Many of the items on this checklist can be completed before you actually move, although some of them will have to wait until you arrive and can physically visit a certain office to get your picture taken or sign on the dotted line. The idea is to take care of as many of these items as you can before you move. Doing this will expedite the moving process and ease your transition into a new chapter of your life.

3 Weeks
Research School Systems/Day Care
Search for the music scene in your new location to find out if there are concerts you want to see soon after you arrive.
If you are into sports, locate schedules for the major sporting events in your new city.

2 Weeks
Have the carpets cleaned before you get there. Also a good idea to have the ducts cleaned. The idea is to move into a completely clean, safe home.
If you have a homeowner’s association, find out who to call for plumbing/electrical/other emergency problems.
Find out when the trash is picked up (you will have many things [packing materials] to toss out when you move in and you might need to make special arrangements if you have more than usual to throw away).

1 Week
Have your utilities hooked up, including phone and internet.
Have the lawn mowed the day before you arrive.

After Moving in
Register to Vote
Open Bank Accounts
Find a Local Veterinarian/Doctor/Dentist
Drive around the area to discover what you are close to: restaurants, convenience stores, dry cleaners, parks, grocery stores, theatres, video stores, etc.
Find out what emergency services are close to you: hospital, police station, fire station, pizza delivery place, cheesecake store.
Find out if you have a municipal recycling program. If not, find where some recycling centers are located.
Locate your new church, temple, mosque, synagogue.
Visit the chamber of commerce to find out when festivals will be occurring in your new city.
Register your vehicle at the DMV, get new license.

For more details information please visit www.allstatemovers.com

If you have decided to hire professionals to move you and your family, recommendations are a great way to find a moving company. Probably the best way is through a company that prescreens all movers and guarantees that they have the appropriate licensing and insurance. While there are many companies to choose from, there are a few things to keep in mind as you are looking for prospective moving companies. Here are some of them. However, if you are planning to move yourself, or at least pack yourself, click this link to learn how to pack a room.

# Only deal with licensed companies. Ask the representative to demonstrate that it carries worker’s compensation insurance to protect the moving company and its customers.

# Ask about the firm’s experience and client list.Call a few clients to verify references.

# Ask the movers if they are members of any local or national moving trade associations. If so, contact the associations for further information if you really need it. This is a little over the top and probably not worth investigating, but this is just an option in case you want to be extra careful.

# Check out the companies through the Better Business Bureau and the American Moving and Storage Association to see if they have information on them. Again, a little much, but well within your rights if you want to know.

# Get a written estimate and determine whether it’s binding or non-binding. The most accurate way to estimate your moving costs is to get an in-home, visual assessment from the mover. Decide whether you want full service (they pack, unpack and move everything) or self-service (you pack and unpack everything and they move it).

# Insist on a guaranteed price in writing that includes gauranteed pick-up and delivery dates when you are ready to sign the contract. The contract should include a guarantee of how many hours the job will take, allowing an overrun of no more than 10 percent.

Click this link if you want to hire a moving company.

Moving Companies
Moving has been ranked by many people as being as one of the most stressful events a family can go through. A good moving company is aware of this stress and can make the whole process much less painful than it has to be.

For more details information please visit www.allstatemovers.com

1 Week Before Move-Out Day: Pack It Up, Clear It Out, Tape It Shut

Only 1 week left. You’re on the home stretch! You can do it!

This is your week to tie up loose ends. If you have any reason to question your scheduling with your moving agent, this is a good time to check back with them to make sure you haven’t overlooked anything and that your schedules still match.

