With summer comes all sorts of new chapters in life. New jobs, new school, new family, or simply new scenery. Whatever the case may be, summer is a popular time of year for moving. So with that in mind, we thought it would be helpful to provide a moving list you can use.
Things to do leading up to moving day
There are some things to be done, weeks before that moving truck pulls up.
Give notice
There’s something to be said about tenants who just up and leave without notice. Don’t be like them. Even if giving notice is not required in the lease, it’s still the courteous thing to do. This will allow the landlord to begin the search for a new tenant. It will even open a door for them to pitch in with your move.
You never know what contacts they may have to make the task at hand easier.
Research moving companies
If you can, get online and look at highly rated companies, talk to friends, and ask your landlord for recommendations.
De-clutter and purge your home
Unless you’re a strict minimalist, you’re probably like most of us. You’ve accumulated belongings that you don’t really use and they’re really something you can part with and do without.
Knowing that a move is ahead of you can really give you an opportunity to declutter and shed some unnecessary moving weight. Why not start off in your new place without all the clutter and unused belongings that take up space?
Packing up
First, begin by packing up the things you don’t use much. Start with seasonal items and the things you stow away long term. You can read a few additional tips on this point here.
As you get closer to moving day, pack up the things you use most often. We recommend packing clothes and hygiene into a suitcase or a box that you’ll keep in your car. That way, if there’s a problem with the moving vehicle as it travels to your new home, you still have the necessary day-to-day needs with you.
We suggest coming up with a labeling system for your boxes, so you know which boxes belong to which room in your new home.
Cancel subscriptions
A few weeks before moving, you would do well to cancel any subscription you have to things like the local newspaper. It would not be good to find out later that you’ve been paying for the new tenant’s morning read.
Change your address
Additionally, you’ll want to fill out your change of address form with the United States Postal Service. On their forms, you can specify what day you’d like to begin the transition process.
For a time, they will ensure all your mail gets forwarded to your new address. This will give you a chance to get in touch with friends, family, and businesses about your new contact information.
Let friends know of your change of address
Finally, you can reach out to friends and let them know what you’ve been up to. Give them a call, text, or email. They’ll be glad to hear from you – and they’ll be able to send those Christmas cards out with the right address in their contact book.
Post-move list
There are some key, general guidelines to finishing up with the moving process.
Thoroughly clean the mobile home
According to the lease, your landlord probably requires that the place is left the same way you found it. Even if the lease does not detail this, it certainly is the right thing to do!
So after the moving truck is packed up, it’s in everyone’s best interest that you run through the mobile home. If you’re not up to it, you can always schedule a cleaning company to come in the day after moving. They’ll spruce the place up in no time at all.
Fix any damages that you caused
After the cleaning company is out, walk through the home and take inventory of any damages you may have incurred. Fix them, make them right with your landlord, and you’ll be all set to move on.
Turn in the keys
But don’t forget to turn in the keys. This is the final step in saying farewell to your old home as you welcome the new.
They’ll be sad to see you go!
So that wasn’t so complicated, was it? Use this moving list and be a courteous tenant. Your landlord or mobile home park will thank you for it!
If you’re a landlord who just had tenants move out, hopefully, you’ve already begun your search for a prospective tenant.
About Dan Paton
