4-6 Weeks Before Moving
Places to Notify
§ Let the post office know when you’ll be moving and what your new address will be; a temporary forwarding address might be necessary if you do not have a permanent one by the time you move. As an alternative, the post office will hold your mail and forward it upon written instructions from you.
If you want to rent a post office box in the new city, you must do so in person. All post office box rentals are for a minimum of six months.
First class mail is forwarded free of charge for one year.
Magazines and newspapers are forwarded for 60 days. Standard Mail (B), formerly called fourth-class/parcel post, is forwarded locally for 12 months at no charge. You pay forwarding charges if you move outside the local area.
Only one change-of-address card (Form 3575) is necessary per family if everyone in the household is moving and if all people have the same last name. For other cases, one change-of-address card per person can be used. Mover’s Guides, which contain Form 3575, are available at your local post office, from your postal carrier, or via the Internet at www.usps.gov/moversnet
Use the postcards included in the Mover’s Guide to notify your correspondents of your new mailing address. Publishing companies prefer at least four week’s notice – preferably six. Early notification of your new, complete mailing address, including ZIP code, can avoid postage-due costs and eliminate the delayed receipt of your magazines and other publications.
§ Prepare a list of friends, relatives, business firms and others who should be notified of your move. The following checklists will be helpful:
Utilities
Electric
Gas
Water
Telephone
Fuel
Sewer District
Trash
Cable/Satellite
Television
Wireless Telephone
Internet
Professional Services
Doctor
Dentist
Certified Public
Accountant
Lawyer
Broker
Insurance Agencies
Life
Fire
Auto
Home
Health
Accident
Hospital
Established Business Accounts
Dry Cleaner
Bakery
Drug Store
Diaper Service
Department Stores
Water Softener
Service
Lawn Service
Dairy
Service Stations
Laundry
Banks
Finance Companies
Credit Card Companies
Automobile Agency
Real Estate Agency
Government & Public Offices
Veterans Administration
Library
City Hall- Refuse
Service
City and/or County
Tax Assessor
State Motor Vehicle
Bureau
Social Security
Administration
State/Federal Income
Tax Bureaus
Draft Board
Publications
Newspaper
Magazine
Newsletters
Professional
Fraternal
Other
Relatives and Friends
Business Associates
Record and Compact
Disc Clubs
Book and Video Clubs
Other Organizations
and Clubs
Schools and Colleges
Landlord (if you are
a tenant)
Tenants (if you are a
landlord)
Church
Miscellaneous
· Consider having a “garage sale” to dispose of unwanted items. (For information on this subject, ask your representative for United’s “Planning A Garage Sale” booklet.) If you donate clothing or household goods to charitable organizations, obtain receipts showing the items’ approximate value for possible tax deductions.
- Begin to use up supplies of canned goods,
frozen foods and other household items. Buy only what will be used
before moving. Consider making shipping arrangements for frozen
foods with the local frozen food locker plant. Due to the
possibility of spoilage, it is not advisable to move frozen foods on
the van unless all of the following conditions are met:
- They are in a freezer operating at a normal deepfreeze temperature at the time of loading. (Check your freezer operating manual for suggested normal freezing temperatures.)
- The distance to be moved is not more than 150 miles and/or delivery will be made within 24 hours.
- No storage of the shipment is necessary.
- No preliminary or en route servicing of any kind is required.
- Create your own “Personal Household Inventory”. Completing your own inventory can help you determine the amount of declared valuation for the shipment. List, as nearly as possible, the year of purchase and original cost of each item. Attach any invoices or records of purchase to the competed inventory.
- If you are being relocated at your company’s request, find out what portion of your moving expenses the company will pay. If your company has a written moving policy, ask for a copy of the document.