What You Need to Prepare One Week before Moving: The Checklist

Are you finally moving and feeling a mix of anxiety and excitement for the day to arrive? Don’t worry; that sure is natural! But to help you make that move as smooth and less stressful as possible, here are some last-minute tips you may have overlooked when preparing before moving:

One Week Before the Move

• Be it professionals, your friends or your relatives, don’t forget to check in and reconfirm the time and date of the move with them. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, right?
• Hire a professional to clean your old home after moving. This is not just good manners for the next occupants but also often a legal requirement.
• Ensure that all repairs and alterations you applied to your old home are finished by moving day.
• Head to the post office and arrange for your mail to be redirected to your new address.
• Inform your regular cleaner,  gardener or any other domestic services about your move and let them know if you want to cancel or rearrange their service.
• If you are moving out of an apartment, advise your neighbors of the date of the move and tell them anything you want them to know about. You may also opt to put up a message on a notice board to make sure everyone will be informed.
• If notifying your neighbors isn’t enough, you can also hold a house cooling party to officially say your farewell with some fun and drinks.
• Cancel or rearrange any subscriptions like newspaper delivery.
• Backup your computer, cellphone, or any device you like.
• Prepare a survival kit for your moving day (see below for the list of essentials).

Moving Day Survival Kit

Now that we have listed down the tasks you need in clearing out your old home, let’s now proceed with some of the things that you need to keep close at hand during the moving day:

• Documentation

It is important to have all the necessary paperwork in your possession and make sure they are organized in a folder or a clearbook, so there won’t be any inconveniences in case you will be needing them. 

• Valuables

Just like with your paperwork, keep also all your valuable items with you when you move. These include your jewelries, passports, medical records, and any other sentimental items that you would like to bring.

• Electronic Chargers

Gadgets nowadays are crucial and you don’t want them to be low on power if there’s an emergency or if you want to have food delivered at your place.

• Toys & Games

Aside from emergencies and deliveries, chargers are also beneficial to your kids’ gadgets. Unlike everyone else, they may not be excited in the moving process. That is why it is important that you bring some toys or games where they can spend their time entertaining themselves. Empty moving boxes or bubble wrap can be a lot of fun too. Just give them some crayons or drawing materials and the moving boxes will manage!

• First-aid Kit

Be sure to have a medical kit on standby and to pack any prescription medications. You’ll never know when an emergency arises.

• Toolkit

Another important thing that you should have is a toolkit that contains at least a utility knife, scissors, screwdriver, pliers, a small hammer, etc. These are lifesavers when assembling or disassembling furniture.

• Cleaning Supplies

Of course, cleaning supplies are also a must. You can never go wrong if you have some items like paper towels, wipes, surface spray, sanitiser, vacuum, window cleaner, toilet brush, loads of cleaning rags and sponges to help you clean out if things become messy and dirty.

• Eating Essentials

In case you won’t bring your eating essentials to your new home yet, you may want to take some bottled water and snacks with you to get you through the move. You may also bring some disposable plates, cups, spoons and forks, as well as a few basics such as bread and baked goods to keep you going.

• Small Overnight Bag / Bedtime Essentials

Moving can be very exhausting. That’s why it is handy to at least have a small bag where you can place some sheets, pillows, blankets and a change of clothes for each family member that is involved in the moving process.

• Toiletries

At the end of the moving day, you will need a hot shower. Make sure to pack a special bag of essential items such as towels, toilet paper, toothbrushes, tissues, deodorant, shampoo or soap with you or in the car.

The Day

1. Say goodbye to your old home

Take time to say goodbye to your old home. Children, in particular, need closure with it or with their playmates in the neighborhood. This is a good time to recall fun memories and to also discuss all the fun you’ll have in your new place to make them less worried about the “changes”.

1. Give proper guidance to the movers

To make it easier for the movers who will help you in the process, assist them by letting them know which ones are fragile or not. Supervise, without being intrusive, as they load everything into the truck. This is their job after all. Just make sure everything is settled, as you will be signing off to confirm everything has been completed.

1. Final Check

Before finally leaving, do one last inspection through the property to ensure you haven’t missed anything. It can be very emotional, but focus your thoughts on your new property and start thinking about what your new property has in store for you.