30 days until Moving Day

When you’re just a month away from your target moving day, what do you do? Well, first of all, you don’t panic. Frantic panicking will only push you into an unorganized, ugly spiral. So before that happens, you have to take the reins and control the situation.

Let’s Start with a Brief Review

Hopefully, at this point you’ve already begun your preparations for the move. After all, the safest time to start preparation is at least two months before your chosen date. By now you should’ve already done the following:

• Planned your budget – You can do this in either of two ways. The first is to set a budget first and then work around this amount that you’re actually willing to spend. If you already know just how much (or how little) your wallet will allow you to touch, you can then make the choices that must go along with it (what company to get, which services to skip, the choice between borrowing or buying packing supplies). The other way is to plan out the details of the move first and then get the necessary quotations. This will be based on the date of your move, how much stuff needs to be hauled, and how far the new location is.
• Created an inventory list of your possessions – Yes, it’s of the utmost importance for you to create a detailed list of everything in your possession. Not only will this help you decide which ones to bring along and which ones to throw out, it’s also a good tool that you can use to measure just how much materials, money and time, you’ll be spending in packing. An inventory can also be helpful if you choose to get insurance coverage for your move.
• Gotten quotes from several companies and have chosen the best one – Two months before moving day, you should already be reviewing quotations for around three to five moving companies. By this time, you should already be going through each detail and choosing which company fits your requirements and budget. And remember, the company with the lowest quote doesn’t necessarily mean bigger savings.
• Prepared all necessary paperwork for your transfer and travel – Visas and passports are just two of the most important documents that you need to prepare before moving out. In addition to this, you should also get certified copies of birth certificates, baptismal certificates, diplomas, bank certifications, professional licenses, and so on. Most of these documents need sufficient processing time, not to mention preparation time from your end.
• Have already started researching about your new home – Researching about your new home, city, state, or country should always be done as early as possible. You have to start learning as much as you can about their language, culture, beliefs system, values, traditions, weather, economy, and so on. This will help you to adjust and become more confident too.

What to Do One Month Before the Move

Now let’s update you with the tasks that you should be doing. 30 days will fly by very quickly so you have to make the most out of every day. Make an effort to do the following:

• Use up your extra supplies –
  Now is the time to use up your supplies which cannot be shipped or included in the transport. These include frozen food, bleach, detergents, aerosol cleaners, and other potentially dangerous chemicals.
• Start gathering or hopefully, gather more packing supplies –
  It’s time to collect boxes and stock up on packing supplies. You can choose to purchase these from supermarkets or specialty goods stores, or if you want to be economical (and environment friendly too), you can ask around for boxes from local merchants or establishments. Other supplies include tape, packing peanuts, tissue paper, scissors, etc.
• Pack first the things you don’t use often –
  The first things you should pack are those which you won’t be using anytime soon. For example, if you’re moving during summer, pack right away your winter clothes and ski equipment.
• Clarify the schedule with the moving company –
  Call up your chosen mover and clarify the date of the move. Make sure that there are no misunderstandings between the two parties.
• Notify the right people about your change of address –
  You can go to your local post office and file for a change of address. This will let them know that you will no longer be receiving mail from your old address. You should also inform any creditors, billing companies, or banks about your move. You don’t want them to send valuable personal data to strangers right?
• Arrange for a disconnection of your utilities –
  If your utilities are named after you, make sure to inform them of your desire to relocate. That way, you can work out a cut-off date of when they can cease to bring their service. This will save you from unwanted cost and abuse. Ask them to cut off the services a day after you leave.
• Arrange for your new utilities –
  In the same way, you should also secure basic utilities for your new home. You can tell them to start a day before you arrive. That way, you already have running water, heat and electricity once you move in to your new home.
• Cancel any subscriptions –
  Now is the perfect time to cancel your subscriptions with any magazines or newspapers. Or if you want, you can just have them deliver it to your new address.
• Consider having a garage sale –
  One of the best ways to lessen your moving costs while earning some extra cash on the side is to hold a yard sale or garage sale. Have your entire family contribute to the lot with their old and unwanted belongings.
• Sort out any borrowing situation –
  Do you have items that are out for lending? Has your neighbour returned the hammer they borrowed last week? Now that your move is only a few weeks away, it’s the perfect opportunity to secure your laundry from the laundry shops and collect the items that you sent for repair. If anybody owes you money, better start collecting now. On the flipside, it’s also time for you to return whatever you’ve borrowed from others.
• Get your car tuned up –
  If you’re going to travel by the road using your own car, make sure that it’s in great shape. Long distance travel can be very rough and you wouldn’t want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere right?

The key to a smooth move is organization. So if you want to really stay on track with your moving tasks, list them down or print this article and use it as your guide.