Moving Checklist & Instructions: Should I Take it With Me?

It’s easy to get lost among boxes and valuable items when moving. This is why a moving checklist is a must when planning your relocation. It helps you keep track of the aspects you took care of, and of those who still need a resolution.

Moving checklist

About two months before actually moving, you need to start analyzing expenses and solutions to potential problems you might encounter when moving. This is where the checklist for moving comes in: a list of specific issues you need to address or solve before or when moving. There are many printable moving checklist ideas for you to download from the web, but it is best to create your own to make sure you have every particular aspect covered.

A moving out of state checklist (this includes international and overseas relocations) typically includes the following:

T-Minus 8 Weeks

Inquire over travel conditions in your new location, how easy it is to get a driver’s permit, etc.
Ask quotes from moving companies.
Start saving for the moving process.
Research the new place.
Start gathering up medical records.
Ask referrals from your current doctors.
Research storage facilities, if needed.
Schedule disconnection or transfer for utilities like phone, internet, cable, water, garbage, gas, or electricity.
Start throwing away or donating the things you will not take with you.
Return items you borrowed or rented and get your items back.
Start looking for an apartment or a house. To make sure every piece of furniture will not travel the miles to the new location for nothing, measure the available space.
Acquire boxes and other packing materials.

T-Minus 6 Weeks

Make arrangements for school and/or veterinarian records to be transferred.
Start gathering financial and legal documents.
Talk to your insurance agency about your intentions and find out any subsequent steps.
Transfer or close your membership accounts to clubs, groups, or other associations.

T-Minus 4 Weeks

Start packing dispensable items like cold or warm season clothing, depending on the time of year.
Store items you will need on your moving day separately and write them down on your moving checklist or inventory.
Let friends and business partners know your soon-to-be new location and contact information.
Find a babysitter for the moving day, if needed.
Take your car to a service for a quick inspection, especially if you are going to drive while relocating.

T-Minus 2 Weeks

Check your transportation and hotel reservations.
Check additional paperwork for travel requirements or housing.
Cancel services like newspaper delivery, cleaning, lawn & pool care, or other subscription deliveries.
Make an inventory as you pack.
Take apart unnecessary furniture items.
Notify our credit card company you will be traveling to stop the automatic deactivation.

T-Minus 5 Days

Make a clear schedule for your moving day.
Plan which items will be taken by the moving company and which by you. Documents and small valuable items like jewelry should always stay with you.
Clean the house as you pack your last items, leaving some clothes for the following 5 days.
Store tools together in a convenient place.
Check with the moving company if everything is set.

The Moving Day

Pack the remaining objects: bedding, clothes, food, toys, etc.
Make sure the moving company is given the right address.
Lock windows and doors before leaving and set up the alarm.
Make a general inspection of your new place.
Take photos of the damage, if any.
Begin unpacking.

Unpacking and Settling in

Check for damages of your goods.
Change the locks on outside doors.
Check if your utilities have been canceled from the old location or moved to the new one.
Notify the change in your address to banks, credit card companies, IRS, Loan companies, insurance providers, pension plans, attorneys, accountants, physicians, or publications you are subscribed to.
Find out new service companies or doctors.

These the basic activities you will need to find time for while going through your house or apartment moving checklist. For an office move checklist, refer to the same basics: finding a place, packing unused items first, moving PCs or critical documents last.

Moving Instructions

Now that we have the activities covered, let’s see which is the best way and order to follow your moving to-do list:

Let go of the things you do not use. We will get into details a bit later.
Pack the things you do not use at the moment as early as possible. To preserve their integrity and shape, use cardboard boxes for many of your items. Label every box accordingly and keep a few for things you will pack on your moving day.
Make an inventory. A golden rule for everything that requires planning, making a list of every valuable item and box will help you better organize your moving checklist.
Book a moving company or truck. Research the most popular companies and decide which moving solution is best for you.
Move in.

What to Take and What to Leave

Packing should be a selective process during which you decide which items will be useful or a burden to your trip and new house. Even in a larger house, some items seem to be unnecessary. To remove clutter and overcrowding your moving checklist pdf with unnecessary items, you should donate or throw out the following:

Old clothing you did not wear in the last few years.
Old & heavy furniture that would not go in the new place.
Things you store because you might need them someday but never did.

You should take the following items:

Documents and papers.
Jewels, collections, rare valuable items.
Objects with sentimental value.
Clothing you wear or plan to wear on specific occasions.

If moving overseas in a furnished apartment, a better choice might be to sell the furniture and appliances. Craigslist, yard or garage sales, and moving parties are great ways to sell functioning things you no longer need.

With a moving out checklist, a few easy-to-follow steps, and basic idea about what is worth taking with you and what not, the moving to do list becomes approachable and achievable. Following these steps will make the whole process easier and less stressful.

Image sources: 1, 2, 3, 4.