The success of your house move will depend primarily on how well you manage to organize all move-related tasks. Basically, it all comes down to TIME and how efficiently you use the minutes, hours, and days leading up to the move-out date.
A high level of efficiency is critical and the only way you can achieve the desired and required productivity when preparing for a move is to follow a moving checklist timeline.
In fact, a moving timeline is priceless when getting ready to move out simply because you won’t lose any precious time between jobs. Once you’ve completed a specific task, you can start work on the next one since your moving checklist and timeline will have already “told” you what you should do next.
The sheer organizational power of a moving timeline is unrivaled. Read on to learn WHY you should create a personal moving calendar + take advantage of our sample week-by-week moving checklist and timeline so that you can “steal” some great ideas for yourself.
Why should you create a moving timeline?
To organize your move properly, you will definitely need the assistance of a moving checklist to keep you on the right track and save you loads of valuable time in the end.
The moving timeline checklist you’re strongly recommended to create is nothing more than a detailed to-do list for moving with the dual purpose of not only reminding you WHAT you need to do next but also WHEN to complete the move-related task in question.
To make your weekly moving calendar work for you the way it should, you’re going to have to do a couple of fairly simple things – to customize it first, and then to prioritize the moving schedule to fit your concrete needs.
Step 1. Customize your moving timeline
It’s good to have in mind that your house moving calendar is not really yours until you adjust it to reflect the reality of your own household move. While many tasks are found to be common for all or almost all residential moves taking place in the country, a good number of jobs will be unique for your case. Therefore, those unique tasks should be marked as such in the moving planner checklist you’re about to create soon enough.
The trick to reaching a good customization level is to borrow generalized moving tasks and then modify them to satisfy your personal needs and requirements. For example, the moving checklist entry Take care of your pets should quickly be customized as Take Max to see the vet first thing Monday morning.
Step 2. Prioritize your relocation timeline
Besides making your moving calendar checklist your own by personalizing it, it’s equally important to prioritize your detailed to-do list for moving as well. The important thing to understand here is that not all moving tasks have the same urgency labels attached to them.
So, in order to be completely ready prior to moving day, you’re going to have to distribute the jobs according to their relevant priority. For instance, packing up your bathroom has a relatively low priority compared to, say, packing up your storage areas.
This is so not only because you will need your bathroom items until the last possible moment, but also because doing it is much less complicated and time-consuming than going through your storage areas such as your garage, basement, attic, or closet, sorting all the belongings there, and packing them for safe transportation.
Your personal week-by-week moving timeline
Only you know what personalized and prioritized tasks your week-by-week moving calendar will contain. Nevertheless, it’s essential to have a good solid foundation to build on your moving planner calendar.
Read on to learn some of the most important general moving jobs you are expected to complete from 8 weeks before Move day to all the way until a few days after your move is over.
And more importantly, feel free to borrow some of the moving tasks below in order to create your own week-by-week moving checklist.
Let the moving countdown to Moving day begin!
8 WEEKS prior to Moving day
According to your moving home checklist, here’s what you should do roughly 8 weeks before your move-out date:
- DECIDE whether you will hire a professional moving company or whether you will try to move by yourself. There are pros and cons no matter what you choose, so you should weigh your options carefully to reach an informed decision.
- CONTACT the best truck rental agencies in the country to see the truck rental prices and to calculate the size of the vehicle you need in case you’ve decided to move without hiring professional movers.
- FIND a reputable moving company for your local or cross-country move if you do decide to trust experienced professionals. Get FREE QUOTES from top-rated movers near you to learn how much your move will cost in advance.
- REQUEST in-house surveys from movers so that you can receive accurate cost estimates for your upcoming move. Let your movers know if you want any add-on services such as packing, disassembly of furniture, temporary storage, and so on.
- CREATE a moving budget to get a good idea about how much money you will need to cover the moving expenses and to control better your moving expenses.
Read also: How to find cheap movers near me
6 WEEKS prior to Moving day
According to your moving to-do list, here’s what you should be doing approximately 6 weeks before moving out:
- CREATE a detailed home inventory to get a better idea of what exactly you have to move. Then, take a closer look at that inventory sheet to determine which items you will be moving with you and which ones you will leave behind.
