Moving into a new home can be extremely stressful.  The best way to simplify moving day and the days that follow is to put a plan in place to handle the essential tasks that need to be completed.

Prior to Move Day:

Many people concentrate on the actual move day; however, there are steps you can take before that day to minimize anxiety and crises.

• While packing, be sure to clearly mark the contents of each box and which room the movers should put the box in your new home. It’s very helpful to mark a few boxes as “Open First.”  These boxes should contain the items you need on Day 1 (like medication, daily toiletries, linens, cleaning products).
• Be sure to complete a change of address with the post office, your banks and insurance providers. Some companies may ask you to wait until you have actually moved; however, some will allow you to make the request in advanced if you have a firm move day scheduled.
• Call to setup or transfer utilities and services so the electric, gas, cable and internet are turned on for move day.
• Schedule a locksmith to change the locks on move day.
• Get the room dimensions for your new home so you can plan out furniture placement to reduce or eliminate the need to move furniture after the movers have left.
• If you have small children, you may consider making arrangements for childcare on move day so you are not stressing about tending to your child while ensuring the movers are putting items in the correct room.
• Likewise, if you have pets, you may consider boarding them on move day. The movers will likely leave the door open while bringing in your items and you probably don’t want your pet to dart out when you’re not looking.
• Take advantage of online services for feeding your family. Look up restaurants in your new neighborhood that provide delivery service so you don’t have to fret over dinner on move day.  Also, schedule a grocery delivery or an in-store pickup from a nearby grocery store for either move day (or the day after).  This will save a couple critical hours of your time when you want to focus on other important tasks.

Day 1:

There is always the potential for unexpected obstacles to occur on moving day; therefore, planning what key tasks need to be completed will help you get back on track if or when those hiccups pop up.

• Safety Features – There are a few safety measures you should tackle right away to make sure your family is protected.
  • Change the locks and garage codes
  • Locate the circuit breaker and water shutoff
  • Ensure the smoke and CO₂ detectors are working
  • Install any childproofing features
• Clean Before Unpacking – If you have the chance to bring in a cleaning crew before your move day that may be extremely helpful. If not, focus on cleaning the essential areas first – the kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms.  The other rooms can wait.  Be sure to have cleaning products handy.
• Begin Unpacking – There are different strategies when unpacking. Everyone can work on the same room to unpack it quickly.  Or, you can assign a different room to each family member.  Either way, the key rooms to prioritize are the kitchen, the bedrooms, and the bathrooms.  If you have enough time to unpack the entire room, then do it.  If it’s late in the day, then the focus should be on important items.  For example, linens to make the beds; medication and daily toiletries; plates, cups and eating utensils.  You may want to run the dishes through the dishwasher especially if they’ve been stuffed in boxes for some time.  Consider unpacking some toys to keep the little ones occupied while you focus on checking off tasks on your To Do List. After the key rooms are unpacked, all other rooms can be tackled in due time.

Week 1:

After the rush of moving day is behind you, you will still have important things to accomplish.

• With all the shuffling of items that takes place during a move, it’s important to pull all the paperwork for the move together into one location before it gets misplaced or accidentally thrown away. Many people need the documentation for taxes so be sure to pull it together and put it in a spot you will be able to find it at a later date.
• Finish unpacking the remaining rooms. Try to tackle one room at a time and unpack as quickly as possible so boxes don’t continue to clutter your space for an extended period.
• Finally, take time to meet your neighbors. Settling into a new place can be nerve-racking but the transition can be made easier if you have a friendly face waving at you as you walk out the front door.

Author: Karen Kabara

Your Tasks – Our Time