 Moving Checklist
Once you decide to make your move you will not believe how fast time will fly! It'll be difficult to establish what tasks will need to be done and when.
Below is a timeline designed to make the job easier. Good Luck!
ONE MONTH BEFORE MOVING
> Visit changeaddress.com or
> Pick up a Change-of-Address Kit from the Post Office and fill out:
- Friends and family
- Banks
- Insurance companies
- Credit card companies
- Cancel magazines and newspapers
- Doctors, dentists and other providers - transfer drug prescriptions
- Past employer - for W2 forms
> Take a look around the house. Start to think about what you don't want to take with you.
> Use up perishable foods
> Sell, donate or hold a garage sale for unwanted items
> Prepare a list of what you want to move.
- Large appliances?
- Outside furniture?
> For full service moves:
- Get written estimates from several moving companies
- Will the movers pack for you?
- What items won't they move?
- Get appraisals of high-value items in case of future claims
> For do-it-yourself moves, make arrangements for truck rental and moving help, and buy packing supplies:
- Boxes
- Packing and masking tape
- Markers
- Newspapers
- Twine
> Start packing boxes. Mark boxes clearly as to contents and room to be placed in. Mark "Open First" clearly on boxes containing important items to be unpacked first:
- Dishes
- Pots and pans
- Alarm clock
- Bedding
- Special toys
- Towels
- Lightbulbs
- Plates
- Tools - hammer, pliers, wrench
> Stop by and make arrangements for picking up your important records:
- Birth
- Doctor
- Dentist
- Legal
- Optician, optometrist
- School - make sure you get one with a raised seal
- Veterinarian
> Close out your bank accounts:
- Checking
- Savings
- Safe Deposit Box
> Start a new bank account in your new town.
- Transfer account from current bank?
> Contact your child's new school and notify them of your upcoming move to their area.
> Contact the Chamber of Commerce in your new town. Request a relocation package.
> Check and clear any tax assessments on your current property.
> Complete any necessary repairs. Arrange for any repairs in your new house.
TWO WEEKS BEFORE MOVING
> Pack your vital documents in one place:
- Passports
- Military records
- Mortgage records
- Marriage license
- Birth certificates
- Vehicle titles
- Stock certificates
- Insurance papers
- Bank records
- School records
- Medical records
- Tax records
> Make arrangements to disconnect your utilities. Get refunds for any deposits made. Have meters read. Give new address for them to send their final bill:
- Cable - return box if necessary
- Electric
- Gas
- Fuel
- Telephone
- Water
- Internet Service Provider
> Make arrangements to connect utilities at your new residence.
> Make arrangements for cleaning both your old home and new home.
> Inquire about your new state's auto licensing procedure and auto insurance rates.
> Check with your insurance company about transferring coverage to your new home.
> Arrange to have a sitter watch your children at their house on moving day.
ONE WEEK BEFORE MOVING
> Dispose or drain any flammable items:
- Lawn mower gas
- Snow blower gas
- Paint
- Aerosol cans
> Plan what goes in the car with you:
- Toys and games for kids
- Special breakable items or collections
- Important documents and records
- Change of clothes and toiletries for your first day
- Vacuum cleaner - if you want to clean right away
- Toilet paper
- First aid kit
- Food kit with bottled water, cereal, bananas
> Make travel arrangements for your pets and plants.
> Purchase moving insurance if you have valuable antiques and collections.
> Have your car tuned up.
THE DAY BEFORE MOVING
> Defrost, clean and air out your refrigerator.
> Clean your stove.
> Make sure you have payment ready for the mover - they will not unpack without a check. Check your moving company's payment policies.
> Purchase traveler's checks for other possible expenses.
> Pack your former town's phone book for future correspondence.
> Get a simple breakfast ready for the next morning.
> Pick up ice and beverages for moving day.
> Take down curtains and curtain rods.
> Get a good night's sleep!
MOVING DAY!
> Strip your beds.
- Moving company - will they disassemble?
> Show movers around. Make sure your possessions to be moved are inventoried with them.
- Write "subject to further inspection for concealed loss or damage" on contract when you sign to protect yourself should you find damage while unpacking.
> Get all keys together. Put in a safe spot.
> Make sure moving van driver has correct address, phone number and directions. Confirm delivery date with him.
> Check all rooms one last time. Remember closets and cupboards, basement and garage! Make sure all windows and doors are locked.
> Good luck! Remember - many of your moving expenses are tax deductible,so hang on to your receipts. Call the Internal Revenue Service and request Publication 521: "Tax Information On Moving Expenses" to find out which moving expenses you can deduct.
Cosmetic Improvements >Handle Needed Repairs Early
There is a standard chain of events that occurs when an offer comes in on a home. After a meeting of the minds, the buyer often brings in a home inspector who may find a few items that need to be repaired. The real estate agent gives the homeowner a list of the requested repairs. What comes next?
In most transactions, the seller will take care of the repairs. Many sellers wait until the week before the closing to call someone to do the work, because they want to be sure that they are going to make it to the closing table before they spend money on repair work. If you are responsible for making repairs to a home you are selling, make sure you have the work done well in advance of the closing date by licensed professionals who will stand behind their work. If the work is done at the last minute and is incomplete or unsatisfactory, it could cause complications at the closing. You should provide the buyers with all the receipts and the names of the persons to contact in case there is a problem with the repairs.
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| Q |
What famous writer's home is Rowan Oak?
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| A |
Rowan Oak in Oxford, Mississippi, was the home of William Faulkner from 1930 until his death in 1962.
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