Stay Organized with This Essential Moving Checklist

Moving into a newly built home is one of the most exciting times of anyone’s life. It is a chance to put down roots and make a space truly your own. Since there is so much to do in the process of moving from one location to another, it is a great idea to have a checklist so you can make certain you are properly prepared and organized for this momentous occasion.

Utility Set Up

There are basics that everyone requires, and you will want to make sure that the essential utilities are already set up when you move into your new home. You will also want to be sure you have stopped the service of the utilities in your name at the location you are leaving. These include:

• Oil/Gas/Electric
• Security System
• Cable/Phone/Internet
• Water/Sewer
• Garbage Pickup/Recycling

Get Acquainted with Your Child’s New School

One of the reasons you are moving to Montana may be for the nationally recognized, top-rated school system. However, there are still some items to check off your list before your child’s first day. 

• Let their previous school know that your child will be transferring to -so they can send their transcript.
• Provide the required Proof of Residency or other required paperwork to your new school in order to enroll. This may look different at each school, so check with the school first to see exactly what documentation is needed.
• Request or make a portfolio of your child’s work to take to the new school.
• Bring your child to the new school for a tour. Make it fun to get acquainted with the campus and facilities.
• Download or contact the schools for the current academic calendar. Research family-friendly activities from sports teams and social clubs to summer camps and outdoor attractions. 
• Meet with your child’s new principal, teacher or year coordinator. You might like to set up a review meeting, even within the first 1-2 weeks, to see how things are going.

Find the Right Moving Company

If there’s ever a time you want to hire professionals, it’s when you’re moving. They will be handling all of your furniture and fragile possessions so you want to make certain that they will get the job done on time and without incident. 

• Check company reviews to see other customer’s’ experience with the company.
• How do they charge? Some companies charge one flat rate (which would be ideal for moves from one state to another) and some charge an hourly rate.
• Confirm that they are bonded and insured.
• If you are paying per hour, consider doing some of the work yourself such as disassembling furniture and packing boxes.

Box it Up!

It might feel like your life is all about boxes right now – but once you’re in your newly built home you’ll enjoy unpacking them and making the place your own. When it’s time to gather boxes for the move keep this in mind:

• You can obtain general boxes from places such as hardware stores, liquor stores (which are ideal for small, fragile items because they have convenient cardboard separators inside of them), grocery stores and big box stores.
• Ask the moving company you’ve hired for any specialty boxes you may need to move things like pictures and clothing.

If you do the packing yourself, there is an efficient and streamline process to follow:

• Pack up one room at a time, don’t move to the next until the current room is complete.
• Label each box boldly or with colors so it is very clear to you and the movers where each box should go.
• On top of the items you pack in each box, place a list of what is inside. This provides an easy peek into the box without having to dig through it. 
• Mark “Start Here” on the boxes you want to unload first. This might be items for the kitchen or toiletry items.
• Wrap fragile items in bubble wrap and newspaper. You should pack any fragile items that you can’t bear to lose.

Plan for Boxes Ahead of Time

Color coding your boxes in addition to boldly labeling them will be helpful to movers when they unpack the boxes and load them in your new home. Tape a piece of paper that is the same color as the coded boxes to specify what goes where. This eliminates confusion when you have more than one family gathering room such as a great room and a dining room, as it may be difficult to differentiate when there is not yet any furniture in place.

Ask the movers to start with the “Start Here” boxes by putting them in easily accessible locations. 

Have an idea of where each piece of furniture will go so movers can place them exactly or roughly in that visualized space.

At the end of this process, you can start to enjoy making memories in your new home at Prescott Ranch in Belgrade.