Are you ready to move? STEPS TO ORGANIZING | CHECKLISTS | ORGANIZATION TIPS | WHO TO NOTIFY
TIM POWELL REALTOR 734.216.6168 tpowell@reinhartrealtors.com timothybpowell.com
ARE YOU PREPARED TO MOVE INTO YOUR NEW HOME? Congratulations! The closing date is soon approaching and you're probably losing your head trying to get everything in order for moving day. DON'T FORGET TO TRANSFER THE UTILITIES IN/OUT OF YOUR NAME BEFORE YOU MOVE! It would be so frustrating to spend your first night in your new home without electricity or water. I've compiled a list of helpful numbers for just this purpose, so you don't have to worry about it. If you have any questions, please let me know. The hard part of buying/selling your home is over and the rest should be smooth sailing from here!
GAS COMPANIES ELECTRIC COMPANIES WATER PHONE COMPANIES CABLE/INTERNET COMPANIES NEWSPAPER DELIVERY SERVICES POST OFFICES SECRETARY OF STATE OFFICES
CHELSEA VILLAGE ELECTRIC DEPT.
734.475.1771
DTE/MICHCON
dteenergy.com
800.477.4747
AMERIGAS
amerigas.com
800.899.2386
CONSUMER'S ENERGY
consumers energy.com
800.477.5050
PENNINGTON GAS
pennington gas.com
800.274.5599
ANN ARBOR UTILITIES
ci.annarbor.mi.us
734.994.2666
CHELSEA VILLAGE UTILITIES
chelseaweb.com
734.475.8298
DEXTER UTILITIES
villageofdexter.com
734.426.4572
MILAN UTILITIES
ci.milan.mi.us
734.439.1780
PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP
pittsfieldtwp.org
734.822.3105
SALINE UTILITIES
ci.saline.mi.us
734.429.4907
SCIO TOWNSHIP
twp.scio.mi.us
734.369.9350
SUPERIOR TOWNSHIP
superior-twp.org
734.480.4800
YPSILANTI UTILITIES
yuca.org
734.484.4800
GAS COMPANIES
ELECTRIC COMPANIES
WATER
NEWSPAPER DELIVERY
ANN ARBOR OBSERVER
annarbor observer.com
734.769.3175
ANNARBOR.COM
annarbor.com
888.922.2472
THE SUN TIMES
thesuntimesnews.com
734.648.0837
CHELSEA UPDATE
chelseaupdate.com
734.433.1052
SALINE REPORTER
salinereporter.com
734.429.8173
MANCHESTER ENTERPRISE
manchester enterprise.com
734.428.8173
DETROIT NEWS
detnews.com
800.395.3300
FREE PRESS
freep.com
AT&T
att.com
800.244.4444
AT&T Wireless
attwireless.com
800.888.7600
MCI
mci.com
888.624.5622
SPRINT
sprint.com
888.211.4727
T-MOBILE
tmobile.com
877.453.1304
VERIZON
verizon.com
800.483.4000
Verizon Wireless
verizonwireless.com
800.922.0204
PHONE COMPANIES
att.sbc.com
CHARTER
charter.com
800.getcharter
COMCAST
comcast.com
800.comcast
WIDE OPEN WEST
wowway.com
866.496.9669
CABLE/INTERNET COMPANIES
WWW.USPS.COM
2075 WEST STADIUM BLVD ANN ARBOR, MI 48103
usps
800.257.8777
200 EAST LIBERTY ANN ARBOR, MI 48104
1214 SOUTH UNIVERSITY ANN ARBOR, MI 48104
2753 PLYMOUTH ANN ARBOR, MI 48105
1606 SOUTH HURON YPSILANTI, MI 48197
108 SOUTH ADAMS YPSILANTI, MI 48197
200 SOUTH MAIN CHELSEA, MI 48118
3140 BAKER RD DEXTER, MI 48130
123 EAST MAIN MILAN, MI 48160
108 NORTH MAPLE SALINE, MI 48176
POST OFFICES
WWW.MICHIGAN.GOV
353 NORTH MAPLE ANN ARBOR, MI 48103
888.767.6424
2720 WASHTENAW YPSILANTI, MI 48197
1113 M-52 CHELSEA, MI 48118
SECRETARY OF STATE OFFICES
MOVING CAN BE EXCITING AND EMOTIONAL Whether you are moving into your first home, upsizing, downsizing, or starting a new chapter in your life, buying a home is an exciting and emotional time. Moving doesn't have to overwhelm you. With a little planning, you can make the transition to your newhome a successful one. OVERVIEW YOUR TIMELINE AND HELPFUL TIPS A basic timeline of suggested steps will help keep you on track and lower your stress level. WHO DO I NOTIFY? Use the checklist provided to notify various people and companies of your new address. HOME INVENTORY CHECKLIST Making a list of your current household items will help you know what you have, what you need to keep, what to discard, and how to organize items during the packing process.
