Moving is a logistics problem with a deadline you cannot move. Almost all of the stress comes from things that needed lead time and did not get it, so the single most useful thing you can do is start the list early.
Six to Eight Weeks Out
- Write the plan down. Every task, its deadline, and who is doing it. There are far too many details to hold in your head, and a shared list stops two people assuming the other handled something.
- Decide how you are moving — full-service movers, a rental truck, or a portable container. Get at least three written quotes, ideally after an in-person or video survey. A quote given without seeing your belongings is a guess.
- Edit your belongings. This is the cheapest possible saving, because you pay to move everything by weight or volume. Sell, donate or discard what you do not want in the new home.
- Start a moving file for quotes, contracts, receipts and inventories. Some of it is tax-relevant, and all of it matters if something goes wrong.
Choosing a Mover Safely
Moving is one of the few consumer transactions where a rogue operator can hold your possessions and demand more money. It is worth ten minutes of checking.
- For an interstate move, the company must be registered with the federal regulator and have a USDOT number. You can look that number up and confirm the company is licensed and insured before you book.
- You are entitled to written information about your rights, including the federally required booklet explaining your rights and responsibilities when you move. A mover who does not provide it is not following the rules.
- Understand the liability options. Basic coverage included in the price is calculated by weight and is typically far less than your belongings are worth. Full value protection costs more and is usually worth it.
- Be wary of a large deposit demanded upfront, a quote far below everyone else’s, a company that will not survey your belongings, or one that gives only a mobile number and a generic email.
- Get a written estimate and know its type — binding, non-binding, or binding-not-to-exceed. This determines whether the final bill can rise.
- Photograph valuable items before packing and keep your own inventory.
Utilities and Address Changes
Do this earlier than feels necessary. New providers often need one to three weeks’ notice, and a new account in a new state may require a deposit.
Timing matters at both ends. Start service at the new address from the day you take possession, and keep service at the old address running until closing or until the new owners take possession, whichever comes first. Cancelling too early can leave you responsible for problems in an unheated or unlit house.
- Utilities — electricity, gas, water and sewer, waste collection, internet.
- Mail — file a change of address, and set the effective date.
- Financial — banks, credit cards, loans, insurers, investment and retirement accounts.
- Official — driving license, vehicle registration, voter registration, and tax authorities. Moving to another state has deadlines attached to several of these.
- Insurance — homeowners or renters cover at the new address from day one, and tell your auto insurer, since rates are location-based.
- Personal — employer and payroll, schools (request records early), doctors, dentists, vets, pharmacies and subscriptions.
Packing
- Pack by room and label by room, on the top and at least one side, with a note of the contents. Add “fragile” and “this way up” where it matters.
- Start with what you do not use — out-of-season clothing, books, decorations, the good china. Leave daily items until last.
- Number the boxes and keep a list. Tedious, and the only way to know something is missing.
- Pack heavy items in small boxes. Books in a large box become unliftable and burst.
- Keep an “open first” box — bedding, towels, toiletries, medication, phone chargers, basic tools, scissors, toilet paper, coffee, pet supplies. Mark it clearly and move it yourself.
- Carry the irreplaceable yourself — documents, jewelry, medication, laptops, keys and anything sentimental. Do not put these on the truck.
On Moving Day and After
Be present, or have someone you trust there. Read the inventory the movers prepare before signing it, and note any existing damage rather than accepting a blanket description. Keep your paperwork with you rather than packing it.
At the new home, check off boxes against your list as they come in and inspect for damage before the crew leaves. If something is damaged or missing, report it in writing promptly — claim deadlines are shorter than people expect.
Then, in the first week: change the locks, locate the water shut-off and the electrical panel, test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and find out the collection day for waste and recycling. See also closing on a house.