The Last Month of Moving Preparation Made Easy

March 27, 2015

planning your move to a new home in oklahoma cityOur last two articles, Organizing Three Months Before The Move and Two Months to go Before The Move, have given you an idea of the best ways to prepare for your move starting three months out. All of these preparation lists and activities have helped bring you to the last month of your move. Your groundwork will help alleviate moving-day stressors. Here is a week-by-week guide to help you stay on track for a stress free move. Four Weeks Out –Begin Packing – You can already start packing the lesser used items one month out. Now is the time to pack all the seasonal items not in use, decorations, lesser-used appliances, and anything else you can think of that won’t be used in the next month. Label – Start out with proper labeling. Put the contents and the room name on the box so it can be clearly transported to the right spot when unloaded. Make special note if a box is something you will need right away in your next location. Create Personal Transport Boxes – make sure that important files and expensive items are put into boxes that will go with you in the car for the move. This is where you should store things like the mover’s estimate, your inventory, and any photos of valuables you’ll need to compare on the other side. Three Weeks Out - Keep Packing – Keep moving through the smaller or less used items and pack them up. This is the time to start packing stuffed animals for the kids, books, knick-knacks, and artwork on the walls. Start Notifications – Notify important contacts of your move such as banks, credit card companies, the utility companies, your insurance company, and human resources at your job. Begin changing all your electronic addresses on shopping accounts, coupon sites, and some often forgotten sites like PayPal, Amazon, and Ebay accounts. File Your Change of Address – Let the post office know to forward your mail. Make sure you change your magazine subscriptions and cancel your newspapers. Two Weeks Out – Forward Important Records – this is a good time to start forwarding school records for the kids and medical records to your new health care providers. Car Care – Make sure your car is in shape for the move. Get a tune-up and an oil change, especially if you are moving long distance, or to a new climate. Reconfirm Your Move – Check in with the moving company and make sure you are on track for the dates agreed upon. Keep Packing – This is where you start paring down your essentials to what you will need in “vacation” mode. Start packing the rest of your things and keep only what you will carry with you or in the car. One Week OutPack Your Last Items – At this point you can start living out of a suitcase. Everything else should be in properly labeled boxes. Refill Prescriptions – The first weeks in your new location will be hectic. Make sure you have everything you need for your health to see you through a couple of weeks. Turn on Utilities – Make sure everything is set to be on and working when you get to your new location. There is nothing worse than discovering that the water is not flowing after a move. A Couple Days Before The MoveLook Around – Take in all that you have accomplished look at the last few details. Make sure nothing still needs to be packed up. Empty and Clean – Begin to empty and clean appliances and cabinets. Clean as much as you can with the boxes still in the house. Think about baseboards, fill nail holes, patch and paint. Moving Day – You should be ready to go! Make sure you have your inventory on hand. If you aren’t hiring someone, do the final clean as the moving company empties each room. Load up your car. Once the movers are done and you’ve signed off on their landing/inventory list, get ready to meet them on the other side in your brand new home.