Related topics
As if getting ready to close on your house doesn't already put enough on your plate, you also have to get ready to move into your new home. Whether you move across town or across the country, whether you pack and haul everything yourself or hire professionals, you need to make arrangements well in advance so that your move goes smoothly.
As soon as you know your closing date, pick a moving day. You might want to give yourself a few days to clean and prepare your new house before you move into it. Decide how you're going to move: Will you do it yourself or work with a professional moving company? Professional movers can do everything from packing your stuff to moving it to unpacking it in your new home and taking away the mountain of empty boxes - or you can pick and choose the services you want. Maybe you'd prefer to pack everything yourself, for example, and hire movers to get your belongings from the old place to the new one.
If you decide to hire professional movers, ask your friends, buyer's agent, neighbors, and family members for recommendations. Even if you don't know anyone who's moved recently, a friend or acquaintance may be able to put you in touch with someone who has.
For a smooth move, think ahead. Unlike Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, you're not going to look out the window one day and discover you're notin Kansas any more. A move happens in stages - and staying on top of those stages at the right time is the secret to a successful move. Use the to-do lists in this section as a starting point for your own, adding any tasks your situation requires.
