Your Carefree Move: The Checklist

• Arrange your move. Hire a moving company or rent a truck. Get estimates from several moving companies. If you're moving yourself, ask for an appliance dolly.
• Gather moving supplies. Boxes, tape, rope, and anything else you'll need.
• Plan your travel. If you're traveling to your new home, make your transportation and lodging reservations ahead of time. Leave a copy of your itinerary with friends or family.
• Keep your moving receipts. Save your receipts for meals, lodging, and gasoline, and record what you spend on house-hunting trips. Ask your tax professional whether any of your moving costs can be deducted.
• Make a packing plan. Pack the things you use the most last. The packing tips below will help.
• Tell people your new address:
  • The post office
  • Charge accounts and subscriptions
  • Relatives and friends
  • National and alumni organizations
  • Past employers (for W-2 purposes)
  • Your retirement account
  Save your old address labels. They speed up filling out change-of-address forms.
• Notify the tax authorities. Let federal and state taxing authorities, and any other government agency that needs it, know your new address.

A garage sale is a good way to lighten the load. Here is how to make it go well.

Before the Sale

• Allow plenty of time, three or four weeks, to prepare.
• Choose a date that won't conflict with holidays. Weekends are more convenient for more people than weekdays.
• Your sale is likely to attract more people if you join together with neighbors and have more to sell. Some homeowners' groups sponsor neighborhood sales that are popular.
• Practical household goods are popular. Adult clothing has less appeal.
• Post your sale on Facebook Marketplace, and share it on Facebook and Instagram. If you'd like more people to see it, you can run an ad.
• Hang flyers on free bulletin boards at supermarkets and coffee shops.
• Put up directional signs to your property.
• If your home is listed for sale, keep flyers about your home available for people to take.
• Optional: place a classified ad in the local newspaper, and include three or four of the items you're selling.

Setting Up

• Merchandise your items attractively in neat, clean surroundings.
• Cluster like items together. Put the more desirable items at the back of the garage, so browsers look at your other items on their way to them.
• Clean and polish every item, and make sure it's in good repair.
• Put your appliance table near an outlet so customers can test the product.
• Make sure there is enough parking and a space to load heavier items.
• Have plenty of bags and boxes, and newspapers for wrapping fragile items.

On Sale Day

• For pricing ideas, visit other sales in your area.
• Post a notice that all sales are final and paid in cash.
• Keep plenty of change in a cash box in a protected spot.
• Keep a record of sales, especially when several people are selling. A simple way is to price items with small white stickers. When an item sells, peel off the sticker and place it next to the seller's name on a piece of paper.
• On a hot day, have ice water or lemonade. On a cold day, serve hot chocolate. People stay longer.

Tell me about the major items in your sale. I may have a client looking for just that thing.

Your veterinarian and pet stores are good sources of information, too.

Cats and Dogs

• Cats and dogs can fly or ride along in the car. If you fly, your pet can ride in the baggage compartment and will need a health certificate from your vet. Call the airline ahead of time about special boxes, and make sure any container you build for your pet meets airline rules. Put a piece of clothing with your scent in the box so your pet feels more at home.
• If your pet is flying without you, make sure someone is at the other end to pick your pet up at the airport and take care of it until you arrive.
• The easiest way to care for your pet before you arrive is a kennel. Many kennels can take your pet several days before the move and keep it safe and out of your way. You can also arrange for a kennel at the other end to pick your pet up from the airport.
• Think twice about taking a dog or cat on a long cross-country car trip. Animals can get car sick, and being cooped up all day can make them nervous. They must be fed, have plenty to drink (bring a water dish), make rest stops, and stay on a leash any time the car door is opened.
• Some motels and hotels don't allow pets, and others have special facilities. Call ahead, and check the literature on hotels along your route. National chains usually publish this information.

Small Animals

Hamsters, birds, mice, and similar pets can travel fairly easily in the family car. Make sure they have enough food and water in their cages and are out of drafts and extreme temperatures. Cover the cages with a cloth to keep your pets quiet and restful.

Fish

It isn't practical to move fish in their aquarium. A gallon of water weighs eight pounds. Plan on giving the fish away, and restock the aquarium when you reach your new home.

If you think moving is hard on grown-ups, imagine what it's like for kids. They're starting over and trying to meet new friends while getting used to a new home, neighborhood, and school. Think about your children's needs before, during, and after the move.

Before the Move

• Visit your new community before you move, and set up some activities for your children.
• Give your kids a space to talk about their feelings about the move.
• Help them make a list of family and friends, to reassure them they'll stay in contact.
• Stay as upbeat and calm as you can. Your mood affects your children's moods.
• Involve your children in the packing. Older children can put their own belongings in boxes, and children of all ages enjoy decorating the boxes that hold their things.
• Don't pack the things your children treasure. Take special blankets, favorite books, and other prized items in the car or on the plane with you.
• Help your children say goodbye to the important people in their lives. A party is a fun way to celebrate a friendship.
• For many families, moving day means a long car trip or a cross-country flight. Add travel games and fun to your plans.

Once You're Moved In

To make your new home feel more like home, hang a child's or family portrait in a prominent spot, or set up a tabletop display of family photographs. Don't spend too much time unpacking, at least not right away. In the first few days, take time to enjoy your new home with your family. Take walks and check out local restaurants. Above all, listen. Be there when your children get home after their first day at their new schools, even if it means leaving work early. Ask often how things are going, and take time to listen.