Hong Kong - To do before departure

Five Weeks Before Your Move

Select your mover and meet him/her to discuss dates and costs.

Four Weeks Before Your Move

Notify the post office, magazines, credit card companies and friends and family of your change of address. The U.S. Postal Service offers a kit to make this process easier. Contact utilities (gas, water, electricity, telephone, cable TV) to schedule the disconnection of services on the day following your move. You'll want to have utilities on while you're still in the house. Call the utilities in your new town to arrange for service to start the day before your move, so that you have service when you arrive at your newhome. If you are planning to move major appliances, talk with your mover to schedule disconnection and servicing a few days before you move. And don't forget to arrange for an expert, if necessary, to install fixtures upon their arrival at your new home. Complete any repair work on your old home, and arrange for any critical services needed at your new home. If you are planning a garage sale, pick a date at least a week before the move, and advertise it locally. Think about teaming up with neighbors who want to sell some of their old belongings, and plan a neighborhood "super sale."

Three Weeks Before Your Move

Take inventory of your everyday household goods, such as radios, pots and pans and small appliances. Decide which items you will discard or put in storage. Make sure you have your driver's license, auto registration and insurance records. Contact your doctors, dentist and veterinarian, to receive copies of
medical records. Pack phone books from your old town to make staying in touch with old friends easier. 
Make personal travel arrangements (flights, hotel, rental cars) for your trip. Plan your food purchases to have as little as possible in the freezer or refrigerator by the time you move. Use up all frozen items, and
buy only what you'll eat in the next three weeks, because you can't ship them. Arrange to clean your new home, or plan to clean it yourself as close to move-in as possible. Since the home will probably be unoccupied by this time, make sure the cleaning is thorough and covers all those nooks and crannies usually blocked by furniture or appliances. Contact your children's schools, and arrange for records to be
forwarded to your new school district. Make new bank safety deposit box arrangements in your new hometown. Make arrangements to safely transfer items from your old safe deposit box to your new one. 
Hold a garage sale now.

Two Weeks Before Your Move

Check with your insurance company to cancel current coverage or transfer coverage to your new home. 
Make arrangements for transporting your pets and any house plants, because movers can't take them in the van. Meet with your bank to change account status. Transfer all current prescriptions to a drug store in your new town. Cancel any delivery services such as newspapers. Consider starting a subscription to the newspaper in your new town to introduce you to local news happenings. Have your automobile serviced if you're traveling by car. Be sure to empty secret hiding places - to remove valuables and spare
house keys.

One Week Before Your Move

Mow your lawn for the last time. 
Dispose of toxic or flammable items that can't be moved. Drain the gas and oil from gas-powered tools, such as lawn mowers and snowblowers; movers will not take them if full. Double check, to make sure arrangements have been made to disconnect and service your major appliances being moved. 
Pack your "trip kit" of necessary items that should go in your car/plane
and not the moving van:
         your checkbook,
         cash or travelers checks,
         medications,
         essential toiletries,
         light bulbs, flashlight, toilet paper, pet food, (if moving by car)
         spare glasses or contact lenses,
         baby or child care items,
         toys and car games for children 
         your notebook with moving information.

Here are the suggested items for your trip kit...

                    - First Aid Kit                          - Paper Plates

                    - Canned Goods                     - Plastic Silverware

                    - Can Opener                           - Snacks

                    - Cooking Utensils                  - Bottled Water

                    - Soap                                       - Styrofoam Cups

                    - Toilet Paper                           - Towels

                    - Special Items For Children   - Wash Clothes

                    - Travel Alarm Clocks              - Checkbook

                    - Sufficient Cash                       - Identification Cards

                    - Credit Cards                           - Flashlight (check batteries)

                    - Hammer                                   - Light bulbs

                    - Screwdriver                             - Keys To Both, Old & New House

                    - Fuses                                       - Pliers

                    - Wrench 
           

If you have young children, arrange for a baby-sitter to watch them on moving day. Since you'll have your hands full, the extra attention from a sitter will distract the child's attention from the turmoil of a move. Also arrange for a baby-sitter to be available when you arrive at your new home with young children.
                    
Pack your own suitcase of clothes for the move.
                    
Pay all outstanding bills. Be sure to indicate your new address on payment receipts.
                    
Remove any fixtures you are taking with you (if specified in your home-selling contract).

One To Two Days Before Your Move

The movers will arrive to start the packing process. Empty and defrost your refrigerator and freezer, clean both with a disinfectant and let them air out. Put baking soda or charcoal inside to keep them fresh. Arrange for payment to the moving company. This payment must be made when your belongings arrive at your new home - before your belongings are unloaded. Find out your moving company's accepted methods of payment, terms and its policy for inspecting your belongings when they arrive to determine if any breakage has occurred. Empty your safety deposit box. Plan to take important papers, jewelry,
cherished family photos, irreplaceable mementos and vital computer files with you. Write directions to your new home for the van operator, provide the new phone number and include phone numbers where you can be reached in transit - either a car phone or friends, old neighbors, a place of business or relatives with whom you'll be in contact. You'll never be out of touch for long, should an emergency arise. Leave your forwarding address and phone number for your home's new
occupants. If your old house will be sitting vacant, notify police and neighbors.

Moving Day

Remove linens from the beds and pack in an "open first" box. 
           
When the movers arrive, review all details and paperwork. Accompany
the van operator to take inventory. Verify delivery plans.
                    
If there is time, give the home a final cleaning, or arrange in
advance for someone to perform this service the day after moving out.

Move-In Day

If you arrive before the movers, take some time to tidy up your home (dusting shelves etc.) so the movers can unpack items directly onto clean shelves. If you plan to line cupboards with shelving paper, this
is a good time to do it. Review your floor plan to refresh your memory about where you want furniture and appliances placed. Check to make sure the utilities have been connected, and follow up on any delays. Confine your pets to an out-of-the-way room to help keep them from running away or getting unduly agitated by all the activity. You might even consider boarding them overnight at a local kennel until you're settled. Plan to be present when the moving van arrives. Be prepared to pay the mover before unloading. One person should check the inventory sheets as items are unloaded. A second person should direct the movers on where to place items. Once all items are unloaded, unpack only what you need for the first day or two. Focus on creating a sense of home for your family . Give yourself at least two weeks to unpack and organize your belongings.

Your mover is not responsible for items left at residence after loading. You are responsible to make sure nothing is left behind. Be sure to check closets, attics, drawers, basements and all outside areas before signing the mover’s documentation. The inventory describes the content, count and condition of your
belongings before and after moving. These forms are designed to protect you. At time of delivery, it is important that you take time to note any damage or loss that may have occurred to your goods during shipment. A verbal claim to the driver will NOT be enough. When you sign the delivery receipt, you are accepting your goods in apparent good condition, and any subsequent claims will be adjusted
accordingly. Please make sure that any exceptions are noted on the inventory at the time of loading or delivery.