Moving Day Checklist

Congratulations! You have officially found your "home, sweet home"! It feels good, doesn't it? Now that you have had time to bask in the glow of success, you might be wondering what's next. You might be dreaming of what shade of coral to paint your kitchen, or wondering if your significant other will allow you to make the spare bedroom a man cave, or trying to think of where you can buy those little lanterns for your first housewarming party. While all of those are important points to contemplate, what comes before the redecorating and party throwing? Moving in! And, in many cases, moving out of your previous home. It can be rather daunting, because there are so many little things to remember to accomplish, so here are some steps to ensure a smooth transition!

1). Hash Out The Details: Change your address, notify your bank and all other important parties, forward your medical records to new health care providers, call the moving company you're going to work with to reserve their services, book your moving day off of work.  This list is a long one, but all these little details must be taken care of to ensure nothing gets lost in the move. Keep it simple: if it's got your address attached to it in any way, change it!

2). Measure and Dream: Take measurements of your new space! Perhaps that couch you already own won't fit in the space… perhaps an Ikea run is needed to purchase something new… Make a list of your furniture: what will work, and what won't? Sketch each room in the new space, placing what you already own where it will go. Does it fit? You'll want to make sure before you're forced to use a chainsaw to make a doorway large enough to fit your old couch. Schedule a day for your Realtor to take you through your new space for measurements.

3). Purge: Before you begin packing, do a mass purge of everything you don't need or use! This is a perfect time to not only clean your old space, but begin organizing things for the move. Keep in mind your new space-do you still have that sketch? Refresh your memory: what will work, and what won't? This is not the time to become attached to that shag quilt your Great Aunt gave you instead of throwing it away. It's awful. You need to let it go.

4). Pack a Suitcase: There is nothing worse then arriving at your new space and having to dig through every meticulously packed box to find your toothbrush. Set aside a change of clothes, some basic kitchen supplies (plates, utensils, maybe even a pot for some Mac N' Cheese), your toothbrush and toothpaste, and anything else you might need while slowly unpacking everything.

5). Label Sensibly: Want to make anything missed from your suitcase (see point 4) more easily accessible while also maximizing your ability to unpack efficiently? LABEL LABEL LABEL! Make a box for Kitchen supplies, one with bedsheets and pillows, one for your kids toys, as many as you need for your extensive wardrobe. Then when you arrive, you can put the correct box in the right space, and unpacking will be easy! For the sake of emphasis, let me repeat my previous comment: LABEL LABEL LABEL!

6). Scrub Down: After everything is packed and out of the way, clean your old home! It was part of your life, for better or for worse. Take pride in what you did with the property, and make it so clean that you could make noodles in the toilet bowl. The new owners will appreciate it, and it's a lovely farewell gift to the building!

These are just six basic, overarching points to remember in a move! A simple goggle search can give you an extremely detailed list if you're nervous about forgetting anything. Remember to use the resources you have! Your real estate agent will be a wonderful person to talk with about any moving qualms. They've helped hundreds of people do it before, and would be happy to give some advice (maybe even lift boxes, if you're reeeeeeally nice to them). Good luck!