Removal Company: You should plan to get professional moving quotes 8-12 weeks ahead of time. This will allow you plenty of time to compare prices and check references. This is also the time when you can create a sketch that shows the rooms and floor plan of your new house. Now you can determine which furnishings will make the trip with you and which ones can be sold, given away or donated to a charity.
6 Weeks Before Moving
Beginning about 6 weeks prior to your moving day you may want to create an inventory list of all of your household items. Take pictures of all furnishings and accessories and then download this to a computer.
Check on your homeowner’s insurance policy and see if there is anything that you need to change or discuss with your agent. Fill out your change of address forms that you obtained at the post office.
Find out if there are any income tax deductions for this move and record them appropriately. Request copies of any pertinent records from doctors, accountants and schools.
1 Month Before Moving
A month before your moving day arrives you can arrange for your furniture to be cleaned. You may also want to get the carpeting and window treatments cleaned at the same time if your old house is still on the market.
This is a good time to have that yard sale to help de-clutter the amount of clothes and household accessories that you will have to pack. Purchase any moving and packing materials that you will need. Should you need a self storage unit for household items this is the best time to handle those arrangements. Check to see if there are any medical records, shots or other health care needs that your pets must have prior to the move.
2 Weeks Before Moving
At the 2 week mark time is short and you need to review all of the moving preparations that you have done thus far. You can stop home delivery of groceries and newspapers. Check and make sure that you have made provisions to have any major appliances moved if necessary. Let a mechanic prepare your car for any long road trips.
7 Days Before Moving
During the last 7 days prior to your move you can check to see that you have all of your valuables accounted for. All of your important records and papers should be in your hand or in a safety deposit box. Be sure to have your GPS, cell phones and chargers ready to go. A small cooler with snacks and drinks can also be a welcome convenience and you can easily pack this in the back seat or trunk of your car.
Remember that the right moving boxes are very important because they are sturdy enough to withstand the bumps and bruises of a long trip. Do not overfill any box if you are packing them yourself, and use an adequate amount of bubble wrap or other filler to protect your more delicate, household goods.
Sheets and blankets can be useful to pack between picture frames and mirrors. Also you can use pillows to keep these items separated once they are inside the moving boxes. Instead of packing most of your glass and china flat in a box try arranging them in a vertical manner which affords them more protection.
Always mark every box so you can tell at a glance what each one contains. This will save time and frustration when you are settling in for the first night in your new home.
Colour coding boxes will help you keep organized as well. You can mark kitchen boxes in red and blue for boxes that contain bathroom items. Other colours can be used to help separate the boxes for other individual rooms.
If you move to a smaller apartment or town house you might store some of your furniture by make use of self storage facilities which is available throughout South Africa.