15 Moving Tasks You Will Forget

So, you've made the decision to move all of your earthly possessions and family members to a new suburb/state/country?

 

Congratulations! While it is easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of excitement that surrounds moving house there are some key tasks that need to be completed before and on the big day that will most likely be forgotten thanks to the importance of other tasks. To make sure you remember here is a list of 15 moving tasks that you will forget:

 

1. Change your address

 

Make a list of all the utilities, financial institutions, government bodies, and anyone else that use the post and make sure that they are aware of your impending move. Take care of this task a few weeks before the move date and definitely not after the fact. The last thing you want is to miss something important or to have personal information fall into the hands of the new residents of your old house.

 

2. Taking correct measurements

 

It is easy to assume with a "guesstimate" roughly how a fridge will fit into an alcove at your new place, but this gets considerably harder when you move that fridge into position and it is a few inches too tall to fit. Taking a few minutes while inspecting the property to measure spaces where appliances are going to be located will save you a headache come moving day. Be sure to measure your appliances as well to make sure you make the correct dimensions.

 

3. Labelling boxes

 

As important as placing your belongings in moving boxes is making sure you know what is inside of them prevents confused family members reopening boxes at random trying to find an important item. Clearly and accurately label each box with what is contained within and where in the house it should be going to will erase the stress of knowing whose room that box of shirts will be going to.

 

4. Taking inventory of possessions

 

As simple as making a checklist of what you own this step ensures that no item is unaccounted for. If you have several people moving house instead of just one get them to break up the list based on the individual possessions they own. This will prevent doubling up of items and will let you know if any items have gone missing during the move.

 

5. Sweep and clear

 

Once all of your possessions have been transported out of your old home and every room is empty conduct a thorough sweep-and-clear of all cupboards, drawers, and shelves in every room to make sure that nothing has been left behind. It would be very awkward to go back to your old house and request a valuable item back that you had overlooked.

 

6. Switch off utilities

 

While you have already contacted your providers to inform them of your move to prevent any overlap or to reduce any additional utility charges be sure to turn off any gas and water mains and switch off the electrical breakers. This will also reduce the chance of fire and water damage caused by still-flowing resources, something for which the new residents are sure to be thankful for.

 

7. Understanding what you need in your new home

 

While in the process of moving you may discover irreparable damage has been done to one of your appliances or that your new home is either fully or partially furnished. This will require you to either replace the faulty machinery or sell any appliances that you will soon have a surplus of. By doing this simple task you will ensure that space is not taken up unnecessarily and that any broken appliances have been replaced with working models by the time that you move in.

 

8. Making a floor plan

 

After taking measurements and knowing which items you need for your place now comes the fun task of arranging where everything will go. Make use of the floor plan and with your spouse/partner/housemate/by yourself decide exactly where everything is going to go. This will help you direct removalists on the day and clear up any confusion that may arise.

 

9. Cancel/update memberships

 

Tying directly into the first task this task is done with the expressed intention of saving you money. Local gyms and clubs generally take their fees as direct debit payments. If you are moving out of the area you will want to cancel these accounts to prevent being overcharged. Alternately if you are merely moving to a neighbouring suburb and wish to remain a member of these organisations simply update your details with them.

 

10. Medical prescriptions

 

A vitally important task to complete given its life-or-death nature ensuring that your prescriptions are filled out and up to date will guarantee that you don't miss a pivotal course. This is especially important if you are reliant on medication to control a debilitating condition.

 

11. Returning borrowed items to neighbours

 

Something to keep an eye out for during the inventory task is if you have any tools, possessions or anything else that was once borrowed from one of your neighbours. Returning these items not only keeps you in their good graces but also prevents accusations of theft from the neighbours in question.

 

12. Making copies of relevant documents

 

Given that documents are tricky enough to keep track of already adding the chaos of moving day is not ideal. Be sure to make copies of documents that you will need on, and the days following, moving day. It is also very handy to make sure that banking, taxation, and billing documents are included in this task as well in case the box they are stored in goes missing or suffers damage during the move.

 

13. Returning house keys

 

Integral to the whole moving process is making sure that the new homeowners have the keys to their new place of residence. It can be all too easy to keep them attached to your keyring and forget to pass them on. Hand your set of keys directly over to the real estate agents or leave them in a pre-arranged place for easy access.

 

14. Inform the neighbours that you are moving in

 

It always pays to be sociable. Introducing yourself to your neighbours not only lets your new neighbours know that the house next-door or across the road is no longer empty but helps create a sense of community and can foster friendships which can come in handy when you need someone to feed your pets or keep an eye on your place if you are out of town.

 

15. Make a survival box

 

While it is nice to think that on moving day everything will happen as it is meant to it would be foolhardy not prepare for the worst: the actual removal process might be prolonged due to outside factors or boxes may be lost in transit leaving you without integral items. Move all possessions that you will need during the first week or two of the move into a single box (or boxes depending on the requirements) and move those in your personal vehicle.

 

To get in touch with a reputable moving company simply navigate to our home page to search for expert furniture removalists today!