During the local or international moving process, it is natural that you will not have enough energy to pay full attention to every part of the process, meaning that it is easy to forget some crucial parts of the move that are often overlooked.
For example, when you think of moving, you’ll most likely connect it to packing, loading, transport, and unpacking. And to be honest, these are the most important aspects of all moving processes. However, there are additional things you need to take care of to avoid frustration and various complications that might occur.
Misplacing crucial documents during a relocation can lead to a highly stressful situation, which is undoubtedly something one would wish to evade.
Yet, many people are simply not informed on all the important documents you need when moving, and that’s why we’re here. So, if you want to read about all the important documents you need when moving.
1. Gathering
The first step is to gather all the essential documents and have them in one place. This way, you’ll be absolutely sure that you have everything you need. What are we referring to?
Driver’s License
It is advisable to keep your driver’s license readily available, even if you intend to engage the services of professionals for your relocation. This is because, in the event that you need to establish new utility or cable services, it is highly probable that your driver’s license will be required as a form of identification.
Passport
Also, passports are another important item you should hold onto during the move, especially if you’re moving abroad. This is what any of the international moving companies will tell you. First, they’re very pricey and hard to reissue. If you plan on moving because of a new job, in some cases, you’ll need to show a document like your passport to your new employer as proof.
Social Security Card/Birth Certificate
If you plan to hire local movers to move you somewhere close, we recommend keeping your social security card or your birth certificate since numerous states require proof of your date of birth and your legal name.
Your Car
If you hire interstate movers to move you across state lines, we recommend keeping your car title handy, as you’ll definitely need it to register your car from one state to another. Also, you might want, at some moment, to change your car’s title to transport ownership if you plan on selling your car.
Medical Records
Individuals who intend to relocate to a different district are advised to keep their children’s medical and vaccination records readily accessible, as each new school will require them for enrollment. By maintaining these records in close proximity, any potential delays related to document submission can be avoided, ensuring a smooth enrollment process and a hassle-free start to the academic year.
As we are currently discussing medical records, it is advisable to maintain a readily accessible record of your medical history. The process of relocating can be a highly taxing experience, and while we do not intend to suggest any negative outcomes, it is a fact that individuals may fall ill during the transition. Therefore, it is prudent to err on the side of caution and ensure that your medical records are readily available.
Vet Records
Vet Records are another important document you should have nearby since moving can cause a lot of stress for your pets, especially because pets are very sensitive and can sense all the hassle meaning that in some cases, they might not understand what exactly is going on.
New Checks
When relocating, particularly when engaging in traditional payment methods, it is probable that expenses will be incurred for services such as electrical work, plumbing, painting, and the like. Given that a significant number of individuals still prefer to make payments via checks, it is advantageous to have a fresh supply of checks readily available.
Lease
It is important to remember that you’ll have to have proof of your new residential address while setting up utilities, so make sure to have a couple of copies of your lease or, for instance, a homeowners insurance policy.
2. Downsize
As we mentioned earlier, when moving, we recommend gathering all the important documents in one place. You can even make a checklist just to make sure everything is there. However, you’ll most likely have a bunch of old documents that can only cause hassle, which may be confusing for most people.
Why? Well, you might get disorganized and unable to differentiate your priorities at the moment. And who needs that while already having to take care of numerous tasks related to the move. So, it might be hard for you to know what to pack and what not to pack when moving.
We made a very comprehensive list that will help you gather all the essential documents when moving, and throw away anything you won’t actually need.
Receipts
Throw away all the receipts since, in most cases, you won’t need them, and these only cause hassle you surely don’t need during the already stressful move. The only case in which you should hold onto your receipts is if you need them for your tax return. In this case, you should keep those receipts for up to three years.
Pay Stubs
We recommend keeping your pay stubs until the very end of the year.
Credit Card Statements
We advise holding on to your statements until you’ve absolutely confirmed all possible charges and received the final proof of payment if you have any pending charges.
Old Bills
When we’re talking about bills, we’re mostly talking about utility bills. You should keep your utility bills up to one year. However, if you are planning to get tax returns, we recommend keeping the utility bills up to three years.
Organize
Last but not least, proper organization is crucial. Now when you’ve collected all the needed documents, it is important to organize, label, and file. So, the first step is to separate all the documents into separate files. Then, label. If you organize properly, you will not have any issues and can conduct the whole move in the best possible manner.
Those of you that need some further information can contact experienced Brooklyn movers or get informed online.