On the day of the move, if a moving company has been engaged, one will only need to supervise the loading, transporting, unloading, and, possibly setting up. If the move is being accomplished with the help of family and/or friends, then those who are involved will need to be present and ready to go.

Rooms should be emptied individually. A re-check should be done, with attention to closets and cupboards, to ensure that everything has been removed. The room should then be swept, mopped, or vacuumed, if necessary, and the door closed.

It should be understood that a closed door means a room is emptied, cleaned, and done with. This way, there will be no chance that dirt is tracked into a clean room, or that anything is inadvertantly set down in a room and possibly forgotten.

It may be wise to keep some empty boxes and bags on hand, in the event that a closet was overlooked, or some things simply could not be packed until the last minute. The containers should be clearly labeled, and care taken to ensure that they are loaded.

Any necessary items, such as supplies needed for infant or child care, or any medications that must be taken regularly throughout the day, should be kept separate from all other items. Additionally, important papers, documents, or especially valuable items should be kept separate, secure, and accessible to the owner.

Utilities should be turned off, or arrangements should be made for them to be discontinued within the next few days. The former occupant may also want to take meter readings, and ensure that there no water damage can occur while the house is vacant.

Last looks should be taken, memories stored for future recollection, one chapter closed, and another one opened in life.

The week just prior to the move will be the time for “tying up all loose ends”. Notifications of changes of address should have already been sent or made to the appropriate agencies, and the week before can be used to follow up on these. This will ensure that mail continues to be received in a timely manner.

It should be determined that banks and other financial agencies have been made aware of address changes. This will eliminate any problems, and will aid in maintaining security of records.

Arrangements for the commencement of utility and other services at the new residence should be made during this final week. In this way, it will be guaranteed that the house will indeed be ready for occupancy upon moving in. Likewise, it may be wise to contact utility companies, to ensure that they are aware of discontinuance of services to the old house.

Packing should be completed to the fullest extent possible. It will still be necessary to retain some items, as life must continue in the old residence right up until the day of departure.

However, as each day passes, more and more things, such as clothing and shoes can be finally packed.

Appliances should be inspected and cleaned during the final week. Attention should be given to any perishable food that is still in the home. If there is a chance that the food cannot be moved without thawing or reaching a dangerous temperature level, it should be consumed, given away, or thrown away.

Those rooms that are being used the least can be cleaned during the last week. This will eliminate having to do them on the final day, when it will be necessary to clean those rooms that were still being utilized until the final day.

The month prior to the move is when arrangements should be made for the packing, storage, and moving of belongings. If a professional moving service will be used, the company should be chosen and the time slot reserved.

Doing this in advance will allow time for more thorough research and investigation into the services provided, as well as the expense that will be incurred. This can eliminate any problems that might otherwise occur from having to make a quick decision under a time constraint.

If the home has been “de-cluttered”, that is, all unneeded items or items that will not be moved for one reason or another have been disposed of, the moving company will be better equipped to offer a more correct estimate. This can result in a reduction of moving and packing costs.

If packing is to be done by those other than family members, the month before the move should be devoted to researching and investigating companies which offer this service, and reserving the time with the company chosen. This will allow for “comparison shopping”, so that the best services for the most value can be obtained. Arrangements can also be made, if necessary, for any additional insuring of valuables or belongings.

If it is determined that a cleaning service might be needed, the month before the move will be ample time to investigate and hire the company that best suits the purposes for which they are being engaged. Once packing has been accomplished, the company will be better able to accomplish a more thorough cleaning.

Utility and other companies which provide electrical, water, gas, and other services to the home should be contacted during the final month. Arrangements can be made at that time for the discontinuation of these services.