Along with divorce, breakup, or job loss, a house move is considered among the most stressful life events you may encounter. Whatever personal experience you might have in the past, your moving experience would have probably caused you stress and anxiety. Often, the stress and anxiety you feel during a house move are rooted in the fact that your daily routine is disrupted when preparing for a move.

With all the organizing, packing, calling the utility providers, and other tasks you have to do, it’s only natural to feel overwhelmed. But before you give up and say ‘Never again,’ there’s actually one thing you can do to smooth things around: Use a moving checklist.

Look no further, as this blog will provide you with a moving checklist that will include everything you need to do when planning and preparing for a house move. With a complete moving checklist, you can monitor your preparation progress without missing any important task.

Research Reputable Movers

First of all, you’ll need to make the decision of whether to hire a moving company. Although a DIY move is cheaper, you can expect it’ll be more challenging and complicated, considering that you’ll be doing everything yourself. Meanwhile, if you opt to hire a moving company, you’ll get a lot of help from professional movers when you need to pack, organize, move, lift and transport all your stuff. So, it’s best to hire experienced movers for an easier move.

Research some well-known moving companies by checking out websites like thebigboymovers.com or others relevant to your area. Refrain from asking for quotes over the phone since they’re often inaccurate. The moving company needs to know or see how much stuff you have to move before they can offer quotes. You can send them pictures of your rooms and belongings or request an on-site estimate. Compare quotes and then pick and hire the best moving company at the earliest time before they get fully booked.

Aside from doing online research, you can ask for referrals from your friends or family members.

Create A Moving File Folder

Some people tend to skip this step, but having a moving file folder can actually help you stay organized and save time in locating important stuff. You can store every move-related document in this file folder, such as moving company quotes, receipts, contracts, insurance, utilities, bills, and other documents as you go through the process. It will also help if you save a backup online in case you lose the original copies. This way, you can find them all in one folder when you need to retrieve some documents.

Declutter

At least a few months or weeks before your move, it’s recommended that you declutter your house. Decluttering will help downsize the number of items you’ll need to pack, making your move easier. Plus, fewer things mean you’ll be charged a lower fee from the moving company.

You can sell or give away some of your stuff that won’t be making into your new home. You may also donate them to a shelter or local charity. If you have items or furniture pieces that are already broken or partially damaged, it may be best to dispose of them properly, as bringing them to the trip might only cause further damage.

When decluttering, you may use this opportunity to separate items that your movers won’t handle. For example, sensitive and expensive items, like safes, guns, and other similar items, mustn’t be mixed with other belongings to keep them from being lumped or misplaced during the move. You can write down the items you’ll need to bring yourself during the move.

Schedule The Stop And Start Dates Of Your Utilities

You can start scheduling the stop and start dates of your utilities as soon as you can. Inform service providers of your moving plans and when you’d like them to stop your utilities. This should be one of your priorities, so you don’t end up paying the same utility bills when you’re already in your new home. You can also let them know when you’d like to start the date of utilities for your new address. Some of the utility providers you must never miss are:

• Internet, cable, and phone providers
• Electricity and water suppliers
• Magazines, newspapers, and other subscriptions
• Sewage treatment providers
• Life, auto, home, and other insurance providers
• Banks and credit card companies
• Medical and dental service providers
• Post office

For utilities that require an installation appointment (e.g., internet, cable, security system), you may need to call them a month in advance, so they’ll be ready once you’ve moved into your new home.

Gather The Necessary Packing Supplies

To ease the preparation process, gather all the necessary packing supplies you’ll use for packing. This will allow you to save time from running to back the store just to grab some packing supplies you forgot. If you hire a moving company, they can provide you with basic packing supplies, such as bubble wrap, packing tapes, and sturdy boxes in different sizes.

After you’ve bought or gathered all packing supplies, choose a specific spot or room in the house that you’ll convert as the packing room. Doing this will prevent your home from looking disorganized as you store some of your stuff in boxes.

Start Packing Early

Packing a month in advance may sound too early, but it’s the best approach if you want to reduce your workload as your moving date draws closer. The last thing you want is to run around the house and randomly pack due to the limited time you have left.

So, start packing up the less-used rooms and the out-of-season clothing and decorations and leave the most used ones for the last. Label each box as you pack to avoid confusion once you need to unpack them in your new home. It’s also advisable to create an inventory of all the items you’ve packed since this will help you choose which boxes to prioritize unpacking.

Additionally, let each family member pack their essential box or moving kit filled with important things they’ll likely use during the first few days after the move. This may include chargers, toiletries, flashlights, clothes, and snacks.