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Moving Guides & Resources

Prepare yourself and your old and new homes for all the details involved in your next move.

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Moving Checklists

Download our handy checklist to prepare for your next move.

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1 Month Before Moving

  • Start packing. Begin with items you use only rarely or seasonally (e.g., fondue pot; pool toys); save items you use frequently (e.g., TV remote; your toothbrush) until just before moving day. Snap photos of valuables and pack them separately; you’ll carry those items with you.
  • Mark each box with its contents and the room it’s destined for in the new house. The only exception: Don’t list contents on a box that contains valuables, to avoid theft.
  • Keep a running list of each packed box, its contents and what room it belongs in. Later, you can match this against your moving company’s inventory sheet.
  • Ensure that all of your belongings can make it out of your old home and into your new one. Measure any tall, wide or oddly shaped items, as well as any doorways or tight spaces they’ll need to fit through, so there are no surprises on moving day.

2 Weeks Before Moving

  • Confirm the movers. Contact the moving company and double-check your plans. Make sure the insurance in place is enough to cover your valuables.
  • Empty out storage units, safe deposit boxes and any other off-site storage spots and don’t forget to pick up your dry cleaning.
  • Clean the rugs. Have area rugs cleaned; they’ll arrive rolled and wrapped from the cleaner, ready to unroll at the new house.
  • As you pack, gather warranty information, manuals and other house-specific information in a binder for the new owners.

Moving Day!

Take time to say a proper “so long” to your old house before things get hectic. Children, in particular, benefit from some closure: Walk through the house recalling fond memories you have, and talk about what fun you’ll create in your new home.

  • Meet the movers. Greet the moving crew and ensure that all workers are representatives of the moving company you hired. Be sure the moving truck’s U.S. Department of Transportation the license number is the same as the number on your estimate.
  • Supervise the load-in. Assign a helper to watch the moving crew stack your belongings inside the truck, keeping an eye out for damage.
  • Clean the old house. Tidy up rooms as the moving crew empties them, or consider hiring a cleaning service.
  • Keep valuables with you. Be sure the movers don’t mistakenly load boxes containing your laptop, jewelry, passports along with other irreplaceable items you should keep near you at all times.
  • Make a final walk-through. Lock your old home’s windows and doors, turn off lights and ceiling fans and make sure nothing’s left before you leave for good.
  • Lay down plastic carpet protector at the new house, if your movers haven’t already done so. Show the moving crew around. Point out specific rooms so boxes end up where they belong.
  • Watch for damage and missing items. Your movers will make an inventory sheet, called the “bill of lading,” that notes the condition of your items, including damage to any boxes or furniture.