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Moving to a new home is a long and intricate process. It requires a lot of coordination, and even more cooperation. If you want everything to go smoothly and stress-free, you’ll have to take a lot of carefully planned steps. And, although you’ll have reliable movers in NH, you still need to prepare your home for the big day. And this is where our moving checklist comes into the spotlight. Although you may know what you need to do, you might not know when you need to do it. Rest assured that there is quite a lot to do before the moving day arrives. And sometimes, it can be quite difficult to keep track of all your tasks. But, with our help, you’ll know exactly how to organize your home, do everything on time, and have an amazing move. Let’s begin!

person writing info in their moving checklist
A moving checklist can be your saving grace during a relocation

8 weeks before the move

Roughly 2 months before your big day is the time when you should slowly start preparing. 8 weeks is more than enough to begin your preparations without having to rush. In this timeframe, you should begin looking up movers and collecting paperwork.

Start your moving checklist by sorting and purging your items

The less there is to pack, the faster and simpler the process will be. Before your movers Portsmouth NH arrive, go through every room and figure out which items you want to keep. Anything that you plan on discarding can either be recycled or better yet, donated to a local charity. Once you finish decluttering, take a good look at the items that remain. Think about whether or not any of them require special packing or added insurance.

Search for a reliable moving company

If you want to secure yourself with a team of reliable movers, you need to start looking well in advance. Booking your movers early prevents you from searching for a crew on short-notice and spending more money than expected. While looking for a good company, you can rely on online reviews to see the past experiences of people. Once you narrow down your list of choices, make sure they are all verified and have a USDOT number assigned to them. After this, it is time to compare the prices. Although you can get estimates over the phone, always try to request an on-site estimate. This allows the movers to carefully inspect your home and give you the most accurate quote possible.

woman looking for a moving company
Secure yourself with a team of dedicated moving experts, such as Preferred Movers for example!

Create a binder for your moving checklist

When it comes to moving, the organization is key. The last thing you want is to lose track of important documents or skip important steps in the moving process. Because of this, you need a master folder that will contain everything, and anything related to your checklist. Use a binder to easily track your inventory, your receipts, moving estimates, maps for moving to NH from MA, and any other important paperwork. This will greatly help you remain at the top of your game for the duration of the move.

Take care of the school record

If you’re moving with children, remember to visit their school and arrange for their records to be transferred. This will make the process of enlisting them into the new school much simpler and faster. If you do this ahead of time, you won’t have to worry about it during the hectic process of the move itself. Thus, you will be able to relax, and your kids will have an easier time adapting to their new surroundings.

a family drawing on moving boxes
Strong boxes should be a highlight of your moving checklist

Six weeks before your move

At this point, you should start tending to your home and the items within it. Focus your attention on packing supplies, the final count of your items, and the layout of your home.

Add plenty of packing supplies to your moving checklist

If you want to make sure everything you own survives the big trip unscathed, you’ll need to pack everything right. And to do this, you need top-of-the-line packing materials. Before the moving day arrives, stack up plenty of bubble wrap and permanent markers. To avoid injuries, order furniture sliders, moving dollies, and carrying straps. Damage to your furniture and floors can be easily prevented with corner protectors and floor mats. Most importantly, you will need sturdy and reliable boxes which will keep your items in mint condition. The good news is, you can get them from us! We can provide you with quality boxes, as well as packing services NH. With these factors combined, your move will be damage-free, and stress-free.

Carefully measure the key points of your home(s)

One of the main elements of your move will be getting your furniture and other items into the moving truck. But before they reach the truck, you have to navigate them through your home. This can become quite a difficult task if you realize your couch or closet can’t fit through the front door mid-move. So, grab a tape measure and inspect your home! Measure your larger furniture pieces, as well as your hallways and doorways. If something can’t fit, see if you can disassemble it, or find alternative ways to remove it from your home. It is advisable to do this in your new home as well, to ensure that the move-in and unpacking process goes unhindered.

orange couch in a living room
Make sure all your furniture pieces can easily leave your home on the moving day

Double-check your checklist for barred items

Even though you’ve already decluttered your home, there still may be some items left over which can’t go to the new home with you. This is usually due to the fact that your movers can outright refuse to transport certain items. In some cases, they legally can’t do so. This includes perishable foods, guns, plants, chemicals, and certain cleaning supplies. Items like these usually can’t be stored in storage North Hampton NH either. So, you need to either use them up or discard them. Use up your perishable foods or donate them to a food bank. Other house supplies and items can either be sold off at a garage sale or properly recycled.

One month before the move

One month before the move is when things will get serious in your relocation. You’ll do many important things and mark them off your moving checklist. Prepare for an action-packed period, because you’ll be handling plenty of packing materials and even more paperwork.

Confirm the arrangements with your moving company

Even though you searched and booked your movers Manchester NH two months in advance, you should contact them to confirm your arrangement. Give them a call and see if your preferred time slot is still booked. Double-check all of the paperwork necessary for the move, such as the quotes, and insurance. Confirm all of the specifics with the moving crew, such as the time of their arrival, and any special equipment that needs to be brought for the job. Lastly, ask about the type of vehicle which will be used, based on the number of your items. This information will be of use when it comes to securing a parking spot for your movers.

person packing a fragile item
Pack a portion of your items ahead of time, to conserve time and energy

Slowly begin packing your household

At this point, you can start packing items that aren’t frequently used in your household. This can include seasonal clothes, gardening equipment, and certain cooking utensils, to name a few. Packing these items in advance allows you to better manage your time schedule and separate your workload into more manageable chunks. Furthermore, clearing out these items ahead of time clears up a sizeable portion of your home. This in turn allows you to move with relative ease when the moving day arrives.

