-
Post
Office: give forwarding address
-
Charge
accounts, credit cards
-
Subscriptions:
notice requires several weeks
-
Friends
and relatives
-
Bank:
transfer funds, arrange check-cashing in new city
-
Insurance:
life, health, fire, and auto
-
Automobile:
transfer of car title registration, driver’s license, city windshield
sticker, motor club membership
-
Utility
companies (gas, light, water, telephone, fuel): arrange for refunds of any
deposits and
service in new town
-
Cancel/change
newspaper delivery
-
School
records: ask for copies or transfer of children’s records
-
Health:
medical, dental, prescription histories. Ask doctor and dentist for
referrals, transfer needed prescriptions, x-rays
-
Church,
clubs, civic organizations: transfer memberships, get letters of
introduction
Pets:
ask about regulations for licenses, vaccinations, tags, etc.
-
Contact a
moving company and tell them the dates you plan to move. Set up a date for
an agent to come over and survey your goods. Unless you’re given a binding
estimate, the cost can vary, depending on the actual weight of items and any
extra services.
-
Decide if
you are going to pack for yourself or have the movers do it.
Transfer or resign from organizations and associations.
Collect suitable containers & packing materials if you plan to do the
packing yourself.
-
Start to use
up things that can’t be moved, such as frozen foods, canned goods, and
flammable household aerosol cleaners. Buy only what you will use before
moving.
-
Prepare a
list of friends, relatives, business firms, and others who need to be
notified of your move. Consider having a garage sale to dispose of unwanted
clothes or furniture.
-
Assemble
packing materials:
-
Boxes,
felt-tip markers, large self-stick labels, newspapers, utility knife,
packing peanuts or bubble wrap, packing tape, furniture pads, dolly,
scissors
-
Pack an
“Instant Aid” box containing things you’ll need upon arrival:
-
Sponges,
paper towels, powdered detergent, paper plates, toothpaste, light bulbs,
hammer, trash bags, hand soap, toilet paper, scissors, utility knife, coffee
cups, tea kettle, first-aid kit, snacks, pencils and paper, masking tape,
bath towels, and shelf liner
-
Establish
credit in your new city. Arrange for a transfer of bank account funds and
the contents of your safety deposit box.
-
Check
personal insurance policies to see whether moving is covered. Transfer fire,
theft, and other personal property insurance to ensure coverage at your new
home.
-
Gather
information on prescriptions. Get current phone numbers and addresses of
your doctor and dentist.
-
Arrange to
transfer school records and secure transcripts from the local school
district you are leaving. Get copies of your records from doctors, dentists,
accountants, etc.
-
Plan to
cancel all utilities.
-
Pick up all
dry cleaning and anything left at the tailor.
-
Set a date
to cancel the newspaper.
-
Alert the
post office that you will be moving. If you don’t yet know your permanent
address, the post office can hold your mail for you. Send out
change-of-address cards. First-class mail is forwarded free of charge for
one year;
newspapers
and magazines - 60 days.
-
Take your
car in to have it checked for the upcoming road trip.
-
Transfer all
prescriptions to your new pharmacy.
-
Have rugs
and draperies cleaned and keep them in bags until the movers arrive.
-
Take pets to
the veterinarian. Most states require health certificates and rabies
inoculations for licenses.
-
Collect all
items being repaired, cleaned, or stored.
-
Return
library books and anything else you may have borrowed.
-
Your
children may feel anxious and excited at the thought of a moving adventure.
To ensure that they are most comfortable in their new surroundings here are
some suggestions.
-
Be
sure to investigate the local children attractions in your new destination
-
Park
District Programs may be available for class enrollment
-
Research
the ages of children nearby
-
Assist
in getting the kids’ rooms set up first
-
Rental
movies might help keep kids occupied as you begin to get moved into your new
home
-
Have
snacks and drinks available on moving day
-
Special
book(s) or craft items and games may keep the kids occupied on moving day
-
If
the children are young, a babysitter may assist you in being responsible for
the kids on the day you move into your new home.
-
Have
a change of clothes easily accessible for the kids
-
Any
medications that are taken on a regular basis should be accessible to you
-
Small
dogs and cats can be flown by air transportation or driven along in the car.
There are businesses that specialize in the transportation of pets. Your
moving company may be able to supply you with names of pet movers or you may
look in your phone directory business pages. If you are arriving in your new
destination by air transportation, your pet(s) can ride along in the baggage
compartment. If you choose to transport your pet(s) in this fashion, here is
a quick checklist of items to consider: You must provide the
airline carrier with a current health certificate from your veterinarian.
-
Make
sure to speak with the airlines about their specific rules and regulations
regarding pet transportation. They may provide special shipping containers.
-
If
you have a container for your pet, make certain that it fits within the requirements
of the airline carrier.
-
Tranquilizers
may be appropriate to obtain from your veterinarian to give to your pet
prior to the trip.
-
Something
familiar to your pet such as a toy or an article of clothing or blanket may
help your pet feel more comfortable during the flight.
-
If
your pet is flying without you, be sure you have arranged for someone to
pick up your pet. If you do not know anyone in the new destination, a local
kennel can do that for you. Some kennels will board pets, which may assist
you in the move as well. If your pet(s) are traveling with you in the car,
be sure to have their water bowl, leash and favorite toy.
-
Be
sure to make frequent stops as pets can get carsick easily and being
restricted in a car all day can make them nervous and upset. Some motels and
hotels offer accommodations for pets. Be sure to plan your stay on the road
ahead of time.
-
Smaller
pets such as hamsters, birds and other small animals can be transported in
the car fairly easily. Make sure that your pet has enough food and water in
their cages and are kept out of drafts or extreme temperatures. Cover their
cages to keep them quiet and calm.
-
It is best
for the plants if you can transport them in the car. Here are some
suggestions for moving your plants.
-
Three weeks
before you move, prune back your plants to make them hardier and less bulky
for the trip. Two weeks before
moving, place your plants in a black plastic bag with a pest/bug strip or
pest control powder. Close the bag and place in a cool area overnight. This
will kill any pests on the plants or in the soil.
-
The day
before your move, place plants in the travel containers. Cardboard boxes are
preferable. Secure the plants by packing dampened newspaper or dampened
packing paper around the base of the plants and soil. Use more paper to
cushion the leaves and place a final layer of wet paper on top of the plants
to keep them moist.
-
On moving
day, set the boxes aside so that the moving company does not load them onto
the moving van.
-
On moving
day, close up the boxes and punch air holes in the top...load them into your
car.
-
While plants
are in the car, take care not to leave the plants in extreme heat or cold.
Unpack the plants as soon as you arrive. Remove plants from the
bottom of the box in order to avoid breaking the stems.
Gradually expose plants to sunlight to reduce shock.
-
If you leave
your plants behind, take cuttings. Put the cuttings in to a plastic bag with
wet paper towels wrapped around the cuttings.