Check the following:

* Make sure your utilities are set
Unless the day of your move has changed you should have already contacted your utilities (electric, gas, phone, etc.) companies to discuss disconnect and re/connect dates. If there is a change in move date that will matter make sure to contact these companies again. Some utility companies will need to be called the day before or the day of your scheduled move-in to be connected.
* Remember the three-label system
Use three signs or stickers:
1) Do Not Load: For boxes and items you do not want loaded on the moving van, be sure to place this label on all the things you want to take with you.
2) Last Load: Place these stickers or signs on things that you will need to use as soon as you get to your new home since the last items loaded are the first ones unloaded.
3) Fragile: Fragile labels should be placed on all items that need to be handled with special care.
* Confirm travel plans
If travel is involved, pack your suitcases and confirm your personal travel arrangements (flights, hotel, rental cars, etc.) for your family. Try to keep your plans as flexible as possible in the event of an unexpected schedule change or delay. When traveling is necessary, prepare a “Trip Kit” for moving day. This kit should contain the basic hygiene items, clothes and things you’ll need while your belongings are in transit.
* Give out contact info
Make sure your moving agent, real estate agent and/or others know the address and phone number where you can be reached until you get into your new home.
* Ready the appliances for the new owners
Empty, defrost, and clean your refrigerator and freezer, and clean your stove, all at least 24 hours before moving to let them air out. Try using baking soda to get rid of any odors.
* Check and double check
Check your Master File to make sure you have attended to each item.

All of the organization and preparation you have diligently done in the past six weeks will have paid off for this past week and for moving day.

For more details information please visit www.allstatemovers.com

Moving? There are some things you should know about protecting your goods during your move.

If something were to happen to your goods during the moving process, you should know what you can do to replace or fix your damaged or lost belongings.

Here are the options available for you by your movers:

Option A: Full Value Protection:
Under this option, which is not considered to be insurance, articles that are lost, damaged or destroyed will be (at the mover’s option) either repaired, replaced with like items, or a cash settlement will be made for the cost of the repair, or for the current market replacement value. No depreciation applies to this option. The exact cost for full value protection, as well as the settlement amount, in case of a claim, is determined by the moving company.

However, under this option, movers can limit their liability for loss or damage to articles of extraordinary value, unless these articles are specifically listed on the shipping documents. An article of extraordinary value is any item whose value exceeds $100 per pound. Ask your mover for a complete explanation of this limitation before your move.

Option B: Released Value:
This is the least expensive protection option available and is not considered to be insurance and provides minimal protection. Under this option, the mover assumes liability for no more than 30 or 60 cents per pound, per article. Loss or damage claims are settled based on the weight of the article multiplied by 30-60 cents. For example, if a 10-pound stereo component, valued at $1000 were lost or destroyed, the mover would be liable for no more than $6.00 (10 pounds x $.60). There is no extra charge for this protection, but of course, it provides very minimal compensation.

Here is the option offered by your Homeowners insurance policy:

Most homeowners’ insurance policies do not provide coverage for your household goods for moving purposes. However, you may check with your own insurance agent to see if your existing homeowner/renters’ policy covers your goods while in transit. Often, you will find that your goods are covered against damages while the movers are in your home packing, but not while the goods are in the movers’ possession.

To be sure that your goods are protected each step of the way, including if your belongings need to go into storage, you must purchase an actual moving insurance policy. MovingInsurance.com offers two main policy types:

Full Replacement Value - Valued Inventory—is offered for Interstate (moving from state to state), Intrastate (moving within the same state) and International shipments. It provides coverage based on an itemized and valued inventory prepared by the assured (the customer buying the policy) prior to the shipment date. Please note that the value assigned to the articles should be the cost of replacement at your new destination. Any settlement based on this type of coverage would be the lesser of repair costs or the amount declared on the valued inventory.

Example: You have purchased a sofa in 1999 for $400. The current replacement value to purchase a like/kind sofa is $900. You should list the sofa’s value at $900. If you list the value at the $400 purchase price, and the sofa is damaged or destroyed during the move, you would be limited to a maximum repair or replacement settlement at the amount you declared on the high value inventory.

This option is the most comprehensive and is the best coverage available, as it does not reduce the settlement amount for depreciation or a co-insurance penalty. This completed inventory could also act as a base for your Homeowners’ or Renters’ insurance policy at the new location.

Full Replacement Value - Lump Sum—is offered for Interstate (from one state to another) and International shipments only. This option provides coverage based on the total declared value/lump sum of the shipment. To avoid being under insured, it is required you declare a value equal to at least $8.00 times the total weight of your shipment and that high value items be specifically declared and valued. In other words, if your shipment weighs 3,000 pounds, you need to insure it for a minimum of $24,000 and indicate the individual value of your high value items.

