Tuesday, October 18, 2011

To Do: Make a To Do List


I love to make lists, but I have to admit, I've never been tasked with a long distance move before. Luckily (for me) Josh's last day is a few weeks before mine, so he is going to have time before we move to get things organized. But, just in case you were wondering, here is a list of all the things you are supposed to do before you move:



  1. Make sure to obtain copies of your personal records and ask for referrals for your new residence.
  2. About six weeks before your long distance move date, you’ll want to start organizing and packing your belongings. Make sure to label all of your moving boxes as you pack them to make the unpacking process much smoother. If you determine you need additional PODS® containers for your move, call us and we’ll bring you additional container(s).
  3. Track down all of your important papers, such as auto registration, passport, birth certificate, insurance policies, etc. You will want to carry these and any small valuables with you.
  4. If your employer has offered to pay for your relocation, this is the time to figure out which expenses and responsibilities are yours and which are theirs. If they are reimbursing you after the fact, you will need to make sure to save all of your receipts and documentation. If you are paying for some or all of your relocation yourself, consult the IRS or your personal accountant to figure out which expenses might be tax deductible.
  5. Four weeks prior to your move, you’ll want to arrange to have your utilities (gas, electric, water, cable) turned off or transferred.
  6. If you are renting, four weeks prior to your cross country move would also be a good time to start cleaning as you pack so that you don't have such an overwhelming task when moving day comes around. Remember, if you want to get your full deposit back, you will need to clean things like vents and behind appliances such as the fridge and stove.
  7. About two weeks prior to cross country moves, you’ll want to fill out a change of address form, which is available at the Post Office, or by visiting: https://moversguide.usps.com
    1. Now is a good time to start transferring bank accounts.
    2. If you plan to drive your car across the country, it may be a good time to have your car serviced.
  8. One week before the move is a good time to cancel any local memberships and drain gas and oil from equipment like lawn mowers and snow blowers.
I took this from the PODS website, since that is who we are planning on using at this point. Though Josh has informed me that my depth perception is weak, and there is no way that even the meager amount of belongings that we wish to bring will fit in an 8x7x7 container. He went so far as to spread out on the floor to demonstrate just how "not enough" room it will be. I'm of half a mind to declare that "if it doesn't fit, it doesn't go!" I'll probably just call PODS to get a quote on the bigger unit.

Things I am looking forward to getting rid of? The mish mash of furniture we have accumulated over our last 10 years living together. I didn't bring much furniture (if any) to our relationship, but over the years we've received lots of hand me downs. Also looking forward to ditching all the dishes that I no longer care about (somewhere along the line practicality kicked in, and I realized that all white dishes are the way to go - if one breaks, it is easy enough to slip in another without disturbing the "set"). The random assortment of glassware (*cough* pint glasses *cough*) will be seriously culled. Tonight I'm going to go through ALL of the clothing in the garage and in our master bedroom closet, because there is actually a clothing drive in the office, so this is the perfect opportunity to take care of getting rid of excess and unworn clothing. Besides, there is no turning back. Johnny's butt is never going to fit into a 12M again. Johnny is miserable in bouncers, chairs, swings, etc., so those should all probably be donated as well.

Last, I've let a small collection of junk mail grow in a basket in a closet in the 2 years we have lived in this house here in Gilbert. I am vowing that not one piece of junk mail will follow us to SC!

We are in week 10 of a ten week countdown to the move. Or 70 days to go. However you want to look at it. It is almost here!

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