Prepare Survival Kit

It’s important to put aside everything you and your family will need during the last day or two before moving, when final packing is taking place, until you are partially unpacked and staying in your new home. You also need to gather valuable items which you should keep with you rather than send on the moving van, here’s a list to get you started.

•             Clothing, including outerwear if appropriate
•             Cosmetics, personal hygiene items
•             Medications (in original containers), vitamins and supplements
•             First aid kit
•             Flashlight
•             Snack foods to hold you over between meals
•             A roll of cellophane tape and masking tape, and a pad of paper (for making notes and “Do Not Move” signs and for labeling rooms in the new house)
•             Travel documents including your ticket and/or itinerary if flying, rental car reservations, hotel reservations, and maps to your destination if driving
•             Contact information for your real estate agents (in both locations), moving company representatives, mortgage broker (if you have one) and real estate closing information for both homes (including phone numbers, directions, date and time)
•             Phone numbers for utility companies for old house and new, so you won’t have to look for them if you need to contact them regarding connection or disconnect issues
•             Documents relating to the sale of your house, the purchase of your new house, and those relating to the move. Remember to take with you the inventory sheets the mover gives you before the van pulls away—they’re very important.
•             A list of all your medical professionals, including their office addresses and phone numbers
•             Map of your new area, and directions to your new house and closing location and accommodations
•             Your address book or planner or whatever you keep all of your current contact information in, including your new address and phone number (even if it’s not active yet)
•             Cash or traveler’s checks and major credit card (if you rent a car you’ll need to use a credit card for the rental to avoid paying a huge up-front deposit)

Freezers which are being moved should be turned off one to two days before the move, and defrosted, dried and aired out, with the door open. Take appropriate safety precautions if you have children around. To absorb odors and make the appliance smell fresh, place baking soda in a dish or charcoal inside a nylon stocking, knot at the top, and place inside the appliance. All removable parts should be individually packed. Check with your Owner’s Manual or consult the manufacturer for details.

 

You may want to load up a cooler for the few items you’ll need between the time you turn off the refrigerator and moving day. Unless you plan to drive with the cooler in your car, you can dispose of any remaining contents and get the cooler onto the moving van before it leaves. Ask the driver when he comes to load the van, when you’ll need to have it emptied. Remember to keep a towel or some paper towels available to dry out the cooler before it gets packed.

Computers

Original packing materials
Even if the movers will be packing your belongings, it will be helpful if you have the carton and packing materials in which these items were originally packed. If not, extensive use of bubble wrap and a large, sturdy box should hopefully keep them safe.

Back up your computer
Make sure that you have a computer back-up strategy in place. If you don’t, then figure one out prior to the move. Besides the normal back-up, also back up your most important files onto something easy to access (for example, an external hard drive or memory stick) and be sure to keep the back-ups with you during the move, or send them to your destination using an insured, traceable method.

Saying Your Goodbyes

Plan get-togethers with close friends, and consider hosting a party a few weeks before the move. Take photos of relatives and special friends, possibly making them into a collage after the move. If you have children at home, you might want to do a separate party for them and their friends, in a setting where they can interact and you can take photos of your children with their friends.

Use a camcorder (borrow one if you need to) to record a tour of the house while it’s still intact (before pictures are removed from the walls, etc). Include family members, especially the children. Shortly before one of our moves, we had our second grade daughter give the tour, which we captured on video. That made it a very special keepsake, and a real treat to watch years later.

What places in your area did you really enjoy going to, and believe you’ll miss when you don’t live there anymore? Try to find the time to revisit them before you leave.