Make Your Move Easier

Whether you move across the county or clear across country, you'll face a myriad of details. offers these suggestions to help simplify and organize your move:

Plan Ahead
Experts recommend scheduling moves at least one month in advance, especially during the peak moving season between May and September. Some estimates indicate 80 percent of all moving and storage business is done when schools are out, so book your movers early.

Ask Questions
Take the time to get as much information as possible from moving companies before selecting one. Check on truck size and availability. Ask about moving supplies, such as boxes, dollies and furniture pads. Find out about protection plans for your possessions. Ask about lost or damaged property claim procedures. Determine price differences in packing the truck yourself or having it professionally packed. Get written estimates.

Save Your Receipts
Many of your moving expenses are tax deductible, so hang onto your receipts. Consult with your tax advisor to find out what is deductible, or call the Internal Revenue Service and request Publication 521: Tax Information On Moving Expenses.

Change Your Address
Stop by your local post office and pick up a free change-of-address kit. The packet includes change-of-address cards to notify magazine publishers, charge accounts, clubs, organizations, insurance and investment companies about your move. The kit also has an address forwarding card for the post office.

Collect Documents
If you're moving out of the area, you'll need to gather your family's personal records. Remember to get your medical and dental records, school transcripts, legal documents, titles, bank records, tax returns, stocks and bonds certificates, birth certificates, passports and insurance documents. Be sure to empty your safe deposit box.

Cancel Utilities
When you cancel your telephone, gas, electric, garbage, water and other utilities, call and order service for your new home. You'll be able to make telephone calls, plug in the vacuum and do a load of laundry the minute you step into your new home.

If you need a list of services in your new neighborhood, contact your agent about schools, voter registration, auto licensing and registration, utilities and more.

Additional Considerations:

• Taking Physical Possession of Your New Home: As a general rule, possession takes place on the date of deed recording. Recording usually takes place the next business day after closing. In some cases it may take up to a week for possession, but seldom longer.

• Utility Connections: Your agent will help you identify the various utilities servicing your area. To avoid having to make deposits for new services, you will need letters of credit from your previous utility companies.

• Which Kitchen Appliances Stay and Which Do Not: Refrigerators, washers and dryers are generally not included in the sale of a home, whereas the stove and dishwasher are. Your agent would be happy to provide you with the names of several local appliance stores.

• Animal Licensing: Most city ordinances require that dogs are licensed and on a leash when outside the home. To license your pets, you will need verification from a veterinarian that your animal has been vaccinated for rabies. The number of pets allowed per home varies depending on the various city ordinances. A few cities even require that cats be licensed.

• Vehicle, Voter Registration and Driver's License Information: Ask your agent about the licensing laws in your new community.

• Insurance: We recommend that you get bids from several companies. Make sure you get the discounts you deserve. Many companies give multi-car, good-driver, non-smoker and good-student discounts. Home insurance discounts are granted for fire alarms, security systems, and that sort of thing.

• Mail Transfer and Keys: Sometimes mail transfer can be pretty complex. New subdivisions may have cluster boxes, which are mailboxes grouped at intervals along your street. Make sure you know where your box is. Keys are not transferable so there may be a delay in having your mailbox rekeyed.

• Trash and Recycling: Trash collection is usually separate from recycling. Each service may have its own fee. In some cases the fees are paid through the Homeowners Association, but some are paid directly to the municipality. Your agent would be glad to research this for you, and get you a copy of the trash and recycling pick-up schedules. 
  NOTE: Ask your moving company about taking your corrugated boxes. Many will, as long as they are flat. If not, you will need to make arrangements with a disposal company for their removal, or ask your municipality if it has a one-time removal service for new residents.
  

• Examining Shipped Goods: Examine shipped goods immediately because you will have a limited amount of time to file claims on any damaged or missing possessions.

• Banking Connections: Tell us what kind of banking relationship you are looking for and we'll provide you with some recommendations.