Anyone who’s ever gone through a move will no doubt agree that the process can be both time-consuming and overwhelming. With so many details involved, it can be difficult to keep track of what needs to get done in order to ensure that a move goes as smoothly as possible.
While you’re probably aware of the fact that you’ll need to pack up your current home and schedule a moving date with your moving company of choice, you might not realize that a bunch of other things will need to be taken care of before you move into your new home. Bobby Hughes is the marketing coordinator at Hughes Relocation Services, Inc., a full service moving and storage business serving the Philadelphia area, and he suggests that anyone about to move not forget to do the following:
Set up your utilities
Your first day in your new home isn’t going to be pleasant if you don’t have electricity and running water. To avoid an improper welcome, set up all of your utilities prior to your moving date.
Schedule your phone, cable and Internet hookups
While phone service, cable, and Internet aren’t essential to settling in, your new home is likely to seem much more inviting if it has all the right amenities in place upon your arrival. Therefore, you might want to schedule the appropriate setups on the same day of your actual move. Movers and technicians are often quite adept at working around each other, and since you’re going to be home on your moving date anyway, you might as well kill two birds with one stone.
Close out your current accounts
When you call to set up your new utilities, make certain to close out your current accounts at the same time. Usually, all you’ll need to do is inform your utility providers of your moving date, and they’ll take care of the rest.
Switch over or set up your insurance
If you’re already a homeowner, then you’ll need to supply your insurance company with your new property information to ensure that you are covered accordingly. And if you’re currently a renter, then you’ll need to secure a good homeowners policy before taking over your new investment.
Make a “must have” list
Before you get too involved in the packing process, take some time to make up a “must have” list of stuff you’ll need on hand for your new home, such as toiletries, medications, linens, cleaning supplies and clothing. This way, you’ll be more likely to remember to set the necessary items aside instead of packing them where you can’t easily find them.
File a change of address
One final thing to remember to do before moving is to file a change of address with the post office to ensure that your mail gets forwarded accordingly. You should also file a change of address directly with your credit card companies, banks, and employer. Additionally, leave the buyers of your current home with your contact information. Chances are that some of your mail will make its way towards your old house no matter what you do, so you might want to take down the contact info of your buyers so that you can arrange to pick it up or have it mailed to your new address.
Moving is certainly complicated, so to stay on top of your game and minimize your stress levels, make a list of everything you’ll need to do before saying goodbye to your current abode, and follow it accordingly. With proper planning and organization, you can do your part to ensure that your move goes well from start to finish.
