You’ve successfully sold your Boston condo and now the only thing left to do is simply make the move to your home. If only it were that easy.
There are a multitude of important things to remember when moving, and some are more obvious than others. We all know to schedule a mover, accumulate a bunch of boxes and get plenty of packing materials to get things underway. However, there are a handful of things that are often forgotten in the flurry of activity that surrounds a move. Here are a few things that are at the top of my list:
- Cash and Credit Cards – If you must make a long trip to your new property, you will need cash and credit cards to get you there. I suggest stopping by the ATM several days before your closing / move takes place. Make sure you have enough cash to take care of incidentals, such as tipping the movers or paying tolls if you’re driving, enough that you don’t run out and have to use an ATM out of your network and get hit with ATM fees. As well, ensure you have a functioning credit card or two to pay for larger lodging and travel-related expenses.
- Personal Care Items – Although you may be inclined to pack everything up for convenience’s sake, it is important to keep a certain number of personal items with you. Keep a small bag and load it up with important medications, any other prescriptions or over-the-counter medications that you and your family may need during your transition time between houses. I advise you think about what you might need ahead of your move by creating a list at least one week before the move happens, and think about it in the context of what you will need between now and when all your goods in moving boxes will show up – keep in mind that if you are being moved any significant distance by a shipping company, you won’t have access to your boxes, and there may be delays associated with the arrival of your goods, so give yourself some buffer time on the back end.
- Your Kids’ Favorite Items – Comfort items for your children are an important part of any move, as they provide stability and comfort kids may need to make the transition to a new home a bit easier. It is therefore extremely important to keep these cuddle items, such as blankets and stuffed animals, with you at all times during your move to soothe and comfort your child. After all, you don’t want to wait weeks for your goods to arrive in your new home, or spend your first night in your new home searching through countless boxes for your child’s favorite doll!
- Items of Special Importance or Value – If you have special items that are either of great value or great sentiment, consider keeping them safe during your move and/or transporting them yourself (always keeping them in your possession). You may want to hire a specialty moving company to take care of priceless antiques and pianos, verifying that there is proper insurance in place to cover any losses. Additionally, you may want to ask a close family member or friend to take care of your personal items, such as jewelry and china, until you have settled into your new home. Also in this group may be important papers, such as tax documents, receipts, or credit card statements that you would like to keep close to your person throughout the move, decreasing or eliminating the chance that your personal information, such as a social security number or credit card number, be compromised.
These items may or may not already be on your list of to-do’s associated with your move, but they represent a small handful of things that I oftentimes see go forgotten until it’s too late to change. Happy moving!
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Tim Ryan 
