12 -16 WEEKS BEFORE YOUR MOVE:
Begin cleaning out your house: Start disposing of items you don't use or need anymore, why move items you don't need? You can donate items to local libraries, schools or charities (see our donations page for help finding the right place for your donation), or have a garage sale.
Start researching your new home: Include your family with this part of your move, especially with children; make this an exciting happy change in your life. Start looking for a new home, apt, condo, townhouse, etc. Check out the local banking institutes, doctors, schools, activities, things that are near the area of where you will be considering relocating.
10-12 WEEKS BEFORE YOUR MOVE:
Travel arrangements: Especially if you are traveling long distances, start checking into hotels, flights, car rentals and pet transportation. Make sure you leave yourself enough time to relax and rest. Sleepy driving is unsafe driving.
4-6 WEEKS BEFORE YOUR MOVE:
Start Organizing: Organize your valuables, important documents, moving files and children's necessities. Make a list of what you should pack and transport yourself, like your child's favorite blanket or stuffed animal, passports, check books, prescriptions, financial documents needed for home closings)
Medical Records: Arrange to have you and your families medical records transferred to your new doctor, optician and dentist. Don't forget to get your pet's physicals and health records updated too.
Schedule time off work: Request times off from work, if your company is not relocating you, make sure you have enough days needed to do your move.
License and Registration: Contact the Dept. of Motor Vehicles to find out what you will need to switch over your license plates, registration and license over to your new address.
Forward Mail: Change your address at your post office or online at:
https://moversguide.usps.com/icoa/icoa-main-flow.do?execution=e1s1
Schedule your move dates: Remember keep your Castine coordinator updated on any and all changes in your move, give them as much time as possible to schedule your move dates. Make sure all forms required are signed and sent back to your Castine coordinator.
Select a new Bank: If relocating to a new town or state, have a new financial institution in mind.
Give your notice: This is a good time to review your lease agreements if leasing, give landlords notification of moving, check with your buyers to see when they are moving in, if you need to be out of your house by a certain time, this will make things go smoothly on move day.
4 WEEKS BEFORE YOUR MOVE:
Documents and Paperwork: get all important documents together.
Condos and Apartments: If either you current home or new home have an elevator, schedule your elevator time or reservation, allow enough time, some buildings will want to have the elevator padded ahead of time or will require a deposit for you to use.
3 WEEKS BEFORE YOUR MOVE:
Memberships/Subscriptions: Have all of your subscriptions (magazines, newspapers, newsletters, journals) switched over to your new address. Don't forget your credit cards and health clubs too.
Utilities: Arranged to have your utilities disconnected and reconnected at your old and new places.
Perishables: Start using up any food in your freezer and refrigerator. Go through any unwanted canned goods
Dispose: Now is a good time to start disposing of items like cleaning supplies, bleaches, aerosols, flammables, paints, ammunition, etc.
Prescriptions: Have all of your prescriptions transferred over to your new location or new pharmacy.
Financials: Transfer all bank accounts, savings, and loans; withdraw all safety boxes, etc.
Gas Powered Equipment: Empty out all motorized tools like power tools, lawnmowers, generators, snow blowers, etc. of fuel, oil, etc.
Clean house / Repairs: Start cleaning everything as you empty it, this will help you get security deposits, refunds back, no problems at your final walk through if selling, etc. Touch up marks in walls and trim.
Do not have upholstery cleaned, (beds, couches, chairs, etc.) as the can develop mold if not given enough time to dry out before packing.
2 WEEKS BEFORE YOUR MOVE:
Give away your plants: Decide whether you are going to attempt to move your plants to destination or give them away, they may not make the move.
Donate: Bring all non-perishable foods, unwanted clothing and furniture to donation or recycle drop off.� Some organization may have pick up services. Check out our donations page for donation information.
Returns: Return library books, DVDs, movie rentals, neighbors shovel
Service your vehicle: Especially if you are planning to drive it a long distance. Make sure your tire pressure and tread is good in all tires including your spare tire.
Extra Pickups and Deliveries: If you have an extra stop, confirm with your coordinators that it is approved and that they have the addresses.
FINAL WEEK BEFORE YOUR MOVE:
Confirm your reservations: Confirm your moving dates with your Castine coordinator as well as all travel arrangements, hotels, flights, car rentals.
Confirm disconnection dates with utility companies: Make sure you have your dates for utilities to be disconnected and set up at your new location, like phone lines, gas, electric, cable at your origin and destination to make sure this is all in line. Be sure to have electricity and phone services up to the last day of load.
Confirm closings: Confirm times of origin and/or closing dates and times, updated your Castine coordinator if any changes in these that may cause issue's with your pack, load or deliver dates.
Contact Information: Make sure everyone has your updated contact information; family, friends, realtor and your Castine coordinator.
Tag items not moving: Mark and tag all of your items you are taking with you or that may be staying with the home, so your home movers know not to take it.
Clean your appliances: Clean out your fridge, stove, freezer, etc.
Final cleaning: Get your house in shape for the new tenants / owners or hire a cleaning service, a lot of cleaning services will have a moving out cleaning house package for you if this is within your budget.
DAY BEFORE THE MOVE:
Necessities: Pack a box of disposable items for your new house that you can have right away like paper plates, silverware, paper towels, plastic cups, pillows, blankets, etc.
Appliances: Defrost your fridge and freezer, make sure all electronics to be moved are unplugged and disconnected.
New contact information: Let neighbors, landlords, new owners, etc. have your contact information of your new address in case they need to forward any mail or packages to you.
Gather all keys and important items that must stay with home: Know where these items are. (garage door opener, keys, remotes, important items you or the new tenants, or owner may need).
Walk through: If you live in an apartment, have your building supervisor or landlord do a walkthrough of the house, townhouse or apartment.
Rest: Get a good night's rest as tomorrow will be a busy day.
MOVING DAY:
�Make arrangements for your children and pets: Make sure they are out of the way as this can be dangerous for them to be around.
Do a walk through with Castine Driver: Let the driver and crew know what you want packed. Walk through your home with them so you can point out what you want loaded on the truck last if you need access to it first. That way they know everything you want done.
Paperwork: Go through the paperwork with your Castine driver, do a walkthrough of your home of what is going on, show items that are to be moved first and last. If you have expensive items go through the insurance with the company, and sign any documents that are required.
Final walk through: Make sure you do a complete walk through of your home with the Castine driver when they are done loading the truck. Be sure to check all spaces, closets, attics, basements and drawers to make sure everything is empty.
Documents: Make sure you have all of your documents with you, valuables, personal items, kids favorites in your car and ready to go with you for the night of your move in, as this could create problems especially if dealing with children to adjust to a new home or a pet.
Secure Residence: Make sure everything is safely secured and all doors and windows locked, lights, gas and appliances are off.
Closings: Attend your closing, if you need to leave, make sure someone is with the movers (someone that you trust and is assigned to make decisions). Make sure someone is to verify and check inventories whether it is for the loading or unloading of the truck.
Keep your phone on: Leave your cell phone or phone on all day in case anyone needs to get a hold of you.
Verify your Castine driver has directions to destination: Confirm directions with driver. Make sure they are aware of any extra pickup or deliveries.
DELIVERY DAY
Inspect all of your furniture: If there is any damage, this is a good time to discuss and point it out at the time of receipt if your items are not in the condition they were previous to your move.
Get a copy of your bill of lading: This serves as your receipt and sometime your shipment # is on here for long distance moves.
Enjoy the first night in your new home: Your move is over, enjoy your new home.
