Ready for moving day?

When the big day arrives, it will arrive with a wave of stress, nostalgia, and excitement.  You will probably end up talking to many people, running many places and thinking many thoughts.

With all those things happening, you probably won’t be focused on the details.  However, they should not be forgotten.  Here’s what you need to remember:

Moving Day Checklist:

Occupy Your Pets and Kids – You don’t want your kids leaving toys on the stairs you’ll soon be carrying your mattress on, nor do you want your cat running under the neighbor’s deck while your door is propped open.  Make sure you prevent that by keeping your kids and pets out of the action.

Have a Plan – Don’t start throwing all of your stuff in the truck with the assumption that it’ll all fit, that if you take the effort to carry it to the trck, the truck will make space.

You need to take measurements and come up with a plan for situating your furniture and larger possessions in the moving truck so that you don’t end up staring at a full trailer while holding your queen-sized bed, your arms aching, sweating, tired.

Label – Make sure to label your boxes so you don’t end up massively confused when unpacking.  Also identify what needs extra care, like glass and electronics. Check here for some more packing tips.

Lift with Your Legs – You’re probably going to be doing  a lot of packing and lifting, so make sure to do it right.  Take it slow; lift with your legs; and only lift what you can.  Moving is a marathon, not a sprint.  Take it easy.

Use Support – If you can’t lift something safely, get someone to help you or use a dolly, which allows you to roll the something rather than carry it.

Secure and Fasten – Just because you loaded a box or chair into the truck doesn’t mean you’re done.  You might need to fasten them into place to prevent them from sliding around and cracking into stuff.

Clean Out the Fridge – … and make sure to double check the pantry and anywhere else you kept perishables.  These things are easy to forget about, and they can lead to some nasty, moldy problems.

Final Sweep – Give the house and each room one last check to make sure you aren’t leaving anything.  You might be surprised by what you can leave behind…

Don’t forget to be courteous on moving day, especially to your movers.  Check here for some moving etiquette tips.