Moving. . .The very thought of it can send chills down your spine and can cause people to break out into a cold sweat. Experts say that any kind of change creates “stress”. Moving (especially when relocating to a new city or state) represents a huge change and naturally brings a great amount of stress along with it.  Unfortunately, stress can lead to a lack of energy and motivation. Many people tend to procrastinate during stressful periods. When preparing for a move , it is important to prepare thoroughly and maximize your time so that things get done. While there are so many elements involved in a move, such as finding the best moving company, parking, employment, meeting new neighbors, this post concentrates on the basics of planning and preparation.

• Prepare a Moving Handbook.  When you first learn that a move is on the horizon for you and your family, the first step is to create a Moving Handbook.  Use a binder or a spiral notebook to begin planning steps, assigning tasks, setting goals/deadlines, and recording information.  ListPlanIt‘s Moving sections has lots of printable lists and worksheets to guide you in this process and help you start your Moving Handbook. Keep contact information in one place, preserving the old and discovering the new in this period of transition.  Some contacts to list in your Moving Handbook:
  • Banks
  • Doctors
  • Emergency contacts
  • Family members
  • Friends
  • Landlords or Real Estate Brokers
  • Movers
  • Pharmacies
  • Schools
  • Storage Facilities
  • Utilities
• Get rid of what you don’t need.  Moving presents an excellent opportunity to purge the unlovely and unnecessary from your life.  Moving clothing that is too small or outdated from one home to another is a waste of time and effort. It is surprising how much more in control we feel once we start narrowing down our “inventory” to what we actually need to keep. Hosting a yard sale long is a great way to get rid of things while potentially earning contributions to your moving fund.  Donate what is left to the Salvation Army or other charitable group.
• Gather and secure all important documents.  Moving can be a chaotic experience.  It is important to keep track of our most valuable items throughout the moving process.  These items should be packed together early in the moving process, hand carried, and personally moved to the new location, if possible:
  • Address Books
  • Birth Certificates
  • Bank Statements
  • Checks
  • Credit Cards and Statements
  • Home Movies
  • Irreplaceable Memorabilia
  • Insurance Policies
  • Marriage Records
  • Medical and Dental Records
  • Military Records
  • Passports
  • Photos and Photo Albums
  • Resumes
  • School Records
  • Stock Certificates
  • Tax Returns
  • Telephone Numbers
  • Valuables
  • Vehicle Documents
  • Wills
• Investigate and prepare for your new home.  A new home may mean new neighbors, a new community, a new town, new everything.  There are several things that you can do before Moving Day to make this transition more seamless.
  1) Open up new bank accounts and, if necessary, a new Safe Deposit Box.
  2) Contact the new area utility companies and arrange for your new services. These include
  • cable
  • gas
  • electric
  • oil
  • home telephone
  • cell phone
  • water
  • trash
  • internet
  3) Arrange for new medical providers.
  4) If you are moving to a new state, contact the DMV and get the necessary forms to re-register your vehicles.  Update your driver’s license.
  5) Contact your insurance companies and find out if your car insurance, homeowner’s insurance, etc. can be transferred. If not, find an Insurance Broker in your new area and discuss your needs and requirements for new policies.
  6) Go to the post office and get a moving kit. Prepare change of address forms for all of your correspondents.
  • credit card companies or other credit accounts
  • banks
  • insurance companies
  • current utility companies for final statements
  • magazines and other subscriptions
  • family
  • friends, acquaintances, or businesses that you correspond with on a regular basis.

With proper planning and preparation, the moving process can be an adventure instead of a nightmare. Have you ever moved? What is one tip that you can share in the comments below for making a smoother move?