With this option, items valued at less than $500.00 per item do not need to be specifically declared and listed on the inventory list, however, to be sure that these items are covered, you MUST include their value in your total Declared Value.

This article was provided by the moving insurance experts at MovingInsurance.com.

For more details information please visit www.allstatemovers.com

Whether moving your entire home or just a single piece of furniture, many homeowners find themselves searching for a mover they can trust with their furniture. It’s not as easy of a decision as you might think. Our furniture makes for many of the most valuable possessions we own, and when you figure in family heirlooms and antiques, they carry with them memories and history as well. All that being the case, it’s important to look around and find the right mover for your particular job.

How Valuable Is Your Furniture?
This is an important question to ask right off. The more valuable your furniture, the more you should be willing to pay in order to hire an experienced furniture mover. If you have expensive artwork and quality antiques, for example, you’ll want to hunt down someone who is experienced handling pieces of higher value. Of course, the opposite holds true as well. If your furniture is nice, but not particularly valuable, you’re probably fine hiring a major moving company to move your furniture. You’ll save money and are sure to get quality service, just not the specialty treatment that some higher end furniture movers provide.

Specialty Movers
If you do have items that are especially valuable, then it really does pay to talk to someone who specializes in moving high value items. A fine furniture mover goes the extra mile to make sure absolutely nothing happens to your belongings in transit. A high-end mover shows up at your door with custom built, padded wood crates to put your furniture or artwork into. These movers are also highly skilled and aware of the best techniques for handling fragile and valuable pieces.

Don’t trust just anyone with your piano! Use this link to hire a local
Piano Mover

Piano Movers—in a Class by Themselves
Still not satisfied? Keep looking. Furniture movers are available who possess all kinds of special expertise, and who specialize in moving even single types of furniture. Pianos are a great example. Pianos aren’t just incredibly heavy and unwieldy, they are also delicate musical instruments with thousands of working parts. That being the case, many homeowners choose to hire a piano mover so they can rest easy knowing their piano is being moved, shipped, and stored by someone who understands how to take care of their precision instrument. It will cost more initially, but once you figure in the hourly rates of tuners and repairmen that you’ll need to call in if your mover is careless with your piano, you’ll probably come out ahead in the end.

Go with Your Gut
The most important thing is to choose a mover that will suit both you and your furniture. Grandma’s old china hutch might not be worth much at an antique show, but its sentimental value might justify you spending a little extra to have a specialty mover transport it anyway. And if you’ve got valuable furniture but are willing to risk a few scratches and dings along the way, don’t feel like you have to pay premium prices when looking for someone to hire. As long as you find a reputable moving company with a good track record (always check references!), you can put your feet up and let your furniture mover worry about the rest.

For more details information please visit www.allstatemovers.com

The next question in a remodeling job is should you move out? Based on the length of the project, you need to understand how disruptive the remodeling process will be. Most homeowners don’t realize how intrusive renovation is. So…should you move out during renovation? If it’s a large project, it is easier on your contractor when you move out, but it’s not easier for you and it may be a lot more expensive. You need to understand what is going to happen and how you are going to feel. Then you will be better able to make the correct decision.

Here are ten questions that you can answer when the possibility of moving out comes up:

1. How long will the project last?
2. What rooms in the house are affected?
3. Can I survive without that space for  weeks?
4. Can activities usually performed in those areas be done elsewhere? For example, the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, or family room?
5. Can a temporary work or play area be created elsewhere?
6. Is anyone in your family sensitive or allergic to dust?
7. If you have children, does the work impact where they eat or sleep?
8. Can you afford to rent a house or apartment for  weeks?
9. Can you stay with friends or family for  weeks?
10. Can you tolerate the daily disruption remodeling brings?

These questions are to stimulate your thinking because there is no single or simple answer. In custom remodeling every situation is unique. You must consider your unique situation to determine what is best, both financially and emotionally, during your renovation process.

