving farther than across town. If you need to search for a new doctor this is the time to do that. 

Make travel arrangements. If you are flying to your new destination make sure all flights, rental cars, and hotels are booked in advance. If you are driving, plan your route and reserve hotels as needed. 

2 Weeks Prior to Move

Change your address. This is really easy and you can do it right from the USPS website. They make it very easy to select which date you would like to start receiving mail at your new address so you can do this as much in advance as you feel comfortable. You will need to give them at least 48 hours notice to ensure things switch over smoothly. 

Confirm dates with relevant parties. Connect with real estate agents, landlords, moving companies, storage units to ensure you are all on the same page as to when your move will occur. 

Begin packing. Make sure you give yourself enough time so you are done packing 2 days prior to your move. You may need more than 2 weeks depending on the size of your home. Keep a list of all the boxes and what is in them in your travel binder to make unpacking a breeze. 

1 Week Prior to Move

Clean empty rooms. As you pack up your rooms start cleaning them so you aren't left with an entire house to clean right at the end. Once every room is cleared out you should do another quick clean to make sure you haven't missed anything. 

Pack your suitcases. Pack a suitcase with all of the essential things you will need on the way to the new home or as soon as you get there so you aren't digging through boxes. Things like clothing, makeup, prescriptions as well as blankets you may need right away and pillows are all great things to include in this suitcase. 

Collect all keys and garage door openers. Start collecting all of the keys you will need to hand over to the new owner or to the landlord so you aren't stuck looking for one the day of your move. Make copies of anything you need to at this point. 

Moving Day

Check your truck. If you hired movers, check the DOT number on the side of the truck to ensure it matches the number on the contract you signed. 

Make sure your movers have what they need. Make sure to give your movers all of the relevant contact information, addresses, and maps so you can ensure they show where they are supposed to show up. 

Sign the movers' itinerary list. Make sure they provide you with a copy. This helps prevent things from going missing during the move. You can also reference your own inventory you made as you packed to ensure things like number of boxes lines up. 

Final walkthrough. Go through each room to ensure you haven't forgotten anything and that no damage happened during the loading process.