Once you have purchased your new home in Denver, moving in will be exciting and fun.

Moving, of course, requires lots of pre-planning and organization to ensure a smooth, stress-free experience. Here is a checklist and some resources to assist you in orchestrating your move into your beautiful new home.

Moving Checklist (anchor to below)

Moving Tips and Advice Links (anchor to below)

• To hire a moving company, obtain a few estimates and choose the company that will best handle your move.
  • Moving.com:For several competitive quotes:
  • Topmoving.com:For several competitive quotes:
  • Allied Moving:
  • Atlas Moving:
  • Bekins Moving:
  • Mayflower Moving:
  • North American Moving:
• If you will move yourself, get costs from at least two truck rental companies and make a reservation.
  • UHaul Truck Rental
  • Budget Truck Rental
  • Penske Truck Rental
  • Ryder Truck Rental
• Make an inventory of your household goods and begin to remove clutter (start with the basement, attic, garage, and other storage areas). A careful video walkthrough of your home is one way to inventory quickly.
  • How to Make a Household Inventory:
  • An Article on Household Goods Inventory
• Start a file for all your moving paperwork (estimates, receipts, etc.).
• Get your new home ready - Contact painters, carpenters, plumbers, roofers etc., so your home is ready when you arrive. Remember to change the locks on all the doors in your new home.
  • Carpet Cleaning
  • House Cleaning
  • Window Cleaning
  • Handy Person
  • General Contractors
  • Painting Contractors
  • Plumbers
  • Electricians
  • Landscaping
  • Hardware Stores

Six weeks prior to Moving Day

• Obtain and fill out post office change-of-address cards.
  • United State Postal Service Change of Address Form
  • Notify the IRS of your change of address.
• Subscribe to the paper in your new hometown to learn more about your new community
  • The Denver Post
  • Rocky Mountain News
• Make arrangements for storage if necessary.
  • Local Storage Companies
• Ask your doctor or health plan provider for referrals, and obtain all medical records.
• Have antiques, pieces of art, and other valuables appraised.
  • Antique Appraisers
• Clean all closets and drawers.
• Begin using up foods and cleaning supplies that cannot be moved.
• Prepare the Family
  • Take the family for a farewell visit to some of the places that hold happy memories.
  • Have a going-away party for the children and their friends.
  • Have some fun for yourself...an open house or an informal dinner or barbecue. Keep it simple.
  • Make family travel plans. Reserve hotel rooms and airline tickets as needed.
  • If driving, have your car serviced for the trip (check tires, brakes and windshield wipers, fluids, belts, etc.)

Four weeks prior to Moving Day

• Schedule disconnection of all utility services at your old home. Make sure to disconnect the day after you leave and connect the day before you arrive. If you have security deposits with services, such as the telephone company, request your refund.
• Schedule connection of utility services at your new home.
  • Xcel Energy
  • Denver Water
  • Qwest (Local Telephone)
  • City of Denver Trash Service
• If you are packing yourself, obtain packing materials and start packing items you won't need until after you arrive at your new house. See our Packing Tips (LINK TO PACKING TIPS.DOC).
• Arrange for cleaning and repair of furniture, drapes, and carpeting.
• Arrange for special transportation of your pets and plants if necessary.
  • Pet Relocation Service
  • How to move your plants:
  • Alternatives:
    • Give plants to friends or relatives.
    • Donate plants to a hospital or other organization.
    • Include plants in a garage sale.
    • Some states permit the entry of all house plants; others admit them in accordance with specific rules and regulations.
    • Take pets to the veterinarian. Most states require health certificates and rabies inoculations. See that identification and rabies tags are securely attached to your pet¿s collar.
    • Arrange for transportation of pets. Take them in the car or send via air. Consider boarding pets either at destination or at a kennel near your present home until you are settled in the new city.
• Check with your insurance company to see how your possessions are covered during transit.
• Have a garage sale or use an online auction service to dispose of unwanted items. Donate unwanted clothing or household goods to charitable organizations. Obtain receipts showing the items¿ approximate value for possible tax deductions.
  • Craigs List
  • eBay
• Begin to use up supplies of canned goods, frozen foods and other household items. Buy only what will be used before moving.
• Collect your important records -- Gather personal and family records, including medical and dental, veterinary and school records; legal and financial documents; birth certificates, passports and insurance documents.