For more details information please visit www.allstatemovers.com

We realize that moving is more than just taking all of your possessions and putting them somewhere else. In most cases, you have made a home not just of the house you are leaving, but your neighborhood and your city. The stressful part of moving comes not just from packing and unpacking, but leaving a place you have been calling home. You have a doctor, a veterinarian, a school, a bank, a gym, and these things cannot go in the moving truck with you. This checklist will help you to better organize and prioritize items that aren’t going in the truck that must be completed before you move.
Few Days Before
Record Meter readings
Withdraw Safety Deposit Box
Change Cell Phone Number
Close Bank Accounts
Set a Time to Disconnect Phone/Utilities/Internet

1 Week
Car-related maintenance–Service Vehicles that we be on the road (oil changes, tune ups, etc)
Pick Up Dry Cleaning
Notify Friends & Neighbors of Your New Address/Phone?Move Cards
Visit all the restaurants, parks, theaters, shops, and anything else that you will not have access to once you move. End your time in this area on the best note possible. Do the things you enjoy.

2 Weeks
Salvation Army/Thrift Stores
Yard Sale
Settle Bills/Accounts with local merchants
Return Library books/rented videos
Cancel/Transfer Gym Membership
Find Home for Plants

3 Weeks
Change of address
Vet Records for Pets
Transfer Prescriptions
Return/Get Back Borrowed Items
Get Medical/Dental Records
Update Memberships

4 Weeks
Credit Report
Appraise Valuables
Research Tax-Deductible Moving Expenses
Appraisal of current needs (Is my mattress old enough that I can toss it out and buy a new one at my new home, etc.)

For more details information please visit www.allstatemovers.com

If you are moving into a fixer-upper, then you most likely have found a place in a great location or with great potential, and with your vision and hard work, you will make it into your dream home. If you are just fixing it to sell it quickly for a profit (fix-n-flip), most likely you will not be moving into the home.

Because all this work has to be done, you want to make sure that two things happen. One, you want your home to be livable while you are doing all this work. Two, you want the work you do to be done smartly and efficiently. Because of these things, how you move into your fixer-upper can make all the difference. Use this checklist to expedite the process from move-out to move-in.

Moving Out
Storage Unit: Find a storage unit to house many of your things. Giving yourself more room in your home from storing some of your possessions, can provide a bigger, better work environment in your home. Storage units are fairly inexpensive, and if you find that you cannot go two days without some items, just go back to the unit and get what you need.
Remodeling List: Make a no holds barred list of the things that need to be replaced/ updated/remodeled. Also, list the things you would do if money were no object.
Flooring Work: It is best to do any flooring work before you move in. Whether you are ripping up the floors, refinishing the old ones, laying carpet or tile, get this done first so that you are not constantly moving furniture around.
Electrical Improvements: Before you move in, ensuring that you have sound electrical is of high importance. Chances are that if this is a fixer, then the electrical main will likely need to be upgraded, and the two-pronged sockets replaced with three-pronged. This is a safety issue, and updating the electrical can sometimes reduce your homeowner’s insurance.
Drywall Finishing: Many people like to replace lath and plaster walls with drywall. This can be pretty expensive and messy, especially if you have your things in there. If you are sure you want to do this, but don’t yet have the funds to do the whole house, consider replacing all of the walls in one room first, then you can have one room nice and set up.
One Room at a Time: Decide on which room you would to like work on first and then don’t move anything into that room. Once you have remodeled this room to your liking, you can move the items from the next room to be remodeled in there, and start the whole process over. If the idea is to remodel one room at a time so that your entire house is not a wreck, this plan will work best for you.

What is Your Move?
There are several different types of moves for people who are moving into a fixer-upper. Here are links to articles that address the many different moves that you may be undergoing.

