Planning Your Move

Here's how to keep track of all those details. Complete a few of these tasks each day to simplify your move and ease the adjustment to your new home.

4 Weeks Prior To Moving

Tour your house and decide which items should be discarded or donated to charity; consider a garage sale.
Call doctors and dentists. They may recommend a colleague near your new home. Get copies of renewable prescriptions.
Arrange transfer of school records.
Transfer personal insurance records.
If you have house plants to move, read through the Atlas brochure How To Move Your House Plants and start preparing your plants for the move.

Plan to use up most food items before the move.
Check and clear tax assessments.
Arrange to have major appliances serviced before you move them.
Movers can't take aerosols, flammables or ammunition. It's best to use them up or give them away before you move. Propane tanks must be emptied.
If you have pets to transfer, your Atlas Agent can give you advise on the best methods, and our brochure "How to Move Pets" also will be helpful.
Notify the Post Office and get change-of-address forms. Notify magazines to which you subscribe. Note: You must fill out a change-of-address form for each person receiving mail at your address.

Make your travel reservations for the trip.
Decide which items you'll pack, and which you'd like Atlas to pack. We can provide the finest packing materials at reasonable prices.
Close or transfer all charge accounts.
Return library books and other things you've borrowed.
Collect things you've loaned, and items in lay-away, cold storage, etc.
Arrange to discontinue utilities and delivery services.
Protect your shipment from damage by disposing of flammables such as gasoline, fireworks, matches, cleaning fluids, bottled gas; also aerosols, acids, caustic drain cleaners, etc.
Arrange connection of utilities in new home.
Draw up a floor plan of your new home, and indicate placement of furnishings. It makes moving in twice as easy.
We are not permitted to take down TV antennas. We can arrange to have it done, if you wish.
Arrange for cable TV disconnection.

Transfer bank accounts, and ask your local credit bureau to transfer your records to your new city.
Reconfirm travel reservations.
Arrange to have cash, certified check or money order ready to pay driver before goods are unloaded.
Your local phone company business office can help you with phone service for your new home, as well as disconnecting service at your present home.
Drain water from all garden hoses.
Start packing suitcases.
Get name, address and phone number of your Atlas destination agent.
Drain gasoline from lawn mower.
Anything we're packing should be left in place. It's easier and safer, for example, to pack glassware right from the cabinet it's kept in.

Put cleaning supplies, toiletries and coffee pot in special box to be loaded last, unloaded first.
Finish packing all suitcases.
Defrost, clean and dry refrigerator.
Put cleaning supplies, toiletries and coffee pot in special box to be loaded last, unloaded first.
Finish packing all suitcases.
Defrost, clean and dry refrigerator.

Be on hand all day to answer questions, accompany driver during inventory, sign bill of lading, confirm your new address and delivery date.
Be sure to advise your driver of your en route accommodations.
Make final check of every room and storage area.
Make sure windows and doors are locked, keys are transferred and lights are out.

It's a good idea to be at your new home a day ahead of the van so you can make sure utilities are connected, and plan placement of major items in your home.