How to Prepare for a Move with a Moving Timeline

There's no doubt about it - planning a move can be stressful, overwhelming, and even cause anxiety! At All My Sons Moving & Storage, we understand just how hectic it can get. So, now that you are preparing to move to Houston, it's time to work on your moving timeline to help minimize your moving anxiety.

As you prepare for a move, you should remember to give yourself ample time—a few days or a week just will not cut it, especially if you have a family to move. Believe it or not, the moving process begins with the decision to move, so once you have decided, you should begin preparing to move. Our professional movers in Houston have prepared a moving timeline checklist to show you where you should be at each stage of the moving process.

Moving Timeline Checklist

Two Months Before Moving Day

• This is when you should begin the cleaning and organization tasks. When you are preparing for a move, we recommend that you look through and organize your belongings. Sort out what you will be keeping and what you will be getting rid of. Start posting stuff for sale online, donate things to local charities, or give stuff to family and friends.

• Start gathering packing supplies. From moving boxes and totes to tape, bubble wrap and everything in between, if you are not already getting full packing services in Houston, you will need to find all the packing supplies for your move.

• This is also about the time that you will want to begin looking into a few professional moving companies. Are they licensed? Insured? Pet-friendly? Kid-friendly? What is included in their full-service option? What other services do they offer? Remember to ask the questions that are important to you as you're preparing to move.

One Month Before Moving Day• After sorting through your belongings and making sure that you have the proper packing supplies, the next step in planning a move is booking your favorite local movers in Houston. Be sure to confirm the date, time, and other important details.

• Make sure your vehicle(s) are all taken care of and ready for the move as well. This means making sure that they are serviced completely before our Houston auto movers deliver your automobiles to your new home.

• If you have opted out of hiring full-service movers and you're preparing to move by yourself, it would be wise to start packing the non-essentials. As moving day draws nearer, be sure to organize your valuables so that you know exactly where they are and how they will be transported safely for the move.

• Change of address is something a lot of people forget to add to their moving timeline as they are preparing to move. Be sure to go to the post office or visit the USPS website and change your address. They will have your mail forwarded from your old address to the new one for a certain period of time. While the post office forwards your mail, make sure to change your address with other businesses or institutions that have your contact information such as the bank and the DMV.

Two Weeks Before Moving Day

If there are still non-essentials left unpacked, you will want to take care of that task before moving on to other important items on your moving timeline. Then you can move on to packing more essential items. Be careful not to pack any items you and your family use daily, such as toiletries, clothing for the current season, or some of your cooking equipment and utensils. Save those items and pack them closer to your moving date.

One Week Before Moving Day

• Confirm the date and time of the move with your professional Houston residential movers. This way you can avoid any confusion or miscommunication about a moving date that was booked a month or so prior. If, for whatever reason, an issue arises, there's still time to resolve it before moving day and you can continue preparing for the move with peace of mind.

• Make sure you keep relevant documents easily accessible amid your moving preparations. Every document related to the move or your new home, such as specific forms to turn into the property manager, should be organized in a folder or portable file rather than packed away in a box.

• Empty the fridge if you have not already; defrost your freezer, and clean the inside. Avoid buying too many groceries so you don't have to worry about transporting perishable food to your new home.

One Day Before Moving Day

• As you finalize all relocation preparations, you will just want to make sure that you tie up loose ends at this point in your moving timeline.

• Confirm that you have all the necessary documents. Ensure that your essentials are packed and emergency boxes contain everything you need. By now, you should be fully packed and ready to move.

• Relax, get a good night's sleep, and get ready for tomorrow!

Moving Day!

This is it; you've reached the end of your moving timeline - you are finally done preparing for a move! Today's the day you have planned for the past two months! Communicate with your moving crew to identify what's what - point out the heavy furniture, fragile boxes, and items that you will transport personally.

• Remember that you are responsible for verifying that everything was loaded onto the truck, all set for transport.

• Check the old house one last time to make sure you didn't miss anything and then sign the bill of lading. Once everything has been squared away, you can say your final goodbyes and move to Houston!

We know preparing to move is not always the easiest thing to do; that is why we are here to help you with your move to Houston! If you're not sure how to prepare for a move, contact us today to start planning your move and get a free, no-obligation quote to get started.