A Checklist To Make Sure Things Get Done

• Contact a moving company and tell them the dates you plan to move. Set up a date for an agent to come over and survey your goods. Unless you’re given a binding estimate, the cost can vary, depending on the actual weight of items and any extra services.
• Decide if you are going to pack for yourself or have the movers do it.
• Transfer or resign from organizations and associations.
• Collect suitable containers & packing materials if you plan to do the packing yourself.
• Start to use up things that can’t be moved, such as frozen foods, canned goods, and flammable household aerosol cleaners. Buy only what you will use before moving.
• Prepare a list of friends, relatives, business firms, and others who need to be notified of your move.
• Consider having a garage sale to dispose of unwanted clothes or furniture.
• Assemble packing materials:
• Boxes, felt-tip markers, large self-stick labels, newspapers, utility knife, packing peanuts or bubble wrap, packing tape, furniture pads, dolly, scissors
• Pack an “Instant Aid” box containing things you’ll need upon arrival:
• Sponges, paper towels, powdered detergent, paper plates, toothpaste, light bulbs, hammer, trash bags, hand soap, toilet paper, scissors, utility knife, coffee cups, tea kettle, first-aid kit, snacks, pencils and paper, masking tape, bath towels, and shelf liner

• Establish credit in your new city. Arrange for a transfer of bank account funds and the contents of your safety deposit box.
• Check personal insurance policies to see whether moving is covered. Transfer fire, theft, and other personal property insurance to ensure coverage at your new home.
• Gather information on prescriptions. Get current phone numbers and addresses of your doctor and dentist.
• Arrange to transfer school records and secure transcripts from the local school district you are leaving. Get copies of your records from doctors, dentists, accountants, etc.
• Plan to cancel all utilities.
• Pick up all dry cleaning and anything left at the tailor.
• Set a date to cancel the newspaper.
• Alert the post office that you will be moving. If you don’t yet know your permanent address, the post office can hold your mail for you. Send out change-of-address cards. First-class mail is forwarded free of charge for one year; newspapers and magazines - 60 days.
• Take your car in to have it checked for the upcoming road trip.
• Transfer all prescriptions to your new pharmacy.
• Have rugs and draperies cleaned and keep them in bags until the movers arrive.
• Take pets to the veterinarian. Most states require health certificates and rabies inoculations for licenses.
• Collect all items being repaired, cleaned, or stored.
• Return library books and anything else you may have borrowed.

Dear Mr Redfield,

  I liked you last comment about returning those library books.

  I found one major item, missing from your list. Even though I live in Illinois, I believe that one of the most stress reducing parts of a new home purchase/move, even if you are going only 2 miles or 2000 miles is:

  A Home Inspection on your new home.  In fact one done by a National Association of Certified Home Inspectors 'NACHI'.

 A home inspection done by the largest Home Inspection Association in the US - NACHI of course - on the home you are leaving and the home you are buying. 

   In my area I have a program that will lay everything out for you the buyer.  It is Move In Certified, it reduces/eliminates the challenge of closing the home sale, for the seller/buyer and even the realtor.  Home sales are completed faster, with less negotiation,

1. The buyer is truly satisfied because they have gotten the opportunity of "test driving their new home",
2. The seller gets the best price possibe for their home
3. The realtor sells a home faster and cleaner

David J. Pawlisz - NACHI Certified Home Inspector - Inspected once, inspected right - www.yourfffamilyhomeinspector.com