What You Should Be Doing One Week Before Moving Day

After months of planning, preparation and tough decisions, moving day is less than a week away! The few days before your move are often some of the busiest days, as you finish getting everything in order.  By tying up the final few loose ends the week before moving day, you can quell any feelings of uncertainty you may be having.

We hope you’ve been following our past posts on what to do throughout the moving process – if not, you can catch up by following the links below:

• What You Should Be Doing on Moving Day
• What You Should Be Doing One Week Before Moving Day
• What You Should Be Doing 2-4 Weeks Before Moving Day
• What You Should Be Doing 4-6 Weeks Before Moving Day
• What You Should Be Doing 6-8 Weeks Before Moving Day

Prepare your belongings for the move

With moving day right around the corner, now is the time to make sure all your belongings are ready to be transported.  Make sure your refrigerator and freezer are disconnected and defrosted in advance, so no water leaks onto your other possessions.  Washers and driers need to be disconnected from the walls, and things such as grandfather clocks need to be serviced before they can be safely transported.  Your mover can likely work with you to arrange a third party to handle many of these tasks for you.

Also, remember to take anything permanently mounted to your walls down before the movers arrive.  Things such as drapery rods, towel bars, or mounted paintings should be removed and placed on the floor.  It is also a good idea to unplug and pack the cables from your TVs, computers, and electronics in advance.

Finish up your packing

If you are packing yourself you will need to have all of your small items boxed up before the movers arrive.  Hopefully, you already have packed many of your non-essential belongings.  Now is the time to focus on getting everything remaining in order.

Go through your drawers one last time to remove anything that could spill or break. Leaving soft items such as clothing or blankets is fine—your mover can move your furniture with these things inside.

Remember to check all the closets, cabinets,  storage lockers, and the attic for any overlooked belongings.  Also, remember to bring home anything you are planning on moving from your work office, and gather any belongings you may have loaned out to friends.

Create an “Instant Aid” box

It is a good idea to put together a box of things that you might need immediately upon arrival at your new home. Unpacking can sometimes take a little while, so you will want to have some items set aside for easy access.  We suggest packing bathroom supplies including toilet paper, kitchen items such as paper towels and paper plates, cleaning supplies, a basic tool kit, and of course some snacks and easy to prepare food items.

It is often helpful to have your “Instant Aid” box in a clear plastic container in order to be able to see its contents and distinguish it from the countless other boxes that will be involved in the move.  If you don’t have room for this box in your car, ask your movers to load it into the van last—and unload it first—so you can get to it as soon as you pull into the driveway.

Once these last tasks are all complete you should be just about all set for the big move. Now the hard part is over and you can sit back relax. On moving day the movers will handle all the heavy lifting for you.