To manage your packed items with ease, don’t forget to label them. Any boxes containing fragile items should be clearly labeled, so your local movers NH know to treat them with added care. Furthermore, you should label your boxes accurately to make the unpacking process simpler. Mark down their contents or the rooms they belong to, and you’ll avoid confusion when unpacking.

Sort out your important paperwork

Moving means that you’ll be changing your living address. And as you know, your living address is linked to nearly all legal documents you own. This means that you’ll have to do a lot of paperwork in order to update all of your documents and contracts. Start by submitting requests to your local authorities to update your personal id and driver’s license. Then, change your post address by filling out a USPS address change form online. Lastly, contact other important parties, by email or phone, to alert them of your address change. These parties include:

  • Banks
  • Credit card companies
  • Insurance companies
  • Utility companies
  • Cable or Satellite TV provider
  • Human-resources department at work
  • Doctors, veterinarians, and other health-care providers
  • Lawyer, accountant, realtor
  • Magazine and newspaper subscriptions

Make sure everyone is aware of your address change. If you miss transferring some services, they may still be billed to your old address. Over time, these accidentally missed payments can accumulate, and turn into quite a nasty surprise.

moving checklist with bullet points
Use your moving checklist to keep track of your important legal tasks and paperwork

One week before your move

One week before your moving day is when things start getting hectic. By this point, you’ve probably crossed off plenty of things from your moving checklist. But you still have a lot of work to do!

Finish packing the rest of your items, and create an essentials box

You’ve already tackled a portion of your household items. Now it is time to handle the rest. Pack up the items you use on a daily basis. However, don’t forget to leave some of the most essential items until the moving day. If you pack all of your clothes and dishes, you won’t have anything to change into or eat from, until you move into your new home. Just as before, label all of your boxes so your long distance movers New Hampshire know what to do with them. The items you still didn’t pack and are still using will go into an essentials box. The purpose of this box is to help you survive the first few days in your new home until all of the boxes are unpacked. It should contain some spare clothes, a few dishes and utensils, and medical supplies.

Consult your moving checklist for daily tasks

Your daily life includes simple tasks you don’t usually pay attention to, because they’re done almost by default. When you’re in the middle of a relocation, you can easily forget about these tasks. But that’s why you have your checklist! Visit your pharmacy and refill any prescriptions you may have, to last you over the next few weeks. If you’ve lent any items to your friends or coworkers, make sure to collect them so they aren’t left behind. Collect your items from cleaners and repair shops as well. Lastly, make sure to return any loaned books back to the library, to avoid overdue fees. These small tasks can easily slip under your radar amidst the chaos, so remember to mark them in your checklist, and highlight them so you don’t forget them.

moving expert with a checklist inspecting boxes
Work together with your movers to ensure absolute success!

When the moving day arrives

The big day is finally here! This is what you’ve been preparing for all this time. But you’re still not in the clear, as you have to make that final push toward your new home. This will be a day of hard work and excitement, so make sure you get plenty of sleep the night before.

Cooperate with your movers, and carry your moving checklist with you

Sure enough, your state to state movers will do the majority of the hard work. However, you still need to be present to oversee the process and communicate with them. Although Preferred Movers are experts in their field, they know the importance of keeping the client involved in the process. So, you have to be present to answer their questions or give them directions. Cooperate with your movers, and make sure you’re there until they finish. Do one final sweep of your inventory together with your moving crew, while consulting your moving checklist. Before you get into your car and leave, check your home one final time, and make sure you didn’t leave anything behind.

Stay focused when you arrive at your new home

Once you and your movers arrive at the new home, you’ll have to do roughly the same process as above, but in reverse. Your movers will unload everything from the truck, but it is your job to organize the process and tell them where to place which box and item. Once you finish unloading, consult your checklist, and make sure everything you brought from your old home is there. Once you’re sure all items are there, you can sign the delivery papers. Your movers will provide you with an inventory sheet. Sign it and keep a copy of it for yourself. Once your movers leave, you can slowly start unpacking your boxes. Prioritize items you use the most, such as clothes and utensils, and unpack everything else at a later point. You’ll probably want to decorate while you unpack, so make sure not to rush the process.

a man and womah high-fiving
Celebrate a successful relocation and be proud of your accomplishments!

After the move

You’ve finally done it! All of your precious possessions have arrived at your new home unscathed. You did a fantastic job of organizing everything, and your movers made sure safety is at the highest level. Now, all you have to do is wrap up a few loose ends, and finally enjoy your new home.

Finalize your important documents and the moving process itself

Once you unpack your boxes, don’t hesitate to finalize all those legal processes you started a month ago. Collect your new driver’s licenses, library cards, voter registration cards, parking and
commuter passes, etc. Contact your bank and request checks containing your new address. The next item on your list should be filing your moving receipt. Do keep in mind that some moving expenses are tax-deductible and remember to check this with your tax preparer. While you’re at it, don’t forget to leave a great review for your Preferred Movers! When you finish this, check whether the utilities at your old address are off. Contact your old neighbors as well and see if any mail arrived at your old home. If it did, contact your post office and have mail forwarded to your new place.

Lay down your moving checklist, and breathe a sigh of relief

That’s it! You’ve finally come to the end of your relocation adventure! Your moving checklist served you well, but now it is time to part ways with it. You’ve covered all of the important aspects, from the most significant events to the minuscule tasks. Everything was organized to perfection and your choice of movers ensured a stellar relocation! Now, all that’s left for you is to enjoy your new home and get familiar with your new neighborhood. Add a personal touch to your new place by decorating it however you please. But don’t forget to explore your neighborhood as well! The good part is, you can mix exploration with celebration! Go out and explore your new area and stop by a bar or restaurant to celebrate your successful move. You absolutely earned a few moments to unwind and relax after everything you’ve achieved.