CONFIRM EVERYTHING! Now is the time to confirm everything you have done over the past 8 weeks. PACK ESSENTIALS - BEDDING, CLOTHES, TOILETRIES Begin preparing suitcases with items you will need right away at your new home and be sure to take it with you and not on the moving truck. WHERE WILL IT GO? INVENTORY RE-CHECK Go over your master list of where your household items will go in the new home. Be prepared to direct people during the move. They will ask where you want to put your items. Have prompt answers for those taking time out of their day to help you. If necessary, go back and put extra labels on boxes to identify where they should go.
5-8 WEEKS BEFORE
PURGE BEFORE YOU PACK Get rid of clutter and unnecessary household items. Consider donating items to charity, holding a garage sale, or selling items online. GET ORGANIZED AND CREATE A BUDGET Set aside a folder where you can put all your paperwork and take notes. Create a moving budget for costs you will incur. TAKE INVENTORY AND PLAN AHEAD Make a list of items in each room. Know what you have and where you might put it in the new home. GET SUPPLIES Purchase boxes, tape, markers, bubble wrap, etc. Get various colored supplies if you want to color code your packing. START PACKING... AND DON'T FORGET TO LABEL! Packing takes longer than you think. If you start packing items from the attic, garage, and other non-essentials, it saves time and stress later. Thoroughly label everything you pack! You will be very thankful later! Pack items in an organized manner. Group appropriate items together so they are easy to locate and put away in your new home. RESERVE MOVING TRUCKS OR COMPANY Now is the time to reserve any moving equipment or schedule movers. CHILDREN, SCHOOLS, AND PETS If you have children, tell the school staff and administration of the impending move. If necessary, make arrangements for baby sitters or pet sitters during your moving day. REPAIRS Make any repairs or touch-ups needed on your home.
CONTINUE PACKING... AND KEEP LABELING! You are getting closer to moving day! Leave out necessities you will need for final clean up of your home and your first night in the new house. Pack valuables in special boxes to transport personally. NOTIFY APPROPRIATE COMPANIES AND POST OFFICE Start notifying and making arrangements for utility transfers, insurance,and other accounts and services for your scheduled move-in-date. Schedule any disconnects as well. START EATING YOUR FOOD Use up food items you don't want to move. Plan ahead to have nothing left in your refrigerator.
1 WEEK BEFORE
2-4 WEEKS BEFORE
YOUR TIMELINE A BASIC GUIDE
STAY CALM You will experience excitement and stress. Take a deep breath, eat a good breakfast, and begin your big day. KEEP YOUR LISTS AND PAPERWORK WITH YOU You have carefully planned and documented everything for the day, keep that information with you and readily accessible. BE PREPARED TO ANSWER A LOT OF QUESTIONS Anyone helping you move will have questions and will look to you for guidance on how you want things done or where to put items. TAKE INVENTORY AS BOXES ARE LOADED Keep track of what boxes are loaded onto the moving truck. MOVERS NEED YOUR PHONE NUMBER Make sure the movers have your cell number in case there are any problems. FINAL SWEEP UP After all the boxes are loaded up, do a final sweep up and dispose of any remaining garbage. TURN THE THERMOSTAT DOWN Turn it down to a suitable temperature for a vacant home, depending on the time of year it is. AT THE NEW HOUSE Do a walk through of thehome to make sure nothing is broken or missing. ORGANIZE AND UNPACK Organize your items and prioritize unpacking by what you will need first and what can wait to be unpacked. YOUR FIRST NIGHT Focus on getting the necessities accomplished for your first night. Is your bed ready for you to sleep in after your long day? Do you have food, toiletries, medications, and clothes easily accessible? CELEBRATE! YOU ARE IN YOUR NEW HOME!
