Moving house is a very time-consuming activity. When things do not happen as you expect, they require even more time, which you probably cannot afford. That is why it is better to be as prepared as possible before you move.

Arrange your relocation as if you are starting a new life in your new house. Here is a list of things to do to make life easier and help you start fresh (since your computers may be packed, it’s a good idea to print your to do list or store it somewhere in the cloud where you can access it from anywhere):

Back up your computers, just in case. Make sure you have more than one copy.
Find all your warranties and put them in one place so you can use them in case something happens during the house move.
Make a folder with all of your essential documents and information: dental records, doctors contact details, schools information, medical records, passports, insurances…
If there is anything that needs servicing, try to service it before moving house. This will give you some extra time in the new house before you have to take care of such things. Things like servicing your car, lawnmower and other mechanical assets. Drain oil to avoid leakage and/or fire during the move.
Make sure you have keys for the new place and make a spare key to give someone else. This might sound silly, but do not put the two keys in the same place because if they get lost, you have no backup. Give the spare to another adult that will be with you while you are moving house.
If you own a pet, make sure you have all the records for the vet in case you need to find a new one. If you can, check ahead for a new bet near your new house so you have a place to take your sick animals in case of emergency.
Return all hired, rented and borrowed items: library books, DVDs… It can be a huge hassle to post them back and pay penalties for being late.
To be kind to the new tenants, leave instructions for the appliances. The previous owners of our house were kind enough to leave us the manuals for the oven, the spa, and the range hood. I can tell you they came in handy!

Join me next time for some tips for the moving day itself.

Be prepared!
Ronit

This post is part of the series Moving House Made Easy:

Moving House Made Easy: Moving Day

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Moving house has been a big part of my life. I have already moved 25 times, sometimes to another country on the other side of the world. My first move was when I was 15. I do not remember anything since my mom and dad were in charge of moving.…

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