Moving tips needed

[NewJeffCT]

Well, folks, hopefully on June 30, I will be packing up my family and moving from the left side of the Connecticut River to the right into a big new house on a hill that will make my wife's commute to work much shorter and not lengthen mine too much at all. We sold our current house ourselves so we can put the saved commission money towards finishing the basement in the future. My wife's company is picking up the tab for the movers.

However, since we do not have an agent, I want to know what we need to do in changing addresses.

Here is my short list so far. Please let me know what I am missing:

1) Contact local post office and tell them about change of address. Get a bunch of change of address cards for credit card companies, magazines, etc.
2) Contact phone company about changing phone numbers from current to new address.
3) Newspaper change of address
4) Switch gas to new owner of our current home
5) Switch power to new owner of our current home.
6) Look into switching from Direct TV in current home to Dish Network in new
7) See if new small town has trash removal, or if we have to arrange that ourselves.
8) See if builder arranges for gas & power to be turned on, or if we have to do that.
9) Tell IRS & State of CT that we moved. Also, tell Dept of Motor Vehicles.
10) Contact bank and tell them of new address.
11) Tell insurance company of new address & need for new home policy.

[Servo300]

1. get LOTS of boxes!

:bounce:

[Finbar]

6. If you have a Local Liqour store.. .the boxes are free and strong

[Finbar]

2. Disagree with # 6 .. .keep directv

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

3. But Dish has Free Speech TV

Very important!

[Finbar]

8. what is free speech TV?

[NewJeffCT]

9. Isn't Murdoch buying Direct TV?

Which is part of the reason why I was looking into switching...

(We need satellite so we can get Chinese language programming for my in-laws when they come to visit...)

[Career Prole]

11. Dump DirecTV

Murdoch bought it for a reason. They'll still call it DirecTV, but "Direct" will be a verb rather than an adjective. Just think...
200 channels of FAUX, plus replays of "Red Dawn". :puke:

Murdoch, however, has a number of clear advantages with the DirecTV acquisition:

1. Unlike the internet where people can go anywhere, Murdoch can direct what the viewers get (or don't get) as long as he remains competitive with other cable and satellite offerings.

http://www.mediathinking.com/more/6_0_1_0_M2/

[Don_G]

4. Two So Far

Your Voter Registration office and your local Court Clerk for new Drivers' Licenses.

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

5. Check with new town on taxes

I know when we moved to the Borough of Oakmont (PA) from Kansas we faced rude shocks in that we had to pay different taxes than we were used to; in Wichita we didn't have to pay separate city taxes based on our income.

[NewJeffCT]

10. Thanks - we knew about tax sticker shock in advance

We're moving from a 40 year old 1,200 square foot ranch with a 1,000 square foot basement to a 2,500+ square foot colonial with a basement that is over 1,000 square feet. Our property taxes will be more than double in our new house - from $3K per year to about $6,600.

[livetohike]

7. Here are a few more

Check on your voting registration/polling place

Send postcards or notes to your friends/relatives with your new address and phone number

Inform auto insurance of new address

Congrats on your new home!

[MissMillie]

12. Don't forget

to tell your employer(s) about your new address.... and the Social Security Administration.

[liberalitch]

13. Biggest pain in the ass!!!

ALWAYS....
Pack up your kitchen first.... buy some plastic cups and plates.... you'll thank me later....
Then empty out your closets.... purge stuff you don't want NOW.... don't move it to the new house.

[lpbk2713]

14. These might help

Get a roll or two of wide tape (cellophane or masking) for the boxes. Also some string to tie things together. Some markers to mark the boxes with. Some newspaper to act as packing material. If you rent a van get one with a hydraulic tailgate. Get a hand cart with the van too.

[dryan]

15. Moving info.

Keep all receipts, some moving expenses are deductible.
If you are moving to another area code, keep your old phone book.

Keep a box of stuff that you and make sure you know where it is at all times. I learned this lesson the hard way. I sell Avon and the night before we did our final move, a customer called with a large order. I wrote it down on the back of an envelope and put it with someother stuff near the door. I've never found it!

If you have animals, move them with the first load and put them in the garage, basement, bathroom where they are out of the way.

If possible, keep your current phone number.

[electricmonk]

16. You have over a month

That right there is a HUGE help. I just moved a few weeks ago and only had 2 days to plan it. Previous landlord quit paying the water and gas bill. Gas got cut off one day and then the water. Packed up and moved that weekend. Luckily a friend of my Mom's just finished renovating a house that week and was looking for a tenant so I was able to move in right away. Still have tons of boxes to unpack and can barely move through the living room. No fun at all.

[bedtimeforbonzo]

17. estimate how much stuff you will have to pack

then triple it. It's alway a lot more than it looks like.

Pack as much as you can at least a week ahead of time.

[Bunny]

18. I moved in April.

Moved four entire blocks away! Some thoughts:

Get lots of boxes, save your newspapers for filler. Your local supermarket or liquor store will probably give you boxes.

Check now about getting utilities turned on, switched over, etc. You don't want to arrive on moving day to no electricity, or water, or whatever.

Get rid of anything you no longer want before you move. DO NOT take your junk with you!

You can do a lot of address changes online now. Sure beats getting, filling out, and mailing those little cards. E-mail your friends and acquaintances with your new address/phone number.

Pack out-of-season clothes, etc. first. Label everything, with name of the person and/or the particular room where it needs to be taken to on moving day.

Pack up as much of the kitchen as you can as soon as possible. Get paper plates, forks, etc. and use those. Kitchen stuff is a pain in the ass to pack and move, for some reason.

For moving day, think OHIO (Only Handle It Once). Sorry to be cutesy, but that really is effective!

Good luck!