Professional Move
Moving Yourself
In Town Move
Moving an Aging Parent
Post-Graduation Move
Fly-By Night Move

For more details information please visit www.allstatemovers.com

1 Week

All the Things You Will Miss: Visit all the restaurants, parks, theaters, shops, and anything else that you will not have access to once you move. End your time in this area on the best note possible. Do the things you enjoy.
Prepare Your Car for the Road: Have your vehicle serviced (oil change, rotate tires, etc.). Do this as early as you can in case the mechanics find something that will require you to come back for a second visit.
Friends & Neighbors: Notify your friends and neighbors of your new address and phone number, even email if that is going to change. A good way to do this is with “We’ve Moved” cards.
Shut Off Utilities: Set up a time to shut off your utilities, phone, cable, and internet.
Clean Before You Arrive: Have the carpets cleaned before you get there. It’s also smart to have the ducts cleaned. The idea is to move into a completely clean, safe home.
No More Groceries: Don’t go to the grocery store for anything other than essentials. The idea is to begin paring down your home food supply so that you have less to move and less to throw away.

Few Days Before

Safety Deposit Box: This is the best time to withdraw your safety deposit box so that your valuables are only unprotected for a limited amount of time.
Cell Phone: Have your cell phone number changed to the appropriate city.
Close Bank Accounts: If you bank with a national bank, it might be the case that you won’t need to close down your current one. You can just change the account to your new city.
Set Up Utilities: Call to have your utilities turned on the day before you arrive at your new place. Don’t forget cable and internet.
Dry Cleaning: Remember to pick up your dry cleaning.
Tip for Efficient Travel: Pack foods that have high-water content like grapes, oranges, apples, etc. These foods will keep you hydrated so that you don’t have to drink so many liquids. This will reduce the number of times you will have to stop for restroom breaks and will keep you on the road. Of course if you are not under a tight time schedule, pack whatever you like and stop as often as you want.

For more details information please visit www.allstatemovers.com

4 Weeks Out

Appraisal of Current Needs: Before you even think about moving things that you don’t even want anymore, consider if you have anything that needs to be replaced. Why move an old mattress when you could have a brand new one waiting in your new home? Think about other large items that will be expensive to transport and consider buying the item new in your new city.
Credit Report: If you have purchased a new home, chances are that a credit report has already been completed. However, checking your credit a couple times a year is a great idea just to make sure than no errors appear.
Appraise Valuables: Standard insurance plans cover general possessions up to a certain dollar amount, but if you have some more expensive items like a big screen TV that you need to insure, now is the best time to have your possessions appraised before you take them on the road.
Tax-Deductible Moving Expenses: Do some research with your accountant or an accountant who specializes in tax-deductible moving expenses, to see what is tax-deductible for your particular move.

3 Weeks Out

Medical Records: Grab medical records not only for your whole family but also for your pets. Make copies while you have them and a file where they can be stored until you find another physician and veterinarian.
Transfer Prescriptions
Return Borrowed Items: You will have new neighbors now, and while some people keep in touch with their old neighbors, it is a good practice to return anything you have borrowed and ask for what they borrowed from you.
Update Memberships: Update your auto club membership or if you don’t have one, get one. This is also a good time to update other memberships like with your video rental provider so that you can get movies those first few days in your new home.
Open Bank Accounts: Some banks have a painless transfer of accounts, although with others it can be a complete mess. Be prepared for the mess, and be pleasantly surprised if one doesn’t happen.

2 Weeks Out

Pay Your Bills: Settle accounts at local merchants, and make certain that credit cards are paid down in case you need some extra cash on the road.
Return Library Books/Rented Videos: If you happen to leave town without taking care of this, you most likely will forget once you are in a new place. This is an annoying task, but not as annoying as the fine that will accrue if you don’t take care of this before you go.
Change of Address: File a change of address form with the post office. Also change your address with credit cards, memberships, magazines, Netflix, etc. Cancel your newspaper subscription if you are moving out of the area.
Gym Membership: Transfer your gym membership. If you are with a gym that cannot be transferred to your new city, figure out if you can get out of the membership early or transfer the difference to a friend or family member.
Find Home for Plants: Most plants cannot handle the extreme environments they are placed in during a move. If you really care about your plants, find them a good home.
Lawn Care: Have the lawn mowed the day before you arrive.
Music Scene: Search for the music scene in your new location to find out if there are concerts you want to see soon after you arrive.

For more details information please visit www.allstatemovers.com