Are you taking everything you need?
We understand that moving is a very stressful time – and you’ve got a lot going on. Keeping track of your move along with your normal routine responsibilities can be tough. To make your life a little easier – keep this checklist around and refer to it often. For any questions, or if you need help completing the move, just give us a call at 020 8665 2123
The Checklist
Life throws enough at you to cause you to forget things occasionally, so it’s best to write it down! Checklists are a great way to keep everything organised. Hence, keep this checklist handy and refer to it often during your move. Choose a secure spot so that it doesn’t get lost in the process.
Don’t procrastinate, waiting for moving day ensures that things will be left behind and it will be complete chaos! We advise all of our customers to start planning the move at least two months out. Below we’ve included a detailed timeline and a guide to help you plan each step of the move. Check it out and put it to good use.
Two Months Before the Move
- Call Taha Removals to schedule a reservation for moving day
- Start creating a floor plan of your new home. Include furniture and appliance settings.
- Take an inventory of your household goods. Now is a great time to start cleaning up and removing unneeded items. The basement is a great place to start, then the attic, garage, and other storage areas.
- Stay organised! Start filing all of your moving paperwork.
- If your children are students, arrange to transfer their school records.
- Work on preparing your new home. Contact painters, carpenters, plumbers, roofers etc. As a precaution, remember to change the locks on all the doors in your new home.
Six Weeks Before Moving Day
- Acquire and complete change-of-address cards with your post office
- Consider subscribing to the local paper in your new hometown to learn more about your new community.
- Make arrangements for storage if necessary.
- Moving out of town? Don’t forget healthcare! Ask your doctor or health plan provider for recommendations on health providers in your new area. Also, prepare to transfer by obtaining all medical records.
- Have antiques, pieces of art, and other valuables appraised.
- Clean all closets and drawers – taking care of this before moving day saves you both time and money.
- Consume any foods and utilise cleaning supplies that you won’t be moving with.
A Month Out from Moving Day
- Now is a great time to start working on your utilities, etc. Schedule a disconnection for utilities and services of the old home a day after the move. Also, have the same utilities and services start up on the new home preferably a day before the move. If you have last month deposits with services, now is a great time to request your refund.
- Are you packing items yourself? Start working on acquiring packing materials and start packing items ahead of time, typically the ones you will not need until you move into the new home.
- Now is a great time to arrange for cleaning and repair of furniture, drapes, and carpeting.
- Do you have pets or plants with special needs? Arrange for their transportation if necessary.
- Are you moving expensive items? Check with your insurance company for details on your coverage. The last thing you want is to destroy that £20,000 grand piano during the move!
- Some towns require a permit to move. Hence, it’s worth checking to see if you need any moving permits. Moving is stressful enough – you don’t need to deal with a fine on top of it.
- Do you have a bunch of unnecessary items laying around the old home? Get rid of them and put some cash in your pocket to fund the move by planning your moving sale.
- Don’t leave any important documents behind. Collect your personal and family records, these might include medical and dental, veterinary, and school records; legal and financial documents; birth certificates, passports and insurance documents.
Three Weeks Before Moving Day
- Certain items like flammable liquids cannot be transported. Properly dispose of them beforehand.
- Are you moving to another state? Don’t forget to update your auto registration for a tag transfer.
- Baby/children on board? Moving day will be pretty hectic, consider getting a babysitter.
- Time to get rid of those unnecessary items. Host your moving sale.
- Are you moving expensive items? Check with your insurance company for details on your coverage. The last thing you want is to destroy that £20,000 grand piano during the move!
Two Weeks Prior to Moving Day
- If you still have leftovers from the moving sale, now might be a good time to dispose of them.
- Check your vehicle’s condition. Maintenance your car in preparation for the move. Moving from a warm climate to a cold one? Now is a good time to check your antifreeze.
- Don’t be that person who borrows items and never returns them. There’s no better time to return any borrowed items and retrieve any loaned items.
- Notify any creditors of your move.
- Are you taking medications? Hopefully, by now you’ve chosen your new pharmacy. Transfer prescriptions and be sure you have sufficient medications on hand.
- Treat your buyers like you would want to be treated. Compile a folder of information to leave for the new owner of your home.
- Notify those who will need to contact you of your move and provide them with your new address.
- Don’t leave your laundry behind. Laundry tickets get lost easily. Instead, ask for your things by name and not just by the receipts you have.
- If you have a long trip ahead, consider packing a travel kit. Set aside critical items like payment methods, ID, flashlight, keys, toiletries, travel alarm clock, aspirin, bandages, and entertainment for the kids. Also, pack a suitcase with clothing and other personal items.
The Day Before Moving Day
- Take animals to the vet for their shots, if necessary.
- If you have one, close and empty your safe-deposit box.
- Settle any outstanding debts with local businesses.
- Drain any equipment of oil or gas.
- Leaving plants behind? Be sure to find them a new home.
- Defrost refrigerator and freezer, propping doors open.
- Time to start packing. If you hire a mover, they generally take care of this for you.
- If you’re taking appliances with you, disconnect them and prepare them to move.
- If hiring a moving company, you might want some items to go in your vehicle as opposed to the moving truck. Start moving those today.
- You might have some items that will be needed first at the new house. Load them into a box mark it, “Load Last.”
- Make your payment to the movers.
- Confirm the arrival time of the moving crew.
- Moving on your own? It’s time to start dismantling the beds and furniture.
This is it! Moving Day
- Communication is key. Be sure that someone from your party stays behind at the old house to assist the movers with any questions they might have.
- Record all utility meter figures.
- Make one final walkthrough of your old home to make sure you’re not leaving anything behind.
Delivery Day
- Local/Nationals moves require that you pay the drivers before your belongings are unloaded.
- Be present during unloading and packing to ensure a job well done.
- Most movers accept cash, cards, or bank transfers. Be prepared with the correct form of payment.
Our detailed checklist mirrors our approach to serving our customers. We literally think of everything and place emphasis even on minor details. Moving doesn’t have to be a headache, and you don’t have to go it alone.