Moving Checklist

8 Weeks Before

First things first, the most important things you must get out of the way at least 8 weeks prior to your move revolve around planning and researching. Now, we know this is a little vague but don’t fret, here are the main points you need to ensure you cover as soon as possible:

• Research the town you will be moving to: There’s nothing as exciting as finding a new favorite coffee shop or restaurant —at least if you’re a total foodie like us. Find and explore what are the best neighborhoods that adjust to your budget –find out the costs of living in that area, the best schools nearby and the benefits of living there.
• Request school transcripts: Since these can take a bit to be delivered sometimes, make sure to contact your kid’s school and notify them of your move so you can get the necessary transcripts to enroll them into a new school.
• Calculate the volume of your move: A crucial step is to estimate the volume of your move. Providing this to moving companies guarantees that you’ll get accurate moving quotes —trust us, this helps you avoid any unpleasant surprises!
• Request moving quotes: This probably goes without saying, but make sure you request quotes from movers as early as possible.
• Select a moving company: Once you receive your moving quotes, research each company and compare them against each other to find the one that best suits your needs. Did you know that at Sirelo you can find reviews for hundreds of movers across the US?
• Give notice to your landlord: In case you’re renting, it’s crucial that you notify your landlord in advance exactly when you’ll be moving.
• Create a moving folder: Organization is key when it comes to moving. We recommend creating a folder to store all important documents related to your move, such as your contract with the moving company, moving insurance and inventory of all the items you’re moving.

Sirelo Tip!: Requesting multiple quotes early is the best way to save on costs during your move.  Not sure how to request quotes? Just click the banner below and fill out our quote form —we’ll take care of the rest for you!

6 Weeks Before

After you’ve gotten the basic research out of the way, it’s now time move forward with your planning and organizing. Heads up, there’s a lot of planning and organizing to come… Stay strong! The main points you should be mastering during the 6-week mark include:

• Contact businesses: Contact all businesses for which you might need to change your address, such as banks and insurance companies, and notify them of this change.
• Notify your doctor: Let your doctor know that you will be moving so you can obtain all the medical records you might need in the future.
• Collect boxes: Start collecting free boxes at supermarkets and other local stores —they’re often happy to hand them out for free!
• Order packing supplies: Order the packing supplies that you might not be able to get for free, such a plastic wrap, tape and speciality containers.
• Order furniture: Order any furniture you might need for your new home to ensure you’ll have it at your disposal by the time you move in.
• Home repairs: Make sure you fix everything that needs to be fixed before moving out. This is particularly important if you’re currently renting, as it can ensure that you’ll get all of your security deposit back.

Sirelo Tip!: If you have any non-perishable goods you’d rather not take with you, you can donate them to NGOs like Move for Hunger!

4 Weeks Before

The next few steps are all about gathering and organizing (yes again, can’t say we didn’t warn ya’!) the belongings you want to take with you in your move. A moving list for this period includes the following:

• Declutter: It’s smart to go through every room in your house and decide which belongings you want to bring along and which you’d rather get rid off a few weeks before the big move. If you’re not sure what to do with what you’re not bringing along, remember that garage sales and online marketplaces are always an option. 😉
• Get started: After you’ve decided what to take and what not to take, get a head start by packing items from each room in your house that aren’t frequently used.
• Label: Make sure that you label every single box that you pack. Include things such as what it contains and the room in your house it will belong to —this will help out tons, trust us!
• Gather valuables: Gather all important documents and valuables, such as birth certificates, passports and jewelry, so you can carry them personally with you the day of your move.

2 Weeks Before

We know this moving checklist is getting  a bit long, but hang in there with us. It’s almost time for your move! Around the 2-week mark there will still be some practical matters that you must take care prior to your move. Items that should be present in your moving to do list for this time frame include:

• Contact the mover: Get in touch with the moving company to double-check the details of move —better safe than sorry!
• Utilities: Transfer your utilities like gas, water, electricity, to your new home address.
• Deep clean: Give your house a good deep clean to ensure you only need to do minimal clean-up the upcoming days before your move.
• Clear out the freezer: It might be a good idea to start using up the food you have stored in your freezer. This will help you make sure that you won’t end up having to throw out perfectly good food.
• Request time off from work: If you’re moving whilst having a job, remember to ask your employer for one or two days off in case you’re moving on a weekday.

1 Week Before

You’re probably thinking, “there’s only one week left before my move, what else could I possibly still have to do?!”. Well, unfortunately the last week before your moving date is probably the most stressful week of the whole process. So, it’s important that you keep an eye out for these items in your moving checklist:

• Finish up packing essentials: Start packing up those items which you use frequently that you’re interested in moving. Again, don’t forget to label boxes as you go —we really cannot stress enough how helpful this!
• Make inventory of final boxes: After you have everything packed up, make an inventory of the number of boxes you have per room. In this way, you will be able to check easily whether all your items arrived or not. Between the labelling and making inventory lists you’ll become a master in organization by the end of your move. 
• Local services: Subscribed to any local delivery services? Make sure you don’t forget to cancel it!
• Defrost the freezer: Freezers need to be defrosted a few days before the moving date. We recommend to use this time to give it a good scrub as well.
• Pack a bag: It’s often recommended to pack a bag or suitcase with essentials and toiletries to use during the first days on your new home.
• Gather keys: Collect the keys to your new home in advance to avoid future inconveniences.
• Arrange parking: Certain cities require a special parking permit for moving trucks, so make sure you have this covered! In Boston, for example, you can apply for this permit online. So, make sure that you confirm the parking arrangements for your move on time.

Moving Day Checklist

The day has finally come… Moving day! It’s very easy to forget things on the day of the move itself due to how hectic everything is. It’s important that you keep in mind following:

• Assess furniture: It’s a good idea to take pictures of your furniture so you can quickly assess later on if any damage has been made during the move to any of the pieces.
• Final walkthrough: Go through every room in your home and double check that everything that needs to be moved has been placed into the moving truck.
• Verify delivery plans: Go over the delivery plan with your movers –pay special attention to the estimated delivery time.
• Supervise: Supervise the load-in and load-out of your furniture and boxes.
• Hand in keys: It’s extremely important that you don’t forget to hand in the keys of your old home to the new tenants.

After Your Move

Before you get started on planning that housewarming party you’ve probably been dreaming about, make sure you first tick these items off your moving checklist:

• Initial clean-up: Deep clean your new home before unpacking everything.
• Unpack: Try to unpack everything within the first couple of weeks of your move. Remember to contrast the number of boxes you currently have against your inventory list, as well as to compare the current state of your furniture to the pictures you took.
• Explore your new neighborhood: Take a walk or a drive around your new neighborhood. Explore the supermarkets and shops closest to your new home.
• Meet your neighbors: Have a chat and briefly introduce yourself to your new neighbors.
• Leave a review: Leaving a review about your experience with the moving company you hired can be extremely helpful to others like you in the future.