Contents
How to Plan Ahead for Your Move
How to Prepare for Moving
Do-It-Yourself Moving vs.
Hiring Movers
How to Pack
Transportation for a Do-It-Yourself Move
What to Do on Moving Day
How to Move Abroad
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- Preparation tips that will save you time and aggravation on moving day
- Advice for both do-it-yourself moving and hiring movers to do it for you
- Techniques for organizing, packing, and transporting your belongings safely
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How to Plan Ahead for Your Move
Probably the most important factor in conducting a smooth and efficient move is getting an early start. As soon as you know you’re moving, you can do a few things up front to make your move easier.
Scope Out Your New Home
If possible, take a trip to your new home well in advance of your move. Knowing the lay of the land and making a few key arrangements will make everything go more smoothly.
Learn About the Place
Before you start packing, find out all you can about your new place: the building, the neighborhood, and the region. If you can’t visit your new home in person, its previous occupants, the property managers, or your realtor/broker might be able to fill you in. The local chamber of commerce can also provide information and direct you to other sources.
Figure Out Move-In Specifics
If you’re moving into an apartment building, check with the management company to see whether there are any specific rules about moving in:
- Some companies require that all moving be done through a back stairway or freight elevator.
- Buildings also frequently have time-of-day restrictions.
- If you’ll be in a high-rise, you might need to reserve the elevator for your move-in date.
- No matter what kind of building you’ll be moving to, check on your key pickup: if you have to get to an office, know when it closes.
- If you’re moving into a house, pay attention to the driveway: will a truck be able to park and unload on it? How will you get possessions into the house?
Measure
Measure the rooms in your new home and draw a floor plan that’s as detailed as possible. Be sure to include:
- Ceiling heights
- Doorway dimensions
- Size and position of windows
- Size and position of stairways
- Positions of cable TV outlets and even electrical outlets
Make scaled cutouts of your furniture and arrange them on the floor plan. This will help you decide what stays and what goes, and will make moving day easier, since you’ll know where to put things.
Take Inventory in Your Current Home
Get a clipboard and walk through each room of your current home. Make a list of everything you own—focus on major items, but be as complete as you can. Then, once the list is done, note next to each item what you plan to do with it:
- Pack it
- Give it away
- Sell it
Keep running lists of the items you’ll need to replace or need to investigate further. For example, if you don’t know the size of your new windows, you won’t be able to decide whether to keep your existing drapes.
Make Checklists and a Calendar
Next, brainstorm everything you’ll have to do—from big tasks to small ones—before and immediately after you move. After you brainstorm, organize your ideas into a chronological checklist and copy your checklist onto a calendar, working backward from moving day. (If you’re doing this longhand, use a pencil—plans will invariably change.)
Beyond the standard tasks of packing, going through your possessions, and arranging the actual move, remember to include the following on your checklist:
- Healthcare: If you’ll need to change healthcare providers, visit your current doctor and dentist and ask for copies of your records, as well as any X-rays or other images on file. Ask if they can recommend professionals in your new area. If possible, get several refills of your prescriptions. If you have pets, get their immunization and health records from their vet.
- School enrollment: School enrollment can take time, and if you have kids, it’s best if they can start at their new school right away. As early as possible before your move, call the new school and find out what records they’ll need in order to enroll your child or children.
- Money: If your existing bank has branches in your new location, you’re in luck—you’ll just need to notify your bank of your new address and order new checks. If you decide to change banks, do so before you move to make the transition smoother. Keep in mind that you may not need to change banks, since online banking now makes working with a distant bank much easier.
- Bills: You’ll incur fees and can even suffer a damaged credit rating if your bills don’t reach you at your new address. Pay as many of them ahead of time as you can, and be sure to change your billing address at the appropriate time. Again, online payment options can help during the transition period.
