What to Expect

With your move on the horizon, there are many things to consider and prepare. We suggest taking the following steps: 

• Declutter
• Donate/Sell unwanted items
• Collect Boxes
• Begin packing
• Update Your Address (and all legal paperwork)
• Cancel local memberships
• When packing, prepare a few boxes of daily essentials to keep separate from all other boxes.

This is where moving starts to get serious. You’ve already updated your address, pared down your possessions, and canceled your local gym membership. Now it’s time to start deep-cleaning your house, getting any long-distance moving details pinned down, and taking care of things like returning library books and picking up last rounds of dry cleaning. 

• Prepare Your Home. This includes deep cleaning. Be sure to mop, dust, and wipe down baseboards, blinds, and surfaces. 
• Prepare for Your Trip. This list item becomes more involved the longer your travel. Skim the following suggestions and use what is useful to you: 
  • If you are shipping your car to your new destination, connect with your move company to confirm details. 
  • If you’re not driving, make your travel arrangements. 
  • If you are driving to your new destination, make sure your car is in good shape. Get the oil changed, fill your gas tank, etcetera.
  • Decide which items you want to move personally and keep them separate from those boxes that will go onto the moving truck. 
  • Watch the weather for the week of your travel.
  • Plan your route: hotels/motels where you’ll sleep, gas fill-ups, roadside attractions, places to eat, etcetera. 
  • Pack activities to entertain any children aboard. 
  • Put together a playlist with everyone’s favorite songs or pick out some audiobooks to listen to together.
• Last-Minute Errands. Pay any outstanding penalties or fees (parking tickets, legal fees, taxes); pick up your last round of dry-cleaning; return items borrowed from friends, neighbors, or the library. 

Double-Check this To-Do List. Go back over this list and make sure that nothing important has been left undone.

With one week to go, you’ve probably already done most of the major work and packing. Here are a few helpful tips to help prepare for the week before your move. 

• Prepare Your Appliances
• Set Up Services at New Location
  • Internet
  • Gas
  • Electric
  • Water
  • Trash/Recycling
• Make Child/Pet Care Arrangements 
• Mark Extra Fragile Items
• Group items that you want packed together
• Label all boxes 
• Return cable/internet equipment to your local company

By the time you’ve reached this step, most of your work has already been done. There are a few things, though–such as packing a “first night” box and unplugging electronics–that still need to be seen to. Look forward to seeing Merchants Moving tomorrow! 

• Pack a “First Night” Box with the essentials, such as:
  • Next day’s clothes
  • Bed linens 
  • Sleeping accessories (breathing machine, etc)
  • Soap
  • Shampoo/conditioner
  • Towels
  • Toothbrushes, toothpaste
  • Non-perishable food items 
  • Cosmetics and beauty items
  • Personal electronics and charging cords
  • Prescription medications
  • Important files and documents
  • Cleaning supplies
• Unplug all electronics 24 hours prior to the move
• Double-Check Your To-Do Lists. Moving day is almost here!

Moving Day is typically split into two parts–Move-Out and Move-In. Both can go smoothly and be stress free with a little bit of preparation and the help of Merchants Moving! 

Move Out 

• Confirm arrival time with Merchants Moving
• Prepare a cooler with water and snacks
• Remain close while loading is happening 
• Do a final tour of the house/office 
• Complete & sign all paperwork from Merchant’s Moving

Move In

• Have your first night box handy 
• The Merchants Moving van delivery driver will contact you to deliver your belongings. 
• Tell movers where you would like furniture and appliances placed.
• Sign the inventory list to acknowledge receipt of belongings.
• Sit back and relax while the Merchants Moving crew takes care of the unload.