MOVING TIPS

Organizing

Set The Date – Mondays & Thursdays are your best choices so that banks and offices are open in case you have a problem.

Make sure you have enough cash – Most moving companies insist on being paid in cash before they unload a single box. Be sure have the correct amount with you with moving expenses, deposits, tips, and anything else you will need on moving day.

File change of address – At minimum, file a Temporary Change of Address with the U.S. Post Office to buy you time before you notify everyone else.

Arrange for utility transfers – Notify current and future utility providers of your move date.  Note when current security deposits will be refunded and how much is due when for the new ones.  This includes:

Cable/satellite television	Cell phone service
Electricity	Gas
Internet/ broadband	Local phone service
Long distance phone service	Propane
Recycling pick-up	Sewer
Security system	Trash pick-up
Water

NOTE: Its a good idea to schedule utility turn on dates at least one day prior to the move date and turn off dates at least one day after the move to allow for emergencies or issues that may arise.

Start a change of address log – Create a change of address log by writing down who you receive mail from each day. Then contact those organizations with your change of address each morning or evening. This breaks up the task and helps make sure you arent missing important contacts.

Notify specific people of your change of address – Some of the people who might need your change of address include:
Accountant/tax preparer
Alumni associations
Attorneys
Babysitter/ child care provider
Banks (auto loans, checking accounts, credit cards, home equity,mortgage, safe deposit box, savings account
Broker
Business cards (order new ones
Cell phone provider
Child care/ daycare
Chiropractor
Courts, especially for traffic tickets or local disputes
Credit bureaus
Credit card issuers
Dentist
Department of Motor Vehicles

Diaper service
Doctor
Dry cleaning pick-up and delivery
Family members
Health clubs
House cleaning service
House of worship
Insurance providers (auto, health, life, other vehicles)
IRS (form 8822)
Lawn care
Luggage tags (replace existing ones)
Magazine subscriptions
New business cards
New employer
Newspaper subscriptions
Old employer
Orthodontist
Parent-teacher association
Passport
Pet sitter/ dog walker/ pet day care
Pharmacy (BONUS: get year-to-date expense summary for taxes)
Physical therapist
Physician (BONUS: get referral for new location)
Post office
Professional organizations
Retirement plan holders
Return address labels (order new ones)
Schools (BONUS: get copies of transcripts)
Snow removal service
Social Security Administration
Swimming pool maintenance (pool cleaning, pool opening or closing)
Swimming pool memberships
Veterinarian (BONUS get vet records and recommendations)
Water delivery service

Resources

Hire movers or reserve the truck – If you will be using professional movers, please dont hesitate to contact us at cannonburgh@yahoo.com or call 615-907-8102

Get the essential moving supplies -At minimum, you will need: 
 Markers to label boxes (preferably wide tip, dark color)
 Moving boxes
 Newsprint, packing peanuts or othercushioning material
 Packing tape
 Scissors or utility knife

For your convenience, we offer most of these supplies in our Moving Store!

Get or make a moving organizer – You can make a moving organizer for all your important notes, receipts, and important information by getting:

 Binder , 3-ring
 Pocket dividers to separate sections and hold important receipts
 Paper for keeping all your notes (3-holed graph paper is ideal for this).

Packing

Start packing! – or you can hire us to pack for you for more info call us at 615-907-8102

Start separating cherished items from the non-essential – One of the biggest secrets of moving success is eliminating as many items from the move as possible. Donate items to charity, give them to friends, prepare them for a yard sale or throw them out.

Organizing

Make arrangements to return items – Here are some critical items to return prior to moving:
 Cable/ satellite receiver boxes, remote controls, dishes
 Cable/DSL modems
 Carpet shampooer
 Clothing (borrowed)
 DVD and video game rentals
 Library books (neighborhood and school)
 Tools (borrowed or rented)
 Trash cans/ recycle bins
 Unwanted purchases

Make arrangements to retrieve items – Be sure to retrieve any of the following items:
 Clothing at dry cleaners, tailors or in storage
 Clothing lent to friends
 Items at repair shops
 Tools lent to neighbors or friends

Open bank accounts near your new address – You may want to open a new safe deposit box at the same time, and move all vital papers and/or jewelry into the box in advance. That way you dont have to worry about them on moving day.

Packing

Create one”Open Me First” box for specific rooms – You’ll need to access certain packed items almost immediately after you arrive, and they need to be packed together in special boxes (one per room) and marked with either bright red markers or special stickers so you can spot them easily.  The specific rooms are:

Kitchen:
aluminum foil
break-proof or disposable flatware, cups, and plates
coffee maker (dont forget the filters!)
dish detergent
frying pan and spatula
pet food and bowels
scissors
tea kettle

Main Bathroom:
bath mat
bath towels
first aid kit (aspirin, band-aid, hydrogen peroxide)
hair dryer
shampoo
shower curtain and rings
soap
toothbrushes and toothpaste

Tool Room or Tool Drawer:
batteries
duct tape
flashlight
flat-head screwdriver
Phillips-head screwdriver
hammer
level
picture hangers
tape measure
utility knife

Finish off packing for non-living rooms – You want to be completed for non-essential rooms such as the basement, garage, attic, utility rooms, etc. so you can focus on main living areas in the last weeks.

Start eating up perishable food from freezer and refrigerator

Consider holding a Packing Party – Invite trusted friends over for a Farewell Packing Party.Provide free food and drinks, provide upbeat background music, and allow friends to tackle projects that require little supervision, such as packing books or pots and pans. Have friends take pictures and send you copies.

Hold a yard sale – You might be surprised to learn that you can earn a few hundred dollars by selling non-essential items, earning you cash and making your move more efficient.

Organizing

Confirm start time, current home address and future home address with movers -Even if you already have this information, its a good idea to double-check.

Recruit friends for moving day madness – Having extra help for last-minute errands or helping to watch movers and answer questions can be invaluable.

Make arrangements for child and/or pet sitting – Having small children and pets watched on Moving Day can eliminate a lot of stress and confusion on the big day, especially while taking care of all the other important details.

Organizing

Make sure everyone cell phone is fully charged – This would be a bad day to be out of contact.

Packing

Have everyone pack one or two suitcases (no more) – Even if youre only moving across the street, having a suitcase with the following, taken with you instead of on the moving truck if possible, will make things easier once you move in:

Eyeglasses
Favorite toy for the kids
Prescriptions
Something to read
Three days worth of changes of clothes
Toothbrush and toothpaste (if not in Open Me First box)

Moving Day

Start early – Moving is stressful enough without waking up late and running around with movers waiting outside.

Take all garbage out of the house – Movers get into huge trouble for leaving anything behind. So many people have been shocked to find their garbage packed into their garbage cans and sent along for the move!

Make sure drivers have your cell phone number and you have theirs, along with their names – Things come up on moving day- make sure you have a way to stay in contact.

Be available for movers questions – You need to be visible and available at all times- near the door is usually a good spot.