First Of All -- Sell All That You Can.
Don't hang onto all the stored clothes, books, old records,
etc., just because you might need it someday. Have a humongous
yard/garage sale and just get rid of it. Besides freeing you
up from household items that you're children or grandchildren
will throw away anyway once you've made that final move, eliminating
extraneous items will put some road money in your pocket and
save you money if you're hiring a moving company, which charges
by weight.
What you can't sell, give away to a charitable organization.
All household items have some sort of value and this value
can be deducted from your income for tax purposes. Besides
helping less fortunate families, you'll also cut your tax bill.
If you have grown children, urge them with threats to cut
them out of your will, to come get their own stuff and store
it in their own basement or closets. You're their parents,
not their personal storage facility.
Fix Your Cars And Vans
A couple weeks before you leave town, get your vehicles in
the shop and have them looked over for the coming long trip.
Of special interest are the tires, anti-freeze and the water
pump. If your tires wouldn't pass inspection, then change them.
Flush your anti-freeze to keep your vehicle operating cooler
and have the air conditioner checked if you're traveling during
the hot months. Also, check the water pump. This is the instrument
that pumps the coolant through your engine. No water pump,
no coolant and, eventually, no engine.
Check Insurance
Check out your auto insurance and homeowners insurance policies
to make sure you have enough coverage for your trip between
houses. On the auto insurance, ask for a road-side assistance
rider, if you don't have it already. Many insurance companies
offer this nifty coverage for just a few bucks. If you break
down during the trip, they have a 24-hour phone number to call
for assistance, and then it's covered by your provider (depending
on your deductible).
Find out from them if you're covered for damage caused to
a rental truck, if you're moving yourself. If not, find out
how you can get such coverage. If your company won't offer
coverage, then get it from the rental company.
Now that your home is going to be on the road a few days,
contact the homeowners insurance company and let them know
you're traveling with all your earthly belongings. Find out
what you need from them to cover you from point A to point
B. If the truck runs off the road or gets burglarized during
the trip, who's going to pay for the damage to the truck and
for the loss?
In preparation for the trip -- video tape your valuables and
household items for a record of their condition. If you fall
into a mishap, you now have evidence to show the insurance
company.
If you're hiring professional movers, ask about their coverage
-- specifically what is and isn't covered and what kind of
limitations they have on coverage.
Change Utility Services
As you leave the homefront, cut off all utilities and transfer
them over to the new house. There's nothing more frustrating
than arriving at your new house with no power -- e.g., no lights,
no air conditioning or heating, no hot water, etc.
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