Let's face it; moving day is no picnic! Packing and moving is never easy, whether you're moving to the other side of town or across the country. Use this essential checklist to help make your move to the Wilmington area as seamless and stress-free as possible!
Before You Move
Start one room at a time and begin to organize and declutter. Set aside anything that can be donated, sold, or thrown away. The less stuff you have, the less you'll have to pack!
Host a yard sale to get rid of any unwanted clothing, furniture, or decor. You can also consider donating any shoes or clothing that are in good condition.
It usually takes a few weeks for the post office to process your change of address and start forwarding your mail, so request it at least two weeks before the move.
Make sure you're not moving into a house with no power! Set up your electric, gas, water, and sewer services well in advance. You may want to ask the seller for a list of their providers.
Handy Packing Tips
- Reinforce: Use sturdy, reinforced boxes. And don't be afraid to get friendly with bubble wrap and other packing material for fragile items.
- Innovate: Pack dishes, bowls, plates, and other glass objects vertically, rather than flat and stacked. For extra padding, pack glasses and stemware inside socks.
- Pack small: Pack heavier items in smaller boxes so they're easier to carry.
- Prevent leaks: Remove the tops and cover the openings of soaps, shampoos, and lotions with cling wrap, then twist the caps back on. You can also use cling wrap around dresser drawers or jewelry displays to keep them intact, or around furniture to prevent scratches.
- Prepare: Create an "Open Me First" box containing personal items that you will need immediately, such as toilet paper, soap, instant coffee, tools and box cutters, and paper dishes. Make sure it's one of the first things off the moving truck.
- Label, label, label! There's nothing worse than trying to unpack a disorganized mess! Make the transition to your new home seamless by carefully organizing and labeling boxes by room so you'll know just where to put them in your new house. (Even better—color code!)
On Moving Day
Don't pack your most important essentials and emergency prep items—like first aid supplies, medication, financial records, medical records, IDs, and other important documentation or high-value items. Always keep them with you.
If you make it home before the moving truck, make sure you're prepared with things like a change of clothes, your toiletries, and a phone charger.
Keep your moving foreman's content information with you in case you need to contact your movers for any reason. It's also handy to have your Bill of Loading and shipment registration number with you.
After You Move
You don't know who might still have a key to your new home, so change the locks just to be safe.
Take a few minutes to find the circuit breaker and label the switches. Locate the main water valve so you can avoide future plumbing emergencies. It's also a good idea to replace batteries in smoke detectors and get a new fire extinguisher.
It's much easier to deep-clean your bathrooms and kitchen before they're loaded down with all your stuff (or before you're too tired to clean!). Clean first, unpack second.
Take inventory of all your boxes, inspecting them for visual damage or signs of mistreatment. And be sure to check the moving truck to ensure nothing gets left behind. Continue to inspect boxes and their contents as you unpack.
Make the seemingly endless process smaller by breaking it down into several smaller projects, and do them in order of importance. Start with the most important rooms—like the bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen, then move on to the less necessary rooms and items.
Don't forget to smile… Your new life in your new place just began. Welcome home.