- GET rid of all belongings you no longer need or want to save big on your transportation costs. This is especially important when you’re moving long distance since the overall weight of your shipment will be used to calculate the cost of your move.
- OBTAIN all required records before it’s too late – medical records of all family members, including your pets, as well as school records of your school-aged children. Also, start the search for a new health care provider at your destination.
- GET hold of appropriate packing supplies for the packing marathon – cardboard boxes in good condition (including FREE MOVING BOXES), wrapping paper for protecting all types of things, sheets of bubble wrap to protect fragile items, packing tape to secure bundles and seal boxes, and color markers to label your boxes.
Good to follow: Packing timeline for moving
4 WEEKS prior to Moving day
According to your moving checklist timeline, here’s what you should do about 4 weeks (one month) before moving out:
- CANCEL all your subscriptions to services and memberships to avoid being overcharged.
- KEEP packing up your things. Remember to start from the hardest rooms to sort and pack – usually, the storage areas in your home.
- LEARN what items you shouldn’t pack for safety reasons and don’t waste your time preparing them for transportation. Such hazardous items include combustible, corrosive, and flammable substances.
- PREPARE an Open-First box and fill it up with your absolute essentials – things that you will need until you reunite with your regular household items that are being transported by your movers.
- LABEL your packed boxes for easier identification when you arrive in your new home. Write the contents of the box, the destination room, and any special instructions for whoever’s handling the boxes.
Good advice: How to prepare to move out of state
2 WEEKS prior to Moving day
According to your moving checklist, here’s what you should do roughly 2 weeks before moving out:
- CONTACT your moving company and see whether everything is going according to plan.
- CHANGE your postal address with the USPS. You can complete this task 1) in person at your local post office, 2) online, 3) by phone, and 4) by mail.
- ARRANGE for the disconnection of your current utilities shortly after moving day and contact the utility companies in your new city to have the major city services switched on when you arrive.
- HAVE your car serviced to avoid problems on your relocation journey.
- TAKE your pet to your family vet for a full medical checkup, so that your dog, cat, bird, or another type of pet can reach the new home in good health.
- CONSIDER hiring packing help if you feel like you’ve fallen behind schedule.
- THINK about asking or hiring somebody to take look after your small child or pet during the most chaotic day in a house move – Moving day;
- RESERVE the elevator for your movers both at your starting point and destination to save time and avoid troubles on Moving day (if applicable).
Read also: How to move to a new home efficiently
2 DAYS prior to Moving day
According to your checklist before moving out, here’s what you should do approximately 2 days before Moving day:
- THINK about how to move your valuables, and don’t make the mistake of handing a valuable item to your movers unless you can’t possibly move the item in question by yourself.
- CONSIDER disassembling your big furniture pieces to speed up the packing process.
- DEFROST your refrigerator (freezer), clean it up, and let it dry out completely so that it’s ready to be moved when the movers come.
- FINISH up the packing process or plan to complete it in the next day or so. Ask friends to help you up if you’re behind your packing schedule.
- COMPLETE ALL moving preparations or schedule to finish them in the next 2 days.
- CONTACT your movers, again, to make sure everything is according to plan and that they are coming over on the pre-arranged day and hour.
Moving day
Moving day has arrived! According to your moving checklist timeline, here’s what you should do on the day of the move:
- SET your alarm clock for an early start. You don’t want to be still in bed when movers arrive.
- CHECK your home thoroughly for forgotten items.
- BE there when your movers arrive, welcome them to your home, and leave them to their work – they should already know what to do without too much explanation from you.
- BE extra careful what documentation you are given to sign. NEVER sign blank or incomplete documents.
- PREPARE some cash for tips if you’re satisfied with the work of your hired men.
- GIVE the truck driver your exact address and directions on how to get to your new home.
- CHECK for any forgotten items, secure your home, and begin your relocation journey.
Must-read: Moving day tips
2 DAYS after Moving day
Congratulations on completing your move! Your moving checklist should cover the very first days after the move:
- INITIATE the time-consuming unpacking process. The bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen should be the first rooms to be set up in the new home.
- WRITE a moving review about the services of your moving company.
- REGISTER your car by visiting the local DMV office in your new city.
- BEGIN the long and tough acclimatization process.
And don’t forget to smile.
