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Home > Consumer Focus Archive > Moving
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Consumer Focus: Moving This is an archived document. |
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Moving
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There are so many things
to do when you are moving. In addition to collecting newspaper
to wrap grandmother's china, you need to let everyone
know your new address, gather boxes, get rid of items
you don't care enough about to pack and move - just to
name a few. FCIC has lots of helpful tips to make your
move easier. |
Posted: April 1, 2004
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Filing
A Change of Address
- You
can have your mail sent to your new home by filing a change
of address with the Postal
Service. You can do this online, or in person
by picking up a change of address card at any post office.
- You should
also file a change of address with the Internal
Revenue Service, using form
number 8822.
- Businesses
that you have a relationship with, such as your credit card
companies, also need to know that you have moved. Use this
handy checklist
to make sure you're covered.
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Packing
and Moving
- Make a list of packing supplies
you will need. This Postal
Service list can help get you started.
- Planning to put some of your
items in storage?
When inspecting a storage facility you may want to use, adequate
security is just one factor you need to consider.
- Consider having a yard
sale to get rid of unwanted items and save money
on storage. To make your sale more successful, clearly mark
clothing sizes and provide shopping bags for your customers.
- There are some "packing
principles" you should know in advance, such
as don't fill large boxes with books. If you are moving yourself,
they can very quickly become too heavy to lift.
- As you are packing, you may
want to assign each box a number and make a list of the contents
of each box. This will help if any boxes are lost or destroyed
in moving. It is also a good way to start a household
inventory. An inventory is great for homeowner's
insurance purposes. It gives you a record of all your possessions
in case your home is burglarized or damaged in a fire or natural
disaster.
- If your move is a long distance
one, check the weather
of your destination before you leave. Have the appropriate
clothing and bedding handy in a box you can easily find.
- Try to use up the food in your
freezer and refrigerator before you move. If you have food
left that you want to take with you, pack it so that it will
stay cool in transit to your new home.
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Make
Moving Easier For Your Children
- Moving
can be very scary for children, but getting
them involved helps ease the transition. For
example, make moving fun for kids by letting them decorate
their room's boxes with their favorite stickers and crayons.
- If your
children have to attend a new school in the middle of the year, register them
well in advance of your move. If you move during the summer,
don't wait until the last minute to register. If there are
problems, you will want time to resolve them so your kids
don't get off to a late start at their new school.
- Moving
at the beginning of the summer (after school is out) is a
good idea because it does not disrupt your child's learning.
But consider sending the kids to a local summer camp
or recreation center program so they don't have to wait until
the fall to make new friends.
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Check
Out Your New Neighborhood
- The
Postal Service has a mapping tool that allows you to get directions
to and from your new home. This will help you find your way
around your new neighborhood, as well as help friends and
family locate you.
- Use this
convenient "lookup" to find
the closest Post Office to your new home.
- Depending
on how far you move, you may need to change your voter registration
If you move to a different state, be sure to change your vehicle
registration. In some states, you must do this within a certain
amount of time, such as 60 days. From USA.gov,
the official web portal of the federal government, click on
your new state government website and check out the voting
and motor vehicle regulations. USA.gov
can also help you find the closest public library to your
new home.
- State
regulations on car insurance vary. Check with the insurance
commission if you move to a new state. They may
also list insurance companies licensed to do business in the
state, which will help you compare policies and prices if
you need a new insurance company.
- If you
are moving too far away to continue seeing your current doctors,
be sure to have your records transferred to your new physicians.
There are health
privacy regulations, but they generally allow
easy transfer of records from one physician to another.
- If you
need to change
banks, be sure to retrieve the contents of your
safety deposit box. Need help shopping for a bank, so you
can set up your new checking and savings accounts? FCIC's
Consumer
Action Website has some resources for you.
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Other
Resources
This is just a brief overview.
For more information, check out these resources:
Read these publications online or order
them from FCIC:
Websites*:
* Names of resources and organizations
included in this online article are provided as examples only,
and their inclusion does not mean that they are endorsed by
the Federal Citizen Information Center or any other Government
agency. Also, if a particular resource or organization is not
mentioned, this does not mean or imply that it is unsatisfactory.
*If you click
on these links, you are leaving FCIC's website. Please bookmark
us before you leave so you can return easily. FCIC is not responsible
for the content of these websites.
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will not retain or use this information for any other purpose. |
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For
more information on other popular consumer issues check out
FCIC's Consumer
Focus Archive.
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