1. Research the school district in the area to which you will be
moving. This will help you narrow down potential neighborhoods
for your home search. Most cities have school information
on-line which makes it easy to evaluate and compare school report
cards, academic programs, sports programs, music programs and
special needs. Write down phone numbers so that you can make a
personal visit to the school during your home hunting trip.
2. If you have children who have particular hobbies or play
sports, you may also want to research local facilities and
programs. This may also narrow your home search.
3. Locate a realtor that will be ready to help when you arrive.
A good realtor will ask the right questions in advance so that
they can show you homes in the neighborhoods that will best suit
your family's needs.
4. In advance of your home-hunting trip, get a list of the local
lenders from your realtor. Not only will it be important to have
a pre-approval letter with you in order to make an offer on a
home, but using a local lender can be a blessing if there are any
last minute issues at closing.
5. When you arrive for your home-hunting trip, use the time to
also check out daycare facilities, elderly care, after school
care, or any other special needs you may have.
6. Bring measurements of your furniture with you during your
home-hunting trip. It's highly unlikely that every piece of
furniture you own will suit your new home, but having the size of
the major pieces with you will certainly help wean out those that
will be completely unsuitable. Obviously, this means you need to
take a tape measure with you also!
7. Keep important papers in your possession - do not pack them!
Birth certificates, marriage licenses, stock certificates,
divorce decrees, custody papers, passports, social security
cards, etc. should all be brought with you. Anything that may be
required to register your children in school, close on your home,
or would be difficult to replace should be brought with you.
Shot records, social security numbers, birth certificates, and in
the case of divorce, child custody papers are generally a
requirement to register children in school.
8. Get copies of all medical records, including any important
x-rays such as mammograms, to bring with you to your new home.
There may be a small charge for this, but it is worth it for the
continuity of your medical history.
9. Ditto with school records; some schools will only send them
directly to the new school, but you can give them written
permission in advance to do this. The new school can of course
request the records at registration, but it is much better for
purposes of planning your child's curriculum to have them at the
new school as quickly as possible.
10. Make a list of the phone numbers of all the people/companies
you need to call to cancel service in your old home. This
includes cable, phone and utilities, but don't forget lawn care,
daycare, cleaning people, etc. When you are ready to leave and
all of your paperwork is packed and on a truck, you will not be
wracking your brain trying to remember who you are supposed to
call. Your realtor should be able to provide you with a list of
all the services you may need -cable, phone, electric, gas, etc.
- in your new home.
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1. Make and use lists. We all forget things, even after remembering them several times. Put them on that list during one of these times. Make a list of things to do before the move, including getting school documents transferred, filling out change of address forms, returning borrowed books and movies, transferring prescriptions, getting maps, and arranging utility shut offs and start ups.
2. Call the moving company and make the reservation a month ahead. You don't want to discover that they are booked up on the date you need them. We found out that the type of van we wanted wasn't available, but this was easily resolved because we started the process early.
3. Sell and throw away things. Carefully consider what you need to keep. Many people spend hundreds of dollars to move things that will probably be thrown away some day. It isn't just about the expense either, but also about the hassle. When you are moving and especially when you are relocating to another city - this is the best time to get rid of the things you really don't need.
4. Have a rummage sale. This is a good way to get rid of those things, and you might even raise enough money to pay for the move. Again, it is best to be rid of your things before the move. We went to a after-the-move rummage sale the other day. What a shame to pack and pay to move all those things just to have to work to sell them for pennies later.
5. Start packing early. not only is it difficult to predict how long it will take until you are doing it, but you never know how much time you'll have later. Starting early means avoiding running around looking for boxes and packing materials at the last moment.
6. Pack an "essentials" box for when you arrive at your new home. This should have the things you need to make your arrival easier, like toilet paper, paper plates, soap and such. Carry the box where it is easily accessible.
7. Let everyone know where you are relocating to. Give family and friends of your new address and phone number(s), and do this before you have the current phone shut off. Call all your credit card companies with your new address. Change the address on any subscriptions too.
8. Check weather reports for moving day. You don't want to arrive in a snowstorm with your coat packed away somewhere. You will also need to allow for extra moving time if the weather is going to slow down traffic.
9. Save all your receipts. Keep receipts for moving expenses, like gas, hotel rooms, and anything else related to moving and relocating. Ask your accountant or tax preparer if you are eligible for a tax deduction for moving expenses. Usually you are, if the move is for employment purposes.
10. When you move into your new home, try to reestablish your routines quickly. If Friday night is normally movie night, don't break with the tradition. Moving and relocating are less traumatic if you have some consistency in daily life. If you're moving with children, this could be one of the more important moving tips.
