Ensure your move is successful and less stressful with Elite's helpful Moving Guide & Checklist
One Month in Advance:
Two Weeks in Advance:
At Your New Home:
- Change your address. A change of address form is available on the United States Postal Service website and in U.S. Post Offices. Make sure you notify banks, credit card companies, insurance issuers, subscriptions, etc. of your new address.
- Set aside items you’d rather not move but don’t want to throw away. Try selling items of value online at retailers like eBay, Craigslist or a local Facebook page, or hold a garage sale. Donate the rest to charity (and don’t forget the charitable receipt for a possible tax deduction!) Some organizations will even come pick items up for you.
- Notify professional services such as doctors, lawyers, schools, insurance agents and accountants, and look for services in your new city.
- Cancel or transfer memberships — to health clubs, groups or organizations.
- Arrange for records to be transferred — medical, school, veterinary, etc.
- Arrange to cancel existing utilities and services — heat, electric, cable, phone, water, sewer, garbage, newspaper delivery, lawn service, etc. — and call ahead to set up new services at your new location.
- Book travel arrangements for your move and any lodging you’ll need along the way.
Two Weeks in Advance:
- Consult your Elite moving representative to make sure you know what cannot be transported and dispose of those items or transport them to your new home yourself. Items we cannot transport include, but are not limited to, flammables, poisons, corrosives, ammunition, firearms and propane tanks.
- Don’t forget kiddos and fido! Make any necessary arrangements for your children or pets on move day — line up baby sitting or daycare for children and boarding or pet-sitting for pets the day(s) of your move. If children and pets are onsite during your move, (for their safety and the safety of our crew) please ensure they are safely away from movers, trucks and equipment. Purchase kennels or other transport containers for pets and obtain health certificates and/or vaccinations from the vet.
- Try to use up perishable foods.
- If your move is an intrastate move, please note there may be additional charges if: our truck cannot be parked near your home or apartment unit which constitutes a "long carry", your unit requires the use of an elevator or there is more than one flight of stairs to access your home or unit. Please talk with your move coordinator in advance of your about your particular situation.
- Defrost your refrigerator and freezer and wipe up any liquid.
- Unplug electronics/appliances so they’ll be at room temperature for the move. Label cords to electronics or take photos of how they attach so reconnecting them in your new home will be a breeze.
- Drain gas and oil from yard equipment, grills, heaters, etc.
- Make sure all boxes are sealed and clearly marked on the sides of the boxes which rooms they belong to.
- Clean dust and debris off of furniture and appliances, especially the tops of items that may not get regular cleaning. We pride ourselves on providing clean equipment and pads. We don't want to bring someone else's dust into your home on our pads and do not want to take yours with us to the next move.
- Make sure walkways are clear and have a rough idea of where you would like furniture placed in your new home.
- Make sure you have masks to wear and/or can practice social distancing from our crew on move-day. We take the health and wellbeing of our clients and employees very seriously. We appreciate your cooperation during the pandemic.
At Your New Home:
- Complete any inspections, cleaning, repairs and modifications to your new home before moving items in.
- Create and display a floor plan to guide unloading and placement of furniture and items.
- Check your furniture and household items to make sure nothing is missing and/or damaged. If there is damage, report it to your moving representative.
- Compile and store receipts from moving expenses. You might be able to deduct them from your taxes, or be reimbursed from your employer.
- Remember that payment for your move is due upon delivery.
- Enjoy your new home!
Packing yourself? Protect your stuff and reduce your move time with these helpful tips!
Do Double Duty — Pack breakables in packing paper or clothing, towels and bedding. Pack lightweight clothes, towels or linens in dresser drawers. If your dresser is antique, fragile, made of composite material such as particle board or is in an area of your home that is difficult to maneuver out of, the extra weight in drawers may put unusual torque on that dresser, so we suggest all drawers be empty.
The Box Matters — Be sure to use appropriate boxes for their contents. Boxes made for moving and packed well can make all the difference in the protection of your belongings. Containers to avoid as they may not withstand stacking and/or the rigors of transport are: plastic totes, garbage bags, shoe boxes, used boxes that are partially crushed and/or have been exposed to moisture. Make sure boxes are taped along all seams.
Plan Your Pack — Write up a list of what you’ll pack and when. Start with out-of-season items and things you don’t use often. Save the items you use regularly until right before your move.
