The best way to tackle a move is by preparing for it in steps and with mini-timelines to make the process evoke less anxiety and ensure everything is accounted for. To help you out, Deluxe Moving has created a general 30-day countdown calendar to help you with what you need to accomplish for a successful moving process.
Countdown from Day 30 to 20
At this stage, you should know the address of your new home, your down payment should be in the works and you’ve completed all the legal paperwork for your move. You should also have information about schools (if necessary) and how this move affects your daily life—like if you’ll need to add or take away time from your daily commute. Having these bigger picture items scratched off your list prior to the 30-day mark will allow you to work on the smaller moving processes.
If you haven’t already thought about it, you’ll need to know if you’re hiring a local moving company to do the moving work or if you’re going to do the moving work on your own. If you do need to hire a local moving company, be sure to give them a call as soon as possible. Ideally, this should happen before the 30-day period, but definitely should be your first task in the 30-days prior to moving.
Depending on the timing of your move and if it’s a popular time of the year for home moving, your selected moving company may have a pretty packed schedule. It’s best to give them as much time as possible to plan and accommodate your move.
Beyond finding a moving company, here’s what else you should be doing in the 30-day moving countdown!
Days 30 to 20
- Clear out any items you don’t need and donate what you can
- Know what furniture is going with you in the move and what new pieces you may need in your new place
- Boxes, boxes, and more boxes. Get all the packing supplies including boxes, packing tape, protective wrap and labels for your belongings. As you pack away your items, be sure to label the boxes with their contents so you know exactly where to find your belongings after the move
- Remove any large wall items and put them aside to pack
- Put a stop date to your mail and deliveries and file for a change in address that starts on the date you move into your new home.
Days 20 to Day 10
- Start packing away items that you don’t need in the upcoming weeks—like off-season items or keepsakes
- Do a deep clean of all your food cupboards and your freezer. Whatever you won’t be eating in the next few weeks and whatever is questionably old and expired should be disposed
- Be sure to have your utilities, hydro and other services changed to be billing your new location beginning the day you move in, and be sure to place a stop to payments for these services in your current home for your move-out day
Day 10 to Day 5
- If you have any plants, be sure you take these final few days to water them or transfer them to a plant-sitter. You don’t want them to get in the way on the day of the move, and you certainly don’t want to spill water from the plant pots and create more of a mess
- If you have pets, make sure there are plans for them on your moving day. Most pets find moving very stressful and they tend to be more comfortable in a friends’ home or at a doggy daycare
- Be sure that you’re packing more items away that you can live without for the next little while. If there are essentials you know you need on a daily basis, place them in a small duffle bag that you can keep on you throughout the final days and on your moving day
- Pack a few clothes in an essentials bag so you don’t need to worry about finding them as soon as you move into the new place. You’ll also want to pack items you need for the first nights and days there—like bedsheets, towels, disposable plates and cutlery, and water.
Day 5 to Moving Day
- Hire a professional cleaning service or do a deep clean of your home. This is a common courtesy you should do for the newcomers who have likely seen your home in a relatively clean state during a previous walk-through
- Speaking of walk-throughs, it’s a good idea to take a few final walk-throughs once all your items are packed to ensure you haven’t missed anything
- Once all your boxes are packed and labelled, create a list of them. This way, you can check off the boxes (pun intended) as they head out your door as a way to ensure you have them all
- Have directions prepared to get to your new home. If you have a group of people helping you move, or if you’ve hired professional movers, they’ll need the right location for you to get your belongings
On Your Moving Day
With all the prep work, moving day should be easier than if you hadn’t planned. You’ll either have successfully packed away your current home, or you’ll have planned for a packing and moving team to do the work for you. Either way, on moving day, it’s time to observe and help out in any way possible.
If you want to keep these moving guidelines handy for your move, we’ve made a printable version for you to keep or Pin to your home boards. And if you’re planning a move, be sure to get in contact with our Cambridge moving company so we can provide the best service as possible for you.