Three weeks prior to Moving Day

• Properly dispose of items that cannot be moved, such as flammable liquids.
  • Where and how to dispose of household hazardous waste
• Prepare auto registration for transfer (if moving to another state).
  • Denver Motor Vehicle Department
• If you are moving in or out of an apartment, arrange for use of the elevator.
• Make child-care arrangements for moving day.

Two weeks prior to Moving Day

• Arrange for disposal of anything not sold at your moving sale.
• Service your car in preparation for the move. If you're moving from a warm climate to a cold one, check your antifreeze.
• Return any borrowed items (including library books) and retrieve any loaned items.
• Cancel newspaper delivery.
• Notify any creditors of your move.
• Transfer prescriptions and be sure you have an adequate supply of medications on hand.
• Put together a file folder of information to leave for the new owner of your home.
• Change your address - One week before your move, send change-of-address cards to everyone who will need to contact you.
• Pick up laundry and dry cleaning - Laundry tickets are easy to lose, so ask for your things by name and not just according to the receipts you have.
• Pack a travel kit:
  Put aside critical items like a checkbook, credit cards, personal phone book, ID, flashlight, keys, toiletries, tools, paper plates, cups, towels, travel alarm clock, aspirin, bandages and games for the kids. Also, pack a suitcase with clothing and other personal items.

One day prior to Moving Day

• Transfer your bank accounts.
• Take animals to vet for immunization, if necessary.
• Close and empty your safe-deposit box.
• Settle any bills with local businesses.
• Drain power equipment of oil and gas. Drain water hoses.
• Confirm any travel reservations.
• Defrost refrigerator and freezer, propping doors open.
• Disconnect and prepare major appliances for move.
• Set aside anything that will travel in your car so it will not be loaded on the truck.
• Pack a box of items that will be needed first at the new house. Clearly mark this box "Load Last."
  • Toilet paper, telephone, toiletries, snacks, coffee (and pot), soap, flashlight, screwdriver, pliers, can opener, paper plates, cups, utensils, a couple of pans, and paper towels are some of the essentials you may need upon arrival at your new home.
• Obtain cash for the trip and to pay the movers.
• Confirm arrival time of your moving van/truck.
• If moving yourself, dismantle beds and other large furniture.

• If using a mover, be sure you or someone knowledgeable is at the old house to answer questions.
• Read your bill of lading and inventory carefully before signing. Keep this paperwork in a safe place.
• To make sure that all of your goods are loaded, remain on the premises until loading is complete. After making a final tour of the house, check and sign the inventory. Get your copy from the van operator and keep it.
• Approve and sign the Bill of Lading/Freight Bill. It states the terms and conditions under which your goods are moved and is also your receipt for the shipment. Be sure to complete and sign the declared valuation statement.
• Complete and sign the High-Value Inventory form, whether or not items of extraordinary value are included in the shipment. You may also need to sign and date the "Extraordinary (Unusual) Value Article Declaration" box on the Bill of Lading, if applicable to your shipment.
• Make sure the van operator has the exact destination address. Be sure to let the van operator know how you can be reached, including phone numbers, pending the arrival of your household goods
• Take a last look around:
  • Note all utility meter readings.
  • Water shut off?
  • Furnace and air conditioner shut off?
  • Light switches turned off?
  • All utilities arranged for disconnection?
  • Windows shut and locked?
  • Old house keys surrendered?
  • Have you left anything?

• If you are using a mover, be on hand to accept delivery. If you cannot be there personally, be sure you authorize an adult to be your representative to accept delivery and pay the charges for you.
• On the day of delivery, the van operator will attempt to contact you by phone and/or will make an appearance at residence if he is unable to reach you. If you are unable to accept delivery of your shipment within the free waiting time (i.e., two hours) after notification of arrival at the destination, you may request waiting time until delivery can be made.
• Check your household goods as they are unloaded. Supervise unloading and unpacking.
• Check your belongings carefully and note on the inventory paperwork any damaged items.
• On an interstate move, be prepared to pay the driver before your possessions are unloaded.

• Moving.com has many good articles on moving:
• Here is a particularly helpful article for planning your move from Moving.
  Com: A Checklist for Before and After You¿ve Moved from