Moving house may easily prove to be one of the toughest things you’ve had to do in recent years. And the underlying reason for the serious challenge ahead of you is the overwhelming number of things to do prior to Moving day.
While some of the tasks you’ll have to carry out will be pretty straightforward (gathering packing supplies, reserving the elevator for Moving day, etc.), other jobs will be more complicated and will require extra hard work from you (hiring movers, changing your address, transferring utilities, etc.).
In fact, you need to focus on those tougher tasks because they can easily prove to be the difference between success and failure when moving to a new home. In most cases, you don’t merely perform such challenging tasks – rather, you arrange their completion to your complete satisfaction.
Consult your moving checklist and see what awaits you. Here are the top 10 things to arrange when moving house.
1. Arrange for professional moving services
Without a doubt, one of the most important things to arrange when moving is to secure the services of a top-rated moving company in your area.
Hiring professional movers is the right choice when
- you’re moving across the country (long distance);
- you’re moving a large number of items with you;
- you’re moving a few specialty items such as a piano or antique furniture;
- you have zero previous experience in moving house; or
- you have to move out quickly, so you’re left with too little time to organize a self-move.
Luckily, reputable moving companies are just around the corner. Use our Moving Cost Estimator to get contacted by one of the best long-distance movers in your town or city.
Why should you hire professional movers?
2. Arrange for an in-home survey from your movers
Making the initial contact with reputable movers is a great start, but the next step is to request an on-site inspection from the pros.
An in-home survey is critical for several reasons:
- You’ll get a cost estimate that will be as accurate as it can possibly be.
- You’ll be able to ask important questions and discuss essential issues with the moving company representatives, face to face.
- You’ll have the opportunity to gauge the level of professionalism of a few moving companies before you made an informed decision which one you will pick as your partner.
Remember to arrange for an in-house inspection and don’t agree to work with movers that refuse to visit your home in person but instead give you a cost estimate over the phone or by e-mail.
How to get an accurate moving estimate
3. Arrange to rent a moving truck
Organizing a self-move will usually make sense under the following circumstances:
- you’re moving only a short distance away (moving locally);
- you’re not taking too many items with you to the new place;
- you don’t own any specialty items that require special packing and handling;
- you have some move-related experience that should help you tackle the house moving challenge without professional assistance; and
- you know you can rely on your friends to give you a hand with the move.
Oftentimes, the most critical aspect of moving by yourself is the job of renting a moving truck from a reputable truck rental company. The whole process can be a bit tricky if you’ve never had to rent a moving vehicle before since you won’t know what to look out for.
How to keep moving truck rental costs under control
4. Arrange for the transfer of your kids’ school records
If you have school-age children, then moving to a new place means that you’re going to have to register your kids with a new school in the destination town or city (unless you’re moving just across town).
Picking the right educational institution for your children is of paramount importance so that should be one of your top priorities during the house move. And yet, in order to enroll your kids at a new school, you’ll need their school records from the old one.
So, contact your children’s old school and arrange for the transfer of the necessary records to the new school you’ve chosen in the new town or city. Sometimes you may need to take those school records with you and present them at the new school yourself.
How to find the best school for your child when moving
5. Arrange for the acquisition of your medical records
Don’t underestimate the importance of following a moving checklist when moving house. In fact, a moving timeline will guide you throughout the house moving process, from Day 1 all the way to the post-move period of unpacking and settling in the new home.
The next task you need to arrange when moving house is to get your medical records from your family physician, as well as the records of your spouse and your kids. Of course, you’re going to need those medical documents to register with another doctor in the destination place, be it a primary care doctor or a specialized doctor.
How to find a new doctor after moving
6. Arrange for the change of your address
Moving out of the place you’ve lived until that moment means your postal address is about to change as well. And that also means that if you don’t initiate a change of address procedure with the United States Postal Service (USPS), you will continue to receive your mail at the old address. And needless to say, that is not what you want to happen.
To start receiving your mail at the new home, you’re going to have to change your address with the USPS. It’s a relatively straightforward task that you’re advised to complete at least a couple of weeks before moving out.
Luckily, there are four Change of Address options available to you to choose from:
- You can change your address in person at the closest post office;
- You can change your postal address online via the USPS website;
- You can change your address by phone; and
- You can complete the Change of Address procedure by mail as well.
How to change your address when moving
7. Arrange for the disconnection and reconnection of your utilities
Your house moving checklist should alert you that after you move away, you will no longer be able to use the home utilities – electricity, water, gas, cable TV, phone, Internet, etc. – you’ve enjoyed until that moment of time. What’s more, you will also have to make sure the current house utilities are properly disconnected so that you don’t get charged incorrectly later.
Roughly 3 weeks before moving out, remember to contact your current utility companies and schedule the disconnection of the home utilities for the day after you’ve moved out. Then, research the service providers in your new area and arrange for the reconnection of the new home utilities one day before you’re scheduled to arrive in the new place.
How to transfer utilities when moving
8. Arrange for the transportation of your car
Another thing to arrange when moving to another house is to arrange the transportation of your car, if at all applicable in your case.
You may wish to have your second car shipped to the destination home while you’re driving there in your primary car. Or you may have already decided to catch a plane to the new state instead of driving for days on a cross-country trip. Either way, you’re going to have to arrange to have your car shipped by a reputable auto shipper.
Get in touch with several top-rated auto shipping companies and request a free quote. Don’t forget to research several car shippers before you pick one so that you can secure problem-free car shipping services.
9. Arrange for the safe transport of your pet
Your list of to-do things when moving must be full to the brink with tasks of varied priority – some of them you just have to do as soon as possible while others can wait for the opportune moment to come around.
If you own a pet – a cat, a dog, a bird, or another pet animal, then you must realize how important their wellbeing is, especially during a stressful period like a house move. Most pets are sensitive to even minor changes in their immediate environment, so you’ll need to make an effort to make the move as stress-free as possible for your lovely animal companion.
In addition to the must-do visit to the vet, think about the best way to transport your pet safely. In most cases, you’ll get them with you in the car during the transportation trip, but that may not always be possible. In your case, it may be better to rely on the services of a professional pet mover.
Serious mistakes pet owners make when moving with pets
10. Arrange to get adequate Moving day help
As you’ll soon find out, some things are harder to arrange than others when moving house. Without a doubt, trying to arrange adequate help from your friends on the day of the move (when moving by yourself) can easily prove to be much harder than you thought at the beginning.
Reach out to your pals as early as you can to avoid disrupting their own plans too much. Remember that you’re asking them for a favor, so don’t judge them too harshly when some of them turn down your kind invitation for a moving day “party”. Even your assurance of organizing a real party after the work is done may not be enough to persuade your buddies to give you hand during that difficult transition period.
How to get friends to help you move
Things don’t always go exactly according to plan, so if you just can’t secure friendly help on Moving day, it’s time to go with Plan B and hire professional moving labor for the day.
