Moving Guide

8 simple steps to make moving a breeze

Plan Your Move

Step 1

There’s a lot of planning and preparation that goes into moving. Start this step as soon as you know you’re going to move.

Pick the day and time you will begin moving.
Call family and friends for help, if needed.
Schedule deliveries and services for the day of the move.
Reserve a moving truck or hire a moving company.

Embrace the urge to declutter your life.

Step 2

Things have a tendency to accumulate in our homes. Instead of packing up the whole house and figuring it out when you arrive, purge what you don’t want now. It’s never too early to start this step.

Go through each room and note what you don’t want to take with you, what you will no longer need and the best way to get rid of these items. Consider donating personal items and clothing to local charities or community centers, or holding a garage sale for large, hard-to-move or big ticket items.

Man and woman unpacking boxes in the kitchen

Pack by room and take an inventory.

Step 3

As tempting as it may be to throw everything into boxes and just go, the more organized you are when you pack the easier it will be to unpack. This is important for feeling at home in your new house as quickly as possible.

Start by packing everything by room, and clearly note or color code the box so you know which room it needs to go in. Then, take an inventory of how many boxes you have for each room, plus the items that were packed inside them. This will help you know if anything was lost in the moving process, and will also help you determine the order in which to unpack.

Pack a few essentials separately.

Step 4

It may take a while to unpack, so go into your new home prepared with what you’ll need for the first few days and nights. These should be everyday items that you need now and don’t have time to hunt for in boxes, including:

Toothbrushes and toothpaste
Toilet paper and paper towels
Shampoo, conditioner and other toiletries
Three days’ worth of clothes
Sheets and towels
Nightlights for the kids

Send change of address notifications.

Step 5

Now that you know your official new address, it’s time to announce it to everyone. The list below is a good place to start, but there may be a few other people or agencies you'll need to notify, so be sure to double-check all your existing services and subscriptions. Notifying everyone of your new address will help prevent any unwanted bumps in the road, like late payments or having a delay in mail delivery.

All banking and financial institutions, including student loan and credit card companies
Friends and family
Employers
Insurance companies
Post office
Department of Motor Vehicles
Health care providers
Any subscription services, including digital subscriptions, when updating credit card information
Schools and/or day cares
Voter registration
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Social Security Administration

Transfer or turn off existing services.

Step 6

A few weeks before you move, make sure you note which services and utilities need to be turned off, which need to move with you, and which need newly created accounts. Most transfers and cancellations can be done over the phone, but plan on contacting all the companies listed below at least two weeks before you plan on moving into your new home.

Cable, internet and telephone
Utilities including water, gas and electricity
Traditional subscription services, like newspapers and magazines

Woman sitting at a desk with a laptop computer

Security consultant talking with a new homeowner

Schedule a follow-up appointment with Meritage Homes.

Step 7

If you buy a Meritage home, make sure to schedule a follow-up to complete the installation of your M. Connected Home™ Automation Suite. This will allow you to use your phone to remotely adjust your thermostat, lock and unlock doors, and check whether you closed the garage door. A professional installer will help you get your smart home suite up and running and explain how all the features work.

Unpack and unwind

Step 8

Unpacking and moving in may take some time, but once you do, you’ll start to feel at home. Start with the essentials, like clothes, toiletries and kitchen supplies, then move on to decorations and accessories last. If you’re making a cross-country move, check out our tips and tricks for relocation.