Research shows that moving is one of the most stressful events in a person's life. There are many things to consider: packing, storage, timelines when events need to happen, and selling your home. Whether you're moving across town or across the country, you owe it to yourself - and your family - to make the entire moving process as easy as possible.

Moving Checklist

Here's your moving checklist! Use this checklist to make sure you remember important moving dates and deadlines. We've taken the worry out of moving by thinking of nearly everything!

8 weeks before move

• If you are planning a garage sale, set a date.
• Arrange to transfer school records if you have children.
• Discover schools in your new community by visiting http://www.theschoolreport.com/ on the World Wide Web.
• Contact insurance companies to notify them of the move.
• Start a "Move File" for all receipts, papers and estimates related to your move.

6 weeks before move

• Select a van line or rental truck company you will use. Give them tentative pick-up and delivery dates.
• If you are moving to a new city, be sure and ask your attorney, doctor and other providers for referrals and any necessary records.
• If you have any pets, schedule a check-up and be sure and get a copy of their records from the veterinarian.
• Set schedules with real estate agents and/or landlords.
• Schedule a home inspection for your new home.

4 weeks before move

• Schedule disconnect dates with your local utility company.
• Notify new utility company of connect dates in the new home.
• If you have a lawnmower or any other power equipment, drain them of oil and gasoline. Moving companies will not move them if they are full.
• Cancel newspaper delivery and trash pickup effective on your move date.
• Give your carpet a good cleaning before all of the furniture is moved into the new address

1 week before move

• Clean out refrigerator and defrost freezer.
• Have your car serviced if you will be driving a long distance.
• Confirm connect dates for utilities in your new home.
• Transfer or close your checking account.
• Be sure to get all items from your safe deposit box.

Moving day

• Spend the entire day at home with the movers.
• Carry any valuables or family heirlooms with you.
• Right before the movers leave, take a final tour of your home, making sure nothing has been left in drawers or closets and that all doors and windows are locked.
• Specify a "Do Not Move" area where you place items you do not want the movers to take with them.

At your new address

• Obtain numbers needed in an emergency such as the fire department and police.
• Check with post office to see if there is any mail that is being held for you.
• Register your cars. Also, register to vote in your new area.
• Enroll children in school.

Preparation
Your first contact with Federal will be with a moving counselor. This is often the title associated with a salesperson for a local moving company. Advising the family on every aspect of a well-planned move is the primary responsibility of this professional.

The moving counselor will come to your home to explain to you and your family the many services that Federal offers. Having done that, the moving counselor will perform a survey of everything in your home that will be moved-and he or she will probably point out things along the way that can't be moved (flammables such cans of paint, for example), that may require special attention (crating for a slate-top pool table, perhaps), or that must be prepared for the move by you or a third party (disconnecting a gas dryer or draining a waterbed are two common examples).

This survey allows the counselor to provide you with an estimate of costs and various pricing options you may choose from. Once you've selected a mover, you'll be asked to sign an Order for Service at which point your moving counselor will register your move with Federal.

Packing
If you ordered packing, a team of specially-trained packers will be sent to your home either on the morning of your scheduled loading day or the day before, depending on how much packing needs to be done.

Most furniture is wrapped with specially constructed cloth pads or "blankets" to protect it from scratches, dents, dirt, etc. Even items such as gardening tools are padded to prevent them from scratching or soiling other items in the shipment. Tightly loaded tiers-with heavy articles loaded on the bottom-will be constructed inside the van to avoid jarring or shifting while on the road.

Loading
Next up among the professionals assigned to service your shipment is the driver or van foreman, as we in the moving industry call him, since his role in your move encompasses so much more than just driving. He, of course, is in charge of the physical moving process. He's responsible for loading your goods at origin, driving the van, and delivering your belongings-safe and sound-into your new home. Generally, he'll be assisted in the loading and unloading processes by one to three helpers.

Before loading begins, the driver will take special precautions to protect your home, as well as its contents. This may include laying down "floor runners" to protect carpets and flooring in entryways, hallways, and other high-traffic areas, as well as padding banisters and doorways to avoid marring walls and woodwork.

If you cannot be present at the time of loading, you'll need to arrange for a responsible person to act as your agent in signing both the bill of lading and the inventory list.

After everything has been loaded in the van, it's a good idea for you and the van foreman to take one last walk through your house to make sure that nothing has been overlooked.

Inventory/Paperwork
Your driver will prepare a detailed Inventory & Condition Report of the items to be moved. In addition to tagging every individual carton or piece of furniture with numbered and color-coded labels, he or she will record each item-and a description of any existing damage-on the inventory form. You should accompany the driver as he or she prepares the inventory, pointing out any special concerns or handling considerations along the way.

You'll be asked to sign the inventory, as your acknowledgment that the pieces indicated were loaded and as verification of their condition prior to the move. Then, the driver will sign the form as well and present you with a copy. Keep this inventory with you for use at your new home.

The driver also will ask you to sign a bill of lading. This is the contract by which you authorize the van line to transport your possessions and agree to pay for those services. The bill of lading serves to confirm the services performed, pickup and delivery schedules, and the valuation and protection plan that you've selected.

Delivery of Your Possessions
It's extremely important for you to contact your destination agent as soon as you arrive in your new hometown so that final delivery arrangements can be made. The driver will contact the destination agent 24 hours prior to his expected arrival time, to allow the destination agent to notify you. (If you cannot be reached, it may be necessary to unload your shipment into storage at an additional cost to you.)

When your shipment arrives, you can help expedite the unloading process by having a room-by-room floor plan in mind, and by letting the driver know where you want things placed as they're unloaded and brought into your home.

The driver and crew will reassemble any items they disassembled at origin. Check items off the inventory list as they're brought in, noting their condition. If an item appears to have been damaged during the move or is missing, make a note on the inventory-including the driver's copies-and notify your destination agent.

Dealing with Moving Companies

Moving is hard work. And regardless of whether you´re moving across country or just across town, you still have a million and one things to do.

1. If you are moving within your state, verify your mover´s licensing with the state´s Department of Transportation or other regulatory agency.
2. If you are moving to a different state, make sure the mover carries the licensing and authority required by the Federal Department of Tranportation. Don´t rely on the company to be truthful. Protect yourself and check with the appropriate agency.
3. Call the Better Business Bureau regarding constant or numerous complaints. The larger a company and the more moves it makes, the more likely it will have some complaints against it. Look for a patterns of behavior--and more importantly--successful problem resolution.
4. Don´t rely on sales people to provide accurate information about competition. They may say things that are negative to put themselves in a better light. Quality organizations with a good track record rarely do this.
5. Find out if the mover belongs to industry assocations. You can then check with the association to find out if they are members in good standing.
6. The Federal government requires that movers provide a copy of "Your Moving Rights" written by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. If a mover fails to provide this, pass them by. Protect yourself by reading it carefully.
7. When moving to another state, get the following documents from your mover:

• An "Order For Service" signed by your mover. This spells out the agreement between you and your mover by specifying the dates your goods will be loaded and delivered, the estimated cost, and (for interstate moves) the fact that the mover can only collect 110% of the estimate when delivery is made.
• A written estimate that describes each line item of any extra or accessory charges. Make sure the estimate is conducted at your home. Phone estimates are notoriously inaccurate.
• Obtain a Table of Measurements otherwise known as a Cube Sheet. This is the means by which the mover calculates the size and weight of your load. Make sure the estimate is based on weight, not cubic feet.