Don’t Forget to Do These 9 Things Before You Move

Moving is complicated. Even if you use one of the best moving companies, you’re still likely to run into hiccups by moving day. Thankfully, you have Move.org. We’ve put together nine moving tips that many people forget about. For example, we’ll show you how (and when) to change your address—and how to avoid getting ripped off by moving companies. We even have a comprehensive moving checklist you can print out to ensure you don’t miss anything.

Learn more about the nine ways to handle issues most people run into before moving day.

1. Print a moving checklist
2. Make plans to ship your car
3. Choose the right moving supplies
4. Change your address
5. Inform your utility company
6. Sign up for internet
7. Donate to charity
8. Research moving companies
9. Have a plan for moving day

Having a moving checklist is a good way to prevent things from slipping through the cracks. We recommend printing your moving checklist out, putting it on your fridge, and checking it off as you complete moving tasks. It’s a simple way to keep everything straight.

Our printable moving checklist starts two months before you move and ends two weeks after you move in. The steps for those final two weeks include often-forgotten tasks like making spare keys and saving your moving binder info in case you need to move again.

It’s easy to get so caught up in moving what’s in your house that you forget what’s in the driveway. In some cases, you may be able to drive your vehicle to your new home’s front door. But in many cases, you either have too many cars to drive—or too far to travel.

That’s why the moving gods invented car shipping. For a surprisingly reasonable fee, the best auto transport companies will ship your car anywhere in the United States. Most of them also offer motorcycle shipping services.

Our top pick is Montway Auto Transport, but each company brings something unique to the table:

Moving supplies can make or break your move, so we recommend investing a little time and money to get what you need. Packing supplies are the easy part. Load up on things like packing tape, bubble wrap, and couch covers.

But you also need to think about boxes. Moving boxes come in different shapes and sizes, and you often need specific boxes for specialty items. That’s why you’ll likely need wardrobe boxes and artwork boxes in addition to the standard cheap cardboard boxes.

There’s no feeling quite like settling into your new home. It marks the beginning of a new season in life. But it’s hard to get off on the right foot if people don’t know where to find your new place. That’s why we recommend changing your address before you move.

It’s free to change your address if you go into the post office lobby. Otherwise, it costs $1.05 to change your address online.

The post office won’t forward your mail indefinitely. So, you also want to notify other essential people about your new place. We’ve found that it’s helpful to inform companies that help with day-to-day issues like banks, social security, and auto insurance:

• Financial institutions
• Government agencies
• Home security
• Insurance companies
• Memberships and subscriptions
• Online services

Try to set up your new utilities a month or two before moving—and notify your old utility company. Otherwise, you could end up paying bills at your old house while (literally) being in the dark at your new place. Trust us. You don’t want that.

It’s tough to work from home without the internet. So be sure that you arrange for internet services in your new neighborhood. Similarly, sign up for streaming services so you can relax after a hard day’s work. We have lists of the best internet service providers and best TV streaming services:

Total moving costs depend on how much stuff you have. In most cases, you can trim expenses by getting rid of belongings you no longer need. True, you can hire a junk removal company to take your belongings. But you can do the world a solid and donate to charity while cleaning out your new place.

We researched a dozen companies to find the five best charities to pick up your unwanted items:

1. The Salvation Army: Best overall
2. Habitat for Humanity: Best for furniture
3. Goodwill: Best for clothing and appliances
4. PickUpMyDonation.com: Best for finding local charities
5. Furniture Bank Network: Best for home goods

Check out a few moving companies before hiring one. This is one of the most common-sense steps—but it’s also one of the most important. Unfortunately, too many people pull the trigger on the first company they get quotes from. And too often, they pay more (sometimes thousands of dollars more) and have a terrible customer experience.

We’ve put in hundreds of hours to identify the best professional moving companies, best moving container companies, and best moving truck companies.

Each moving service has some differences. We’ll briefly walk you through the essential details and then connect you with top solutions that reflect your move’s needs and budget:

A professional mover does everything for you. The best moving services will pack your belongings, load them into the truck, and transport them to your new home. When the movers arrive at your new place, they’ll put everything right where you want it, get rid of the moving mess, and even assemble furniture and electronics. Since they do so much, professional movers also cost the most.

International Van Lines is our pick for the best professional moving company. It has an established reputation, is upfront about pricing info, and can go anywhere in the country (or the world).

A moving truck company is the opposite of a professional mover. While the pros do everything for you and cost the most, moving truck companies require you to do the legwork—but cost the least. That makes a moving truck company a good idea if you’re trying to move on a budget.

Penske Truck Rental is our pick for the number one moving truck company. It has the lowest prices, is available nationwide, and has reliable reservations.

Moving containers fall between a professional moving company (also known as a moving van company) and a moving truck service. A moving container drops off a large container at your home. However, you don’t have access to a professional packer or movers to load your belongings. So, you're responsible for packing and loading, while the moving container company takes care of transport. As expected, costs lie somewhere between hiring a professional mover and doing it all yourself.

PODS is our number one choice for moving containers. It has an incredible combo of low prices and sky-high customer reviews.

A perfect move can feel like a nightmare if you don’t have a plan for moving day. It’s common for people to plan an ideal move—except for those final steps. They choose the right mover, get all the right moving supplies, and change every possible address. But then the movers arrive. People run into each other, there’s nothing to eat, and the paperwork feels overwhelming.

Thankfully, there’s an easy way to fix that. First, we’d refer you to our moving delivery day  checklist that covers the moving process in more detail. It includes dozens of  tips for moving day.

Some critical moving day steps include:

• Decide on your floor plan
• Confirm delivery with your driver
• Keep your phone close
• Inspect your belongings
• Do a final walkthrough with the moving crew

Moving doesn’t need to be complicated. By following nine simple steps, you can avoid most problems people face when moving into new homes. For example, you can save thousands of dollars by researching the best moving companies before signing a contract. You can also save yourself a headache by ensuring utility companies and streaming services have your new address. You can even help those in need by donating unwanted items to charity.

Want to play it extra safe?

Read our ultimate moving checklist

It all boils down to your priorities. We recommend hiring a mover if you have cash and value convenience. On the other hand, you can’t beat renting a moving truck if you’re tight on cash but have plenty of time.

Before moving, some of the most important things are researching moving companies, changing your address, and tracking down moving supplies. It’s also a good idea to ask local stores for free moving boxes.

You should start packing up to eight weeks before you move. However, if you hire a professional mover, they typically require less than 48 hours notice to pack your items.

You should notify anyone who might need to contact you about a change of address. That includes friends, family, and businesses like banks, utility companies, and insurance providers.

Your moving container size depends on how much stuff you have and what options are available. For example, you need only one 8-foot PODS container for a small apartment but should plan on two 16-foot 1-800-PACK-RAT containers for a 5-bedroom home.

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• Cheapest Moving Container Companies
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• How Much Should I Tip Movers?
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• What Should I Do Two Weeks Before My Moving Date?
• What Important Documents Do I Need to Move?