A very important aspect of moving from an old house to a new house is making sure that the move from the old house goes as smoothly as possible. A move to a new home cannot really begin until the move from a previous home has been completed. To help the mover ensure their move is as efficient as possible, there are several things they can do before the movers show up at their door ready to pack and load. The following is a checklist of items that can be accomplished to make the entire process much faster.

–Call to schedule a mover well in advance to get estimates in person and compare stores. The person moving should allow enough time to find a mover and enough time to make sure the mover has a space available on the day you want to move.

–Start packing the little things. Things like movies, books, CDs, toys, etc. they can be stored in boxes before the movers arrive. Cleaning up small clutter around large pieces of furniture will make the job of moving much easier for movers.

–Clean up a bit. Speaking of clutter, dirty areas of the house should also be cleaned. The movers are not cleaners and do not like to be treated as such. Some movers may refuse to move an item if it is covered in excessive dust, dirt, grime, etc. A few days before the move is scheduled to arrive, simply check out the house and tidy up a bit. If you were a stranger coming to your house for the first time ready to pack their belongings into boxes, would you mind checking out your house? Some movers may even decide to quit work rather than spend time sorting household items and junk piles.

–Make arrangements with the utility companies to shut off power to the old home one day after the movers are scheduled to arrive. This will ensure that the motors have light and heat as they work, which is especially helpful in darker, colder weather.

–Call the post office at least a week in advance to notify them of the address change. This can also be done online by visiting http://www.USPS.com.

–If young children live in the house to be moved, the person moving should make every effort to find a babysitter. Young children have a way of disrupting the movers’ work by going through the boxes for their favorite toys or other items. It’s also safer to have fewer children in the house because movers can have a hard time checking the floor for babies and toddlers while walking backwards down a staircase with a couch.

While this checklist does not have to be followed to the letter, the person who takes advantage of it will find their moving experience considerably less difficult. If this checklist doesn’t seem like it will be suitable for one person’s specific needs, it should at least be used as a template for designing a completely custom checklist. The important thing here is to plan ahead. Those who plan ahead tend to be more successful at sticking to schedules and avoiding unplanned mishaps.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that anyone facing a move should use common sense. They must put themselves in the shoes of the movers to make the area as comfortable and easy to work as possible. No clutter, no clutter, and no kids in the home are an easy way to do this.