Planning a Home or Office Move? Here’s What to Do the Week Of
While it’s important to prepare for your home or office move weeks in advance, there are specific tasks and strategies that can only be tackled in the days leading up to the move. Our NYC Professional Organizer provides a checklist to help you ensure that your moving week is stress free.
Keep Moving-Related Receipts Organized
Whether you’re coordinating a home or office move, keeping an organized record of your moving related expenses (such as packing materials, insurance, and hired movers) is a smart idea. If the move is related to your work, it could possibly reduce your adjusted gross income. Be sure to contact the IRS if you are not certain that your situation qualifies.
Pick Through the Perishables
Any perishable items, especially food, should be used up as much as possible before you move. Unopened items can be donated to a food bank or given to neighbors if you do not wish to pack them for transport. If you’re moving to a new home, consider cooking your way through the pantry as well, giving you fewer items to pack up and allowing you to maintain a healthy diet rather than rely on takeout during this transitional period. Plants can also be perishable, as they generally don’t travel well, so ask friends or neighbors if they’d like them.
Keep These Items Close
Our NYC Professional Organizer notes that while many infrequently used items can be packed ASAP, there are a few things you’ll want to hold off on to the last minute and keep close – packing them in your own vehicle rather than relying on movers.
On the day of home and office moves, be sure to have:
- Contact Information for your moving company
- Cash or Traveler’s Checks
- Documentation for the sale or lease of your home or office space
- Insurance information
- Essential computer cables to allow for quick set up upon arrival in the new space
- A Back-up of your computer files (to be safe, you can back everything up in the cloud on Dropbox and on an external hard drive)
Additional Items to keep with you during a home move:
- Medications
- A few days’ worth of clothing
- Jewelry & other valuables
- Anything that has great sentimental value that you cannot replace (family heirlooms, photo albums, etc.)
- Sheets and towels to set you up for the first night in your new home
- Toiletries (toothpaste & a toothbrush, shampoo, soap, etc.)
No matter how much you’ve prepared, moving is bound to be a little hectic. But by following this checklist from our NYC Professional Organizer, you can reduce your stress and the chances of mishaps taking place along the way.