Have you ever lost an item during a move or spent hours looking for something in every box and couldn’t find it? This is something that happens to a lot of people after a move because they did not make a clear checklist of their belongings before packing. Creating a moving checklist before the move will help you keep track of all your belongings and keep things organized and easy for everyone concerned. Whether you will use a binder, book or an app, here is one of the best moving checklists you can use:
Before Packing
- Shop and book a professional moving company and get several quotes and recommendations before settling for one.
- Get rid of stuff you no longer use such as old clothes, broken appliances, and items that are out of fashion. Use up all food items and other perishables that you don’t want to carry.
- Have your valuables appraised by an expert and locate all the receipts of expensive things like electronics and furniture.
- Take pictures and videos of all your belongings to ensure you have evidence of their condition before the move.
- Gather packing supplies such as boxes, tape, bubble wrap and blankets.
- Complete an online address change.
- Contact your utility providers to discontinue water, electricity, and internet.
- Transfer your children’s school records.
- Change your address with the bank, credit card company, insurance company and all subscriptions you may have.
- Drain any gasoline, water or oil for appliances and ensure they are clean and dry.
- Service your car and ensure it has enough fuel for the travel.
Packing
- Confirm with the movers your address and time and withdraw any money needed to pay them or for other uses.
- Start packing days or even weeks before the moving day, and everything should be categorized according to their room.
- Pack all your valuables, important documents, and sentimental items in a suitcase and put it in a safe place before you start packing everything else.
- Pack a box or a bag with everything you will need during the move such as toiletries, change of clothes, snack, and keys and put it aside to take in your car.
- Label every box and loose item with a numbered tag or sticker and ensure the numbers correspond with the ones on your inventory list. The list must have a simple but detailed description of every box and its contents.
- Pack all the heavy items on the bottom of the boxes and have all the heavy and big things go first in the truck.
- Take a final walk-through of the house to ensure nothing has been left behind before handing over the keys to the landlord.
Arrival
- Check that all the items and boxes are unloaded carefully according to your list before signing the inventory list.
- Inspect items for damages and retake pictures for evidence.
- Test your new utilities to make sure they are working and begin to unpack.
Moving can be very stressful especially if you must do things fast. With this moving checklist, it is hard to forget or lose anything. However, one must be there to ensure the movers are doing things according to plan.