THE DAY BEFORE
DEFROST AND CLEAR Clean out and completely empty the refrigerator. Clear out items from the pantry. PREPARE FOOD AND SNACKS FOR MOVING DAY You and your family will get hungry throughout your move. Keep a cooler filled with snacks and drinks. Pack picnic style, include disposable plates, silverware, cups, and napikins. DO A FINAL WALK THROUGH OF YOUR HOME Double check every nook and cranny of your home to ensure there hasn't been an oversight in the packing process. REVIEW YOUR GAME PLAN Review tomorrow's general plan and timelines. Make sure everyone involved with the move knows the details of who, what, and where. Double check arrangements made for your children or pets. DOUBLE CHECK YOUR NECESSITIES Have you packed everything you need for the next day? Pack as if you were going camping. Run through your daily morning and nightly routines and include all of those items. Bedding, pillows, towels Clothes, shoes, pajamas Soap/shampoo/conditioner/brushes Toothpaste/toothbrush/shaving items Medicines/contact solution/other Hair products/hair dryer/makeup Cleaning supplies Toilet paper and tissues
IT'S MOVING DAY!
THE BIG DAY!!
BANK EMPLOYER PAYROLL/HUMAN RESOURCES LOAN INSTITUTIONS CREDIT CARDS INSURANCE AUTO AND EMERGENCY ROADSIDE HOME LIFE HEALTH OTHER__________________________________________________ INVESTMENTS/401K/IRA PLANS ACCOUNTANT ATTORNEY SCHOOLS PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS LICENSING BOARDS MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS PHYSICIAN DENTIST OPTOMETRIST OTHER SPECIALISTS VETERINARY CLINIC CHURCH CLUBS, CHARITIES, AND OTHER MEMBERSHIPS ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS SEND ANNOUNCEMENTS TO FRIENDS & FAMILY SUBSCRIPTIONS NEWSPAPERS MAGAZINES ONLINE MEMBERSHIPS AND ACCOUNTS OTHER__________________________________________________ OTHER__________________________________________________ OTHER__________________________________________________ OTHER__________________________________________________ OTHER__________________________________________________ OTHER__________________________________________________
CHANGE OF ADDRESS NOTIFICATIONS
ELECTRIC GAS OR PROPANE COMPANY WATER GARBAGE HOME SECURITY COMPANY TELEPHONE - LANDLINE AND CELL PHONES CABLE/SATELLITE TV INTERNET WATER DELIVERY/TREATMENT POOL SERVICES LAWN AND GARDEN SERVICES HOUSE CLEANING SERVICES OTHER__________________________________________________ OTHER__________________________________________________
UTILITIES AND HOME SERVICES
FINANCIAL & PERSONAL
POST OFFICE VOTER REGISTRATION IRS/INCOME TAX SOCIAL SECURITY SECRETARY OF STATE/DMV DRIVER'S LICENSE VEHICLE REGISTRATION RETIREMENT/PENSION BENEFITS VETERAN AFFAIRS OTHER__________________________________________________
GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC OFFICES
HOME INVENTORY KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE...
ITEM(S)
NUMBER OF ITEMS
PACKING NOTES OR WHERE TO PUT IN NEW HOME
Table and chairs
Dishes/flatware/glassware
Pots/pans
Clocks/wall decor
Refrigerator
Stove
Microwave
Dishwasher
Electrical appliances
Washer and dryer
Ironing board
Vacuum
Shelving
KITCHEN AND LAUNDRY
ELECTRONICS
China cabinet/buffet
Silverware/china/glassware
Wall decor and lamps
TV
Cameras/video
Computer or laptop
Computer accessories
Speakers/stereo system
DVD player
Telephones
Tablets (iPad, Kindle, etc)
Video game system
DINING ROOM
Exercise Equipment
Toys/games
Trunks/luggage
Sporting equipment
Seasonal decorations/items
BEDROOMS AND PERSONAL ITEMS
Bedframe/box spring/mattress
Linens
Night stand
Dresser
Desk and chairs
Lamps and wall decor
Mirror
Jewelry
Closet accessories
BASEMENT AND ATTIC
MISCELLANEOUS
GARAGE AND OUTDOORS
Storage Equipment
Lawn mower
Tools
Grill
Lawn furniture