Building a new home can be a challenge for families. Our team has been working to make every step of the process just a little bit easier for our clients – from concept through moving day. One of the ways we’ve found to make moving day just a little bit easier is to provide them with our Ultimate Moving Day Checklist. Having a comprehensive list of all of the tasks at hand can help new homeowners keep a cool head.
Create Your Moving Day Kit
Your bags are packed and it’s time to go. While you have the perfect home waiting for you and you have mastered packing with Tetris-like precision, making moving day easier is simple if you have the right kit in tow. Your moving day kit will help prepare you for any eventuality.
Like a good carry-on bag, a moving day kit will help make your travels smoother and prepare you for the unexpected. Your travel kit should include:
Personal Care Items – Sounds simple, right? It’s truly surprising how many people forget to keep their personal care items accessible. Plan to be in hotel mode for 1-3 days and keep the following items handy: toothbrush, toothpaste, contacts/eyeglasses, shampoo, conditioner, soap, razors, moisturizer, face wash, deodorant, chapstick, snacks, bottled water, essential medications, pain relief medication, a change of clothing, and pajamas. And don’t forget your e-reader or a good book to keep you company.
Important Documents – Grab all important documentation related to your move as well as personal documents to keep with you during the transition: closing papers, homeowners insurance, car insurance, mover’s contracts, a copy of the inventory in the moving truck…and carry out menus for places around your new home. While this may seem like a rather analog list of items to keep on hand in a very digital age, we find that paper copies of these documents often come in handy with uncertain cellular coverage in a new neighborhood when Wifi is often not yet turned on.
Household Tools – Be prepared with tools you may need on moving day: extra packing tape, scissors, sharpies, sandwich bags, phone chargers, camera chargers, laptop/tablet and cords, manual and power screwdrivers (philips and flathead!), box cutters, tape measure, first aid kit, toilet paper, and paper towels. If you are moving long distances consider a sleeping bag and pillow.
Putting all of the essentials in an overnight bag will help you keep everything you need together, and, like a scout, ensures that you will be prepared for whatever comes your way on moving day.
Getting Ready for the Movers
Here are some great tips on how to prepare for your professional movers when they come to assist you on moving day. We recommend that you:
- Have your personal boxes, furniture and items to be moved ready as early as three days prior to your moving date.
- Stage the boxes in a room with a wide entry door – preferably all in one area, if possible.
- Consider the pathway to the moving truck, that it’s clear and navigable for boxes and furniture. This may mean removing rugs, planters, and low-hanging items along the way.
- Mark boxes with fragile contents accordingly
- Label boxes for their final destination room in your new custom home.
- Create your “open first” box with any items you’ll want to access right away upon arriving at your new home. These may be special items for your kids, clean sheets for the first night, or other important comfort items.
- Take a second and third sweep of your home before the driver departs your old residence and heads for the new one. Ensure that there’s nothing left in your attic, crawl space, backyard storage, under the stairs, on the walls, or anywhere else you might overlook.
- Eliminate trash and flammable materials prior to making the move. This may be leftover solvents, paints, or lubricants. Disposal of materials such as these into sinks and sewers is often prohibited and almost always inadvisable as it may cause damage to the water system and environment. For questions about how to handle these liquids, we recommend you reach out to your local waste management company or department. Additionally, consider using a residential dumpster rental to safely and efficiently dispose of non-hazardous materials, making your move smoother and more environmentally friendly.