- Utilities: You’ll need to cancel (or transfer) your old utility accounts—water, gas, phone, cable TV, etc.—as well as get the new ones up and running before you arrive at the new place. Also, if you’re moving during a warm season, make sure to find out whether your new home already has air conditioning. Many older apartments don’t have central air conditioning, and it can be a steamy first few nights without it.
- Mail forwarding: It can take several weeks for the U.S. Postal Service to process a mail forwarding request, so file one ahead of time. You can print out the form or submit it online (for a nominal fee) at www.usps.com, or you can simply fill it out at your local post office. Forwarding slows the transit of your mail and lasts only one year, so it’s just a temporary fix—inform all your friends, business contacts, credit card companies, magazines, etc. of your new address. Once you move, make sure your name is on your new mailbox.
- Voter registration: If your move will take place around an election period, register to vote well ahead of time: most states require you to be a resident for 30 days before you can register. Find out what proof of residence is required, and make sure you have it before heading out to your new polling place to vote.
- Vehicles: Moving across state lines means you’ll have to register your car, in some cases pay an excise tax, and in most states pass an inspection. If you’re moving to a state with more stringent emission standards, make sure your car will pass before you go—otherwise you may be better off selling it where you are. Whether you’re changing states or not, give your insurer your new address. Find out what your new rates will be and whether your current coverage will still suffice.
- License: Most states require that you get an in-state license within 10–30 days of moving. If your old license hasn’t expired, you can often bypass driving and written tests. Check with the DMV of the particular state to which you’re moving.
For to-dos beyond the above checklist, consult friends or family who have moved recently—they’ll likely remember whatever they forgot to plan for during their move.
Make a Budget
Moving is almost always more expensive than people
expect, so try to get realistic numbers down on paper well before you start. If the move is going to be a big strain on your budget, it helps to know early that you’ll need to look for corners to cut. Create a simple budget spreadsheet to estimate your expenses.
Tax Breaks
If you’re moving for work-related reasons, some or all of your moving costs will be tax-deductible. Under IRS rules, to qualify for tax breaks you must meet two conditions:
- Distance test: Your new job must be at least 50 miles farther from your old home than your old job was from your old home. For example, if you used to commute 10 miles from your old home to your old job, your new job must be at least 60 miles from your old home.
- Time test: You must work at least 39 full-time weeks in your new location in your first year there (if you’re self-employed, 78 full-time weeks in your first two years).
Save Your Receipts
Keep receipts for all moving-related expenses. (Bills, cancelled checks, and credit card statements can act as evidence of transactions as well as receipts.) Moving-related expenses include:
- Gas/mileage expenses for your car (either keep all gas receipts or use the mileage rate of $0.20 per mile)
- Parking fees and tolls
- Lodging (but not meals) for all household members during your move
- Pet shipping or transportation
- Storage costs incurred in transit (but not storage expenses for longer periods)
- Truck rental
- Packing materials
- Car shipping
- Utility disconnection and connection fees
Note that you’ll have to report any moving-expense reimbursements you receive from your employer—you won’t be eligible for deductions on reimbursed moving costs.
Consider Pets
The information you collect about your new home should help you decide whether or not it’s best to take your pets along with you. When you move, you have two options:
- Leave your pets: Even if your new building allows animals, the new environment might not be a good one for your pets—for example, if you have a large dog and your new home is considerably smaller than your old one. If you have to leave your pets behind, start looking for new homes early. Post signs at work or school, or register on an website that matches pets with new owners, such as www.petfinder.com. If you can’t find a prospective home, take your pet to the local animal shelter, which you can find at www.pets911.com.
- Take your pets with you: If you can take your pets with you, check state and local regulations in your new area. Your pet might need additional vaccines or health documentation from the vet. If you can’t take your pet along in your car or moving van, look into pet shipping services, such as www.airanimal.com, www.jet-a-pet.com, and www.flypets.com. Consider boarding services on the days you’ll be moving to keep your pet from getting hurt or lost during the commotion of the move.
| Acknowledgments & Disclaimer |
