When it comes to scheduling and planning a move. We think that’s an adventure that requires some attention to details! To ensure that everything goes smoothly during your move, and to reduce your stress accordingly, we have created a moving timeline to help you get organized.

Our biggest piece of advice? Give yourself plenty of time. Follow this list to save your self from stress and cash!

Schedule your move 1-2 months ahead of the moving in date

• Create a moving binder. This will help keep all of the details of your move organized in one place; contact informations for your new landlord or real estate agent, receipts, travel plans, transferring services.

• Start getting quotes from professional movers. Ask for friends and family if they recommend a moving company. Read reviews on Google. Shop around to see who is willing to give you the best prices, but also make sure you are clear on what’s included in their price. A really low-ball price that seems too good to be true probably is!

• Begin sorting your belongings. The purging stage of packing can take a while. If you leave yourself plenty of time, you won’t feel rushed and you’ll make better choices about what to keep and what to get rid off. Pick one room at a time and start purging anything you don’t want to move with you. Call your local junk removal company or ask your moving company offer junk removal services. If they do, usually it is cost effective to book both services with one company.

A moving timeline one month before the move

• Begin selling or donating your unwanted items. You probably aren’t going o bring every piece of furniture with you, so start deciding what you will do without it. There are plenty of ways to get rid off things you don’t want. Read our, How To Get Rid Of Junk Before A Move for detailed guide.

• Reserve your date with the moving company. Depending on what day of the week you are trying to move, sometimes moving companies book up fairly far in advance. So you may even to book your move earlier!

• Organize and file all legal documents and records. If your filing cabinet has been a bit of a mess, now is the time to organize. Make sure you know where important banking documents, social insurance cards, birth certificates, and other important documents are for moving day. File them together somewhere safe so you can transport them to your new home yourself.

• Start packing. It might seem crazy to pack this early, but put this items near the top of your moving schedule. Begin by packing the things that you don’t use often to begin the process. Even if you are hiring the movers to pack most of your belongings, you will have a much organized and less of old unwanted items being moves to your new home. Label any box!

• Make a moving inventory. Create a full inventory of what you will be moving, you not only help the movers but also insure everything was moved and make it safely to your new home.

2 weeks before moving day

• Start using up the food in the pantry. Avoid needing to buy much for groceries and focus on simple foods. That way you don’t have to eat out all the time, but you don’t accumulate more food that you can’t bring with you. Cut down on food that you have to throw away by getting creative. Use up the perishable items in your pantry and clear out the foods in the freezer.

• Confirm with your moving company. Check in to be sure you know what time they will arrive. If you need packing services or supplies, make sure they know what to be prepared for. If you have heavy items like piano, safe, heavy tables, let them know. So they don’t get surprised and surprise you with additional charges.

• Arrange for cleaners. If you want to have someone else do the cleaning of your old home , now is the time to book their services.

1 Week before moving day

• Submit a change of address forms. You can use your local post office to fill out the change address form. Let your cellular phone provider, insurance provider, bank, and credit cards know that you will be moving. This will prevent any mail from being sent to the wrong address after you move.

• Notify utilities and service providers. Make sure your utility bills are current and paid, and that the proper transfer will occur once you have moved. Contact your new utility provider to make sure you have power and heat when you move in!

The Day Before the Move

• Deep clean the house or apartment. This is not only your chance to check every last nook and cranny for forgotten stuff but your opportunity to find any repairs that will need to be completed. If you have been renting, check your lease to be clear on what you need to complete.

• Finish packing your essentials bag. Any last-minute clothes, electronics, or personal items should go in to avoid being accidentally packed on the truck.

What to Do on Moving Day

• Grab the last of your belongings. Your toothbrush and toiletries and those last snacks from the kitchen need to get tucked away. Most of it can go in your moving essentials bag.

• Place floor protectors throughout your home. Some moving companies might bring their own materials, but don’t expect your movers to be taking off their shoes!

• Dispose of trash and recycling. Hopefully, you don’t have much left, but anything remaining should go into your building’s receptacles or to the transfer station.

• Check your closets, drawers, and every room one more time. Make sure nothing has been left behind in some sneaky corner. Don’t forget the basement or attic storage area if you have one.

• One final clean. If you are doing the cleaning, plan to spend some time after the movers leave making sure everything is ready. If you have hired a cleaning service, hopefully, the timing works out perfectly and they can swoop in for a cleaning after the movers leave!

Finally, it’s time to say goodbye to your old place, and hello to your new HOME! Whether you’re moving just across town or across the country, you’re well organized with our moving timeline checklist.

When looking to hire your professional movers, let Skip Moving give you a quick and easy quote. We offer hourly rates and flat rate.