Make Moving Day Easier: A Printable Timeline With Tips

Don’t feel busy enough? Try moving to New York City or just across town! Suddenly, the place you thought was too small or needed more furniture seems as vast as Grand Central Station and as packed with objects as the Smithsonian. Fortunately, you don’t have to do everything at once. With a little planning, you can approach Moving Day with ease.

TWO MONTHS BEFORE MOVING DAY

• Get started!

  Research moving companies, including movers in NYC. Request and compare estimates. Reserve services, including NYC storage. Notify movers right away if your move will include oversized items. Include your realtor(s) in the process as expert advisors.

• Save money.

  Some moving costs are tax-deductible. Check Publication 521 online at the IRS to see if you qualify.

• Do triage—keep, recycle, toss!

  Don’t waste money and effort moving anything you don’t need. Do a fashion purge, so you aren’t throwing good money after bad bellbottoms. Tip: A yard sale or tax-deductible donation to your favorite charity can defray the cost of moving.

• Clear everything from your walls.

  Bare walls send your brain the message that your once personalized home is now a place of transition, making you less inclined to procrastinate or get overly sentimental as you sort through items.

FOUR TO SIX WEEKS BEFORE MOVING DAY

• Make like the Internet and share info!

  Update your mailing address. Transfer school records and family medical records, including prescriptions, and pets’ veterinarian records. Check your homeowner’s insurance policy—you may be able to transfer coverage. Tip: Scan essential documents to a password-protected folder accessible from your smart phone.

• Get real boxes.

  Your neighbors will give you all the semi-crushed, odd-sized boxes cluttering up their storage unit. And those cartons from your grocer are flimsy but free. But you get what you pay for. If your belongings are important enough to pack, pack them properly. Consult your moving company.

• Make the switch.

  Contact utility companies, including electrical, gas, cable, water, and Wi-Fi. In some cases, you can arrange to transfer service from one residence to another without changing companies. Cancel recurring services like pool and lawn care.

• Make it personal.

  You’re not just moving stuff. Make airline reservations, or if driving, bring the car in for maintenance. GPS apps are great, but have a paper map on standby for any dead zones.

ONE TO TWO WEEKS BEFORE MOVING DAY

• Pack it in.

  By now you should be packing up room by room.

• Use it or lose it.

  Use up or dispose of perishable foods. Donate canned goods, don’t haul them long distance. Arrange to move or donate plants. Safely dispose of items that cannot be moved, including paints, paint remover, and propane.

• Find a sitter.

  If you have young children or pets, arrange to leave them in the care of family or other trusted caregivers on Moving Day.

• Make a survival kit.

  Pack personal essentials, like first-aid items and prescription meds. Include whatever you’ll need on arrival—light bulbs, flashlight, broom, dustpan, garbage bags, and small tools. Carry extra cash or use your phone to find the nearest ATM.

MOVING DAY

• Strip It.

  Remove bed lines and curtains. Empty wastebaskets, run the garbage disposal, and check every corner where items might hide.

• Don’t DIY.

  Do you really want to dissemble that massive entertainment unit? Leave furniture chores to the pros. Tip: Hire cleaners to do a final sweep so you can conserve your energy.

Need help getting your move in order this summer? Our experts are just a phone call away!