You’ve found your perfect home. Now you’re ready to move out of your current home or apartment. It’s moving day. Are you ready? Use the handy checklist below to help guide you through this hectic time.

Six Weeks Before Moving
Make an inventory of everything to be moved.

• Collect everything not to be moved for a garage sale or charitable donation.
• Contact the charity for date/time of pickup. Save receipts for tax records.
• Select mover, arrange for exact form of payment at destination (cash, check). Get cartons and packing materials to start packing NOW, unless you have packing services.
• Contact insurance agent to transfer/cancel insurance coverage.
• If relocating as part of employment, check with employer to find out what moving expenses they will pay.

Four Weeks Before Moving

• Notify all magazines of change of address.
• Check with veterinarian for pet records and immunizations.
• Contact utility companies for refunds of deposit, set turn-off date, establish record of new residence for transfer
• If relocating as part of employment, contact real estate broker in new community to set up utility turn-on date.
• Dry clean clothes to be moved, pack in protective wrappers.
• Collect everything you have loaned out and return everything you have borrowed.
• Service power mowers, boats, snowmobiles, etc. that are to be moved, drain all gas/oil to prevent fire in moving van.
• If relocating as part of employment, check with doctors and dentist for all family records and prescriptions and get children's school records.
• Check freezer and plan to use of food over next 2-3 weeks.
• Remove all jewelry and other valuables to a safe deposit box or other safe place to prevent loss during move.
• If relocating as part of employment, give away or arrange for transportation of house plants (most moving companies will not move plants, especially in winter). Plants also can be sold at a garage sale or given as thank you gifts.

One Week Before

• If relocating as part of employment, transfer or close checking and savings accounts. Arrange for cashier's check or money order to pay moving company on arrival to new community.
• If relocating as part of employment, have automobile serviced for trip.
• Fill out Post Office change of address forms, give to postmaster.
• Check and make inventory of all furniture for dents and scratches, notify moving company of your inventory and compare on final day.
• Dispose of all combustibles and spray cans (spray cans can explode or burn).
• Pack a separate carton for cleaning materials and tools.
• Separate cartons and luggage you need for personal travel.
• Organize at least one room in the house for packers and movers to work freely.
• Cancel all newspapers, garden service, snow removal, etc., or transfer to new residence.
• Review the entire list to make certain that you haven't overlooked anything. Check and double-check everything you have done before it's too late.

Moving Day

• Plan to spend the entire day at the house. Last minute decisions must be made by you. Don’t leave until after the movers have gone.
• Hire a sitter or send the kids to a friend’s house for the day.
• Stay with the moving van driver to oversee inventory.
• Tell packers and/or driver about fragile or precious items.
• Make a final check of the entire house- basement, closets, shelves, attic, garage, every room.
• Approve and sign Bill of Lading; if possible accompany driver to the weigh station.
• Double check with driver to make certain moving company records show the proper delivery address for your new house. Verify the scheduled delivery date, too.
• Give driver phone numbers both here and in new community to contact you in case of a problem.
• Get complete routing information form the driver and phone numbers so you can call the driver or company while en route.
• Disconnect all utilities and advise the real estate agent who sold or is selling your house.
• Lock all doors and windows. Advise your real estate agent and neighbors that the house is empty.