Moving can be a great big stress—right up there with the really bad tings like divorce and job loss. So even in the best circumstances, household tensions are up there and everyone's nerves are wearing thin. If you are like most of the population, the thing that keeps you awake during the night is the physical move--a weeks or months long process that seems to take up your every waking minute. It is overwhelming for even the most organized and minimalistic family; you have got to pick through and decide what to do with everything and wrap and get boxes and figure out how to pack the boxes and take furniture apart and then transport it all from here to there.
This is where a professional, full-service moving company can help and give you time to concentrate on your new house, new job, new schools, and new day-to-day schedule. Whether you are relocating across the street in Tulsa and Oklahoma City or several states away, every single thing in your old house has to be packed up or given away. Most people focus on the portion of the move that involves loading the trucks and going down the street, but like most household projects, the prep work is the iceberg and moving day is only the visible tip. An experienced team of professional full-service movers can assist you to navigate that iceberg for smooth and simple sailing right up to your new front door.
For starters, you have got to find the best moving company for you. Ask your family or your realtor for referrals, and interview a couple movers to decide on the best choice for you. If you've never employed movers before, here are a couple crucial questions to ask.
-Are you licensed and insured? Make sure see a current copy of their commercial policy.
-What is your damage liability, and what are the options for fine furniture or antiques? Good movers should look over all your belongings and point out existing damage or weak spots before they wrap, these days they'll take pictures, in addition.
-Can I pack some things? Do you really pack dirty ashtrays? Lots of people want to pack really valuable or fragile items themselves, and most packers are alright with that. But, the pros really know how to wrap fragile things so there is not as much of a chance of breakage, and to put those belongings in boxes so they're safe but not too tight (fun fact: threading packing paper through the handle of a coffee cup or mug and stuffing newsprint into it reduces the chance the mug will break). And most movers will ask before they box full trash cans--the ashtray could have happened but it's likely an urban legend.
-Will you disassemble beds and furniture and put them back together in the new house? Full-service movers are skilled at disassembling and reassembling anything from futons to beds. There are not many things in life much more pleasing than a man who understands the tricks of those little cams and bolts. Also, they use their own tools so you're not sorting through things that you just packed to pinpoint the screwdrivers.
-Do you charge one price or can I choose a la carte services? Again, the majority of movers will be flexible on service offerings. However, you could end up paying more for only getting certain services. If you think you will save here and there purchasing your own packing supplies, or taking apart furniture, chances are pretty good that you won't. When you take into consideration that you'll be charged higher prices at moving supply or big box stores and don’t know exactly how much you'll really need to buy, and may make several journeys to the store, letting the professional packers do it is a better bet.
Now that you have employed the best movers—you are on their schedule for packing and loading and unloading--you can check that off your to-do list and move on to the specifics of starting life in a new house.
If your move is local in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, you're getting a break in that you can keep the nuts and bolts of your life the same--same doctors, dry cleaners, gym, etc. But if your relocation is not right around the corner and you have got to start rebuilding your network from scratch; the good news is that without the move stress hanging over your every waking moment, you can get a head start on all the details that turn a new town into a home town.
The devil is indeed in the details, so here's a cheat sheet to help you prioritize. Now is the time to gather all your documents that are strewn all over and condense them into a folder, either digital or a hard copy. You will want to find birth certificates, social security numbers, medical and immunization records, driver’s license, passports—chances are that at some point in the near future you will need to be able to find all of these things. Changes in federal and some state laws require two forms of photo government ID, so yes, you do need to locate your passport and go ahead and renew if it has expired.
Schools
If you've got school-aged children, getting them assimilated into their new environment as uncomplicatedly as possible is vital. Call the local Board of Education to validate the documents you need to register in their system. School districts have different proceedures regarding attendance; some have rigid boundary lines and others are more flexible. If you are curious about magnet schools, you'll need those guidelines to register for their programs. For proof of residence, you'll most likely need a copy of your deed, mortgage, or lease to confirm your address, and most likely a utility bill as a secondary source. Also, remember the current immunization records and transcripts from previous providers.
Health Care
Ask your primary care physician for referrals in your new locale—there's sometimes a trusted buddy from med school they can recommend. As so many practices now are part of large networks of providers you may be able to facilitate an easy transition to a provider; if not your insurance carrier can point you to in-network practices. It is likely to be more difficult to find the right pediatricians, internists, orthodontists and witch doctors, but be understanding and you'll find the right one eventually. Do not forget about switching over your prescriptions; chances are good that you'll just need to switch to the new location and stay with the same provider.
Utilities and Maintenance
Your realtor should be helping you to make sure all your utilities are turned on and functioning when you arrive at your new home, but you're the one who needs to open the accounts and schedule service. You've got the basics--power, water, and gas--where there is a single provider and that's it. Most towns have several options for communication services, and if your incumbent provider does not service your new area you'll have to find a new one.
If your new neighborhood has an HOA they will have all the relevant information on items like trash pickup, mail delivery and lawn maintenance standards. If you manage your own yard this might be a good opportunity to upgrade the mower and blower, if not ask the locals for a good service.
Personal Miscellany
Most states have a fairly narrow timeframe for updating your address on your driver’s license, so take care of that as expeditiously as you can. Your cars should also be registered in your new county or city; taxes vary widely and you may see a decent decrease or increase in your property taxes. You can change your voter registration at most license offices, and get the address of your new polling location.
So, simply rebuilding your life for a move is a lot of work, so why would you take on the stress of the physical move when you can hire a full-service moving company manage that for you? Find the right professionals for your move so you can make time for the important stuff--like locating a dry cleaner and car wash close to the dentist!
