The Ultimate Checklist for Moving a House

Are you moving from one house to another? Whether this is your first time moving from house to house or you've gone through multiple moves on your own, the process can be quite difficult if you don't get yourself organized. Luckily, a little preparation goes a long way. Here are some quick moving tips as you prepare to shift residences.

Contact Your Movers Early

Reaching out to an experienced, professional group of movers should be the very first thing on your moving checklist. Doing this early – preferably as much as six months early – gives you a lot of flexibility when planning the rest of the process. Professional movers that work in the area you are moving to can provide useful guidance and give you a heads up about any potential troubles, weather or otherwise, that you should expect. Most moving companies also offer packing materials, which means you won't have to go scrambling to find boxes and bubble wrap at the last minute.

Purge Ruthlessly

Before you start the packing process, you need to minimize the amount of clutter you have in your existing home. This means being ruthless when it comes to figuring out what stays and what goes. Be ruthless in your purging. Anything that doesn't have a use in the first year at your new home should be a strong candidate for discarding. If you don't like the idea of throwing so much stuff away, look for other alternatives that get it out of your house and into somebody else's hands. Selling unwanted items online can accomplish this, as can donating clothing and other essentials.

Notify Utility Companies

You don't want to get stuck paying two electric bills, nor do you want to find out that your new house no longer gets your television service of choice. Reaching out to utility companies and other bill holders allows you to make sure that your transition goes smoothly. You may want to give yourself a few days of overlap when planning on the date to shut off service in one location and turn service on in another. That way, you have protection should anything unexpected happen that might delay your final move date.

Pack and Essentials Box

Near the bottom of your moving house checklist, you should include an essentials box that contains everything you need for the first night in your new home. This should include toiletries, pajamas, pillows, and a change of clothes. Make sure that this is the last box onto the moving truck so it is the first box you have access to. When you move in, place it somewhere that allows easy access. This way, you have everything you need even if the first night of your move leaves you too exhausted to do much unpacking.

All you really need when it comes to moving is good advice and lots of organization. Once you hire a reliable moving company, you will find both goals to be much easier to achieve. By using the tips above, your move to a new house should be much easier all around.