Moving Checklist: 7 Items You Don’t Want to Forget
There are a million and one things that need to happen when you move. From scheduling a home inspection, to hiring a moving service, to packing every single thing you own, it seems like the to-do list is never ending. Even if you think you can’t possible have missed something on your miles-long to do list, go back and double check that you’ve included these nine important moving tasks, which often get forgotten in the craziness of a move.
-Get your pet checked out. If you’re moving long distance and your pet will be flying, your airline will require a certificate of health before he is allowed to board the plane (most need to be obtained within a week or two of your flying date, but check with your airline for specifics).
-Check your moving company’s credentials. Before you hand over your life’s contents to a moving company, it’s important to research their reputation and, more importantly, their credentials. Any moving company you work with should be both licensed and insured. Find out more about looking into each and how to protect your move here.
-Forward your mail. Make sure your favorite magazines, wedding invitations, birthday cards and, of course, bills, find their way to your new address. You can set up mail forwarding for a year through the USPS website for just $1.
-Cancel your utilities. Before you lock up for the last time, ensure you’ve canceled all of the utilities and maintenance services you pay for your old place, including cable, electric, gas and hot water, along with any landscaping, garbage collection or regular maintenance services.
-And set up new ones. Don’t miss a night of your favorite show! Set up an appointment with your new cable company before you move, since sometimes it can take a company a few day (or even a week) to get out to your house at a time that works for you.
–Change your address with banks, insurance, and credit card companies. As soon as you’re in your new place, dedicate an afternoon to updating your address information with your bank, credit cards, insurance company, and doctor’s offices. Doing it all at once will ensure you continue to receive all correspondence from these important companies, and will also prevent you from playing a constant guessing game about which credit card uses your new address and which is still associated with your old address in a year.
-Transfer your records. If you will be moving to a new town or state, you’ll need to transfer your children’s school records as well as the entire family’s medical records to their new location. It’s often easier to do this in person since you will likely have to sign a release form before the information will be transferred.
For more moving advice, check out:
12 Moving Tips for an Easier Move
