General Moving Tips

There are many things you can do to make preparing for an upcoming move easier on you and your family. With some planning, however, the process can go smoothly and you can arrive at your destination with limited surprises.

Setting a Schedule

The first thing to do is to set a time schedule to accomplish certain tasks - and to stick
to it. Many people do this in weekly increments before the move such as 6-8 weeks, 4-6 weeks, 3 weeks, 2 weeks, and 1 week. Within that 6-8 week timeframe, you’ll want to hire a UK moving company, confirm rental or mortgage information for your new location, and make travel arrangements.

Selling Off What You Don’t Need

You’ll also want to start sorting through your items to decide what you want to put in a yard sale or donate to charity, and what can be tossed out. You’ll also want to start gathering your packing supplies if you are doing this yourself. You can advertise your garage sale in your local paper or online and reduce what you have to haul away or pack.

Taking Care of Your Pets

As the time draws closer, you’ll want to make arrangements for you pets. Having one more visit with their regular vet to make sure shots are up to date is necessary, and asking for a tranquilizer if your pet has to travel a long distance will make the trip easier on your pet. You may want to consider boarding your animal for a few days during the moving process so that they are safely out of harms way.

Begin to Pack

Start packing your little used items first, using large boxes for lightweight bulky items like comforters and lampshades, and smaller boxes for your heavier items. Remember to pack the heavy items first in a box, and fill in with lighter objects on top. Try to pack your boxes to capacity, and fill in spaces with crushed newspaper to prevent shifting during transport. Have a permanent marker handy to label your boxes with their room destination and whether the contents are fragile. And if there are a few boxes you’ll need right away at the new place, label them as “please load last.” This way, when you begin unpacking, everything is where you need it when you need it.

Notifying Interested Parties

As the day of the move gets closer, you’ll want to complete a change of address form, making sure to notify your creditors, financial institutions, doctor’s offices, and schools. You’ll want to set up new bank accounts if your current one doesn’t have branches in your new town. You’ll also want to transfer prescriptions, and keep copies of medical records, school records, and financial documents close at hand so they don’t get mixed up in your moving van.

Giving Away Extras

Some items cannot make the trip with you, such as poisonous, flammable, corrosive, and perishable items. You may want to see if your current neighbors can use any fertilizers, paint, pool chemicals, or other items falling under this heading. Try to use up as much of your food as possible since many items can’t last the trip without spoiling. If you are moving across state lines, some plants are not allowed, so giving them as gifts before you leave is a nice idea. Keeping everyone informed of deadlines will make this transition much more stress free and productive, so keep everyone in the loop of what you expect.