Label, Label, Label — Clearly mark every box and container with the room it’s from, its contents, what priority it will be to unpack, whether there’s anything breakable and whether the box is heavy. Use different colors and a consistent format to help identify each box at a glance. Example: Kitchen, Pots and pans, High (priority), or: Office, Books, Low (priority), Heavy.
Plates and Pictures — These items should be packed vertically, rather than stacked with plenty of padding between them. They’re less likely to break this way.
Take It Apart — For anything that has to be disassembled, keep all the parts together. Put screws, bolts, brackets, curtain rings, etc., in plastic ziplock bags and pack them in a box marked "Parts Box" so that all of your parts will be easy to locate. Furniture with glass shelving should have the glass removed and boxed if possible.
Pack A Suitcase — Pack a bag with all your daily essentials as though you were going on a trip or vacation. That way you’ll have a change of clothes and all your necessary toiletries, medications and personal items handy when you get to your new place, without having to rummage through boxes.
Keep ‘Em Separated — Pack valuables and important documents separately and transport them yourself. Now would be a good time to purchase a locking safe if you don’t already have one.
Avoid Spillage — Pack items such a toiletries, soap containers, jars, etc. in plastic bags, and make sure to stand them upright in a box, then clearly mark the box as containing liquid items, and note which end must remain up.
Prepare Before You Unpack — If possible, do any cleaning, painting, repairs or modifications to your new home before unloading furniture and household goods.
Be Box Smart — Pack heavier items in smaller boxes. Lighter items can go in bigger boxes. Heavy boxes are hard to carry. Trust us.
Pack Wisely — Find the perfect fill. Don’t overstuff a box, and don’t make it too heavy to safely lift and carry. Try to pack contents firmly so items don’t shift and so the box can be stacked without crushing inward.
*Packing Required — The following items must be packed or we cannot guarantee them:
Ready for the next step?
The Box Matters — Be sure to use appropriate boxes for their contents. Boxes made for moving and packed well can make all the difference in the protection of your belongings. Containers to avoid as they may not withstand stacking and/or the rigors of transport are: plastic totes, garbage bags, shoe boxes, used boxes that are partially crushed and/or have been exposed to moisture. Make sure boxes are taped along all seams.
Plan Your Pack — Write up a list of what you’ll pack and when. Start with out-of-season items and things you don’t use often. Save the items you use regularly until right before your move.
Label, Label, Label — Clearly mark every box and container with the room it’s from, its contents, what priority it will be to unpack, whether there’s anything breakable and whether the box is heavy. Use different colors and a consistent format to help identify each box at a glance. Example: Kitchen, Pots and pans, High (priority), or: Office, Books, Low (priority), Heavy.
Plates and Pictures — These items should be packed vertically, rather than stacked with plenty of padding between them. They’re less likely to break this way.
Take It Apart — For anything that has to be disassembled, keep all the parts together. Put screws, bolts, brackets, curtain rings, etc., in plastic ziplock bags and pack them in a box marked "Parts Box" so that all of your parts will be easy to locate. Furniture with glass shelving should have the glass removed and boxed if possible.
Pack A Suitcase — Pack a bag with all your daily essentials as though you were going on a trip or vacation. That way you’ll have a change of clothes and all your necessary toiletries, medications and personal items handy when you get to your new place, without having to rummage through boxes.
Keep ‘Em Separated — Pack valuables and important documents separately and transport them yourself. Now would be a good time to purchase a locking safe if you don’t already have one.
Avoid Spillage — Pack items such a toiletries, soap containers, jars, etc. in plastic bags, and make sure to stand them upright in a box, then clearly mark the box as containing liquid items, and note which end must remain up.
Prepare Before You Unpack — If possible, do any cleaning, painting, repairs or modifications to your new home before unloading furniture and household goods.
Be Box Smart — Pack heavier items in smaller boxes. Lighter items can go in bigger boxes. Heavy boxes are hard to carry. Trust us.
Pack Wisely — Find the perfect fill. Don’t overstuff a box, and don’t make it too heavy to safely lift and carry. Try to pack contents firmly so items don’t shift and so the box can be stacked without crushing inward.
*Packing Required — The following items must be packed or we cannot guarantee them:
- Computer equipment, televisions and stereo/video equipment
- All glass items
- Framed pictures and artwork
- Chemicals, combustibles, paint and thinners, household aerosols and any corrosive material
- Fire wood, scrap wood or metal, rubbish or any insect or rodent infested item
Ready for the next step?
