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Tips For Moving
What, Where, and When Decisions
Who
Will Move You?
Packing
for Your Move
Records,
Valuables, Notifying Utilities
Moving
Ideas for Kids
Ideas For an
Easier Move.
Start the moving
process early and you will find it can be a positive experience. Begin
with pre-moving planning and organizing. Perhaps you can appoint one family
member who can and will coordinate the move without procrastinating.
Here are several
tips you can use that may help you save time, money and frustration.
1.
What, Where, and When Decisions
Before you call
a moving company, decide: What, Where, and When... early in the planning.
What's the best way to dispose of items you don't want or need in your
new home? Identify furnishings that won't fit and things your family has
outgrown. What furnishings will you replace within two months? Keep receipts
if you give to charity.
Try to arrange
your move during the least busy period of the month. A high percentage
of moves occur during the last week, and the busiest months are in the
summer.
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2.
Who Will Move You?
Before you decide
whether to move yourself or to have a professional move you, answer these
five questions:
-
Do you have adequate
physical strength and endurance?
-
Do you have at least
two helpers, at least one who is stronger than you are?
-
Can you be sure to
have adequate time off work to complete the move on schedule?
-
Will your homeowners
policy cover potential loss in case of accident en route?
-
Can you carry everything
through doorways, up stairs without damage?
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3.
Packing for Your Move
Packing is both
art and science -- art in combining just the right items in each box to
arrive damage-free, science in producing an inventory that enables you
to quickly find anything you need at a moment's notice after arriving in
your new home. Some helpful hints:
-
When possible, combine
items that will go together in your new home.
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Pack heavy items
in smaller, heavy duty cartons.
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Clearly mark room
destination on TOP and at least ONE SIDE of every carton.
-
Remember, your mover
won't know which child is which, so tag bedroom boxes with BR-1 or BR-2
and tape the same tags on appropriate bedroom doors.
-
Be sure to have these
items readily available:
-
children's health
records (schools require proof of immunization)
-
documentation for
your lender including back tax returns, last two pay stubs, bank statements
for last six months
DON'T Forget:
Pets, Plants and Perishables:
-
Moving is especially
tough on pets. Have them groomed on moving day and make plans early for
their transit to your new home.
-
Some states don't
permit plants to cross the state line. Plan to give away your plants to
people you know will care for them.
-
Four weeks prior
to moving, begin the process of winnowing down your freezer's content to
avoid trashing large quantities of food.
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4.
Records, Valuables, Notifying Utilities
Gather records
and memorabilia and make plans to move them as carefully as possible including:
-
family medical and
tax records
-
diplomas, school
records
-
family genealogies,
pictures
-
business, social
organizations
-
other memorabilia
Notify utilities,
media and others before the move. Check this list of businesses to be notified:
-
electric power company
-
water company
-
natural gas supplier
-
local telephone companies
-
long distance telephone
company
-
television company
-
stock brokers, mutual
funds
-
credit cards, banks
-
magazine, book clubs
-
religious organizations
-
country, boat, sports
clubs
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5.
Moving Ideas for Kids
And to the younger
members of your family, it can be downright frightening. Communicate openly
and realistically with all family members as early as possible. Here are
some other helpful hints you can use.
Tell children
what is happening and include them in the process of selecting the new
home, if possible. If children feel included in the decision-making process,
and "take ownership" of their new home, the transition will be easier.
-
Don't try to get
rid of children's favorite items at this time even though it might make
moving simpler.
-
Don't throw away
personal stuff behind a child's back.
-
Negotiate what goes
and what stays.
-
Bring pictures from
the new home and school, as well as special things about the area, according
to their interests.
-
Ask the new coach,
scout leader, teacher, etc., to call your child.
-
Don't forget grandparents,
cousins, and your extended family, close friends of adults and children.
Share the excitement and responsibilities.
If every family member
takes responsibility for an age-appropriate part of the move, yours can
be an easy move.
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