If you’re planning on moving, you’ll want to read this helpful list of things you’ll need to do, things to know and general tips.

Lighten the load

• Decide what to move, what to put in storage, what to take yourself, what to sell, and what to give to charity.
• Have a garage sale to sell unwanted items including plants you’re unable to take with you.
• Contact charities to pick-up donated items or find out where to drop them off.
• Plan meals around what’s in your freezer and kitchen cupboards to use up food you can’t or don’t want to move.

Who to notify of change of address

• Car rego, driver’s licence
• New employer and/or current employer
• Credit card companies, loan companies
• Utility companies, insurance companies
• Health professionals, solicitor, accountant, etc.
• Clubs and organisations
• Family and friends

If you rent or plan to rent

• Give notice to your current landlord or agent.
• Get a written reference from your current landlord to give to your new landlord.

Make arrangements

• Close or transfer all your bank accounts.
• Contact all utility companies to cancel or transfer your accounts on a specified date.
• If required, pre-book utility connections. Contact them before moving to confirm that your utilities will be turned on at your new residence before you arrive.
• Contact your health professionals to get referrals to health professionals in your new area.
• Transfer, cancel, or sell any club memberships.
• Make arrangements to cancel the insurance coverage on your old address on a specified date and start coverage on your new address.
• If needed, get travellers cheques. Make sure you have enough money for the moving day and travel to your new residence.
• Make arrangements to have your mail forwarded to your new address. If you have a post office box, cancel your current one and get one at your new location.

Packing and moving it

• Get estimates from removalists and truck rental companies.
• If you’re doing the packing, investigate prices for packing boxes and wrapping material. Collect used packing boxes and ask your family and friends to help get you more. Label all boxes clearly with the contents and the name of the room it goes into such as ‘kitchen’.
• Carry irreplaceable items with you.
• Have a “pack me last-open first” box or boxes. Put things you’ll need to find right away in this box. Items might include cleaning supplies, toilet paper, soap, bath towels, sheet and blankets for your bed, screws and hardware needed to reassemble your furniture, torch, basic tools (hammer, screwdriver, etc.) to help reassemble things. Tape is another very useful item to include. If there are no curtains when you arrive, you can temporarily tape newspaper over windows for privacy that you’ll need right away.
• If you’re doing the moving yourself, confirm that a rental truck you’ve reserved will be available on the date specified.
• If using a removalist, confirm your new address with the moving company.
• If you’re putting things into storage, find out about costs and storage options.

Before you leave your old residence

• Do a final check of your closets, cupboards, drawers, etc. Don’t forget to check the garage and walk around outside to pick up any overlooked items.
• Make sure all appliances, lights, heating and hot water systems are turned off.
• Lock all windows and doors.
• Leave keys with whoever is assigned to receive them such as your old landlord or real estate agent.

Note: We assume no liability resulting from any errors or omissions. Translation . . . we’ve done our best to bring you accurate information. However, you should seek your own independent advice as to the accuracy of the information supplied.

If you have children

• Get information about childcare facilities and schools in the new area and make arrangements as needed.
• Have your children’s school records transferred to their new school.
• Make arrangements to have your children taken care of on moving day so you have one less thing to worry about.
• Have a “pack me last-open first” box with your child’s special things that will help make them comfortable in their new home the first night. Have the child help you fill the box or decide what will go in the box before moving day. This will ease their worry because they will know exactly which box has their special things. Items might include a special blanket and pillow, favourite stuffed animal or toy, special night light, and bedtime book to read. If they have a favourite cup or bowl they use, pack it in this box. It will save you from a frenzied search for it later. The more familiar things a child has around them, the more relaxed they’ll be about their new home.

If you have pets

• Locate a veterinarian in your new area.
• Plan how and when you will be moving your pets to your new residence.
• Make arrangements to have your pets taken care of on moving day to avoid stress on them and you.
• Update your pet’s microchip identification with your new address

If you have a computer

• Back up the files on your hard drives onto another media such as CDs or tape before dissembling and packing your system.
• Mark each lead with a tag so you know where it goes before you dissemble your system. This will make it easier to reassemble at your new residence.
• Pack separately media that contains backed up files you can’t replace such as tax and accounting records, business records, and address book. Plan to take this with you rather than send it with your household belongings.
• Notify your Internet Service Provider (ISP) when to shut off your service to your old address and start it at your new address.
• If you’re flying to your new residence and need your computer working right away, contact the airlines to investigate prices and shipping requirements to take it on the flight. Or you might want to ship it with a company like Federal Express before you leave if there will be someone at the other end to receive it.
• See Moving Overseas for compatibility issues.