MOVING SCHEDULE

Seven Weeks Before Moving Day

  • Phone Fife Moving and select a date for the agent to visually survey your household goods and prepare an estimate. Be as accurate as possible since the total charge will depend on the actual weight of your household goods after they are loaded on the van, plus the cost of any extra services performed by Fife Moving.

Six Weeks Before Moving Day

  • Our "Pre-Planned Moving Guide" is one of the best information sources available to help you prepare for your move, answer your questions and lessen any anxieties. Contact Fife Moving to request a copy of the "Pre-Planned Moving Guide."

Five Weeks Before Moving Day

  • Let the post office know when you'll be moving and what your new address will be. A temporary forwarding address may be necessary if you do not have a permanent one before the time you move or the post office will hold your mail and forward it upon written instructions from you.
  • Prepare a list of friends, relatives, business firms and others who should be notified of your move.
  • Talk over moving plans with your Fife Moving Customer service representative.

Four Weeks Before Moving Day

  • Consider having a "garage sale" to dispose of unwanted items. For information on this subject, ask Fife for a "Pre-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.

Three Weeks Before Moving Day

  • Notify Fife Moving if you add or subtract items from your planned household goods shipment or if there are any changes in dates of the move. Be sure to also supply the destination location, contact address and phone numbers where you can be reached.
  • Confirm with Fife any extra stops required to pick up or deliver goods to a location other than the main pickup or delivery points.
  • If your car is being moved on the van, you are responsible for driving the car to a suitable site for the van operator to load it. You are also responsible for picking up your car at a suitable destination location.
  • Make family travel plans. Reserve hotel or motel rooms as needed. You may wish to guarantee them on a major credit card in case of late arrival.
  • Have your car prepared for the trip. Check tires, brakes and windshield wipers. If needed, have the car serviced.

Two Weeks Before Moving Day

  • Dispose of all non-allowables. Fife Moving can provide you with a complete list.
  • Obtain written appraisal of antique items to verify the value. Avoid waxing or oiling wood antiques (and fine wood furniture), before moving because some products may soften the wood, making it vulnerable to imprinting from furniture pads.

One Week Before Moving Day

  • Fife Moving cannot accept responsibility for safely moving your plants, because they may suffer from lack of water and light as well as probable temperature changes while in the van. You may prefer to transport your house plants in the family car, ship them by plane, give them to friends or relatives, donate them to a hospital or other organization, or include them in a garage sale. Ask Fife for a copy of our "Moving With House Plants" booklet.
  • Take pets to the veterinarian for health certificates and rabies inoculations. See that identification and rabies tags are securely attached to the pet's collar.Transportation for pets can be in the car or airplane.
  • Collect any merchandise in layaway at local stores.
  • Collect all items that are being cleaned, stored or repaired (clothing, furs, shoes, watches, etc.). Empty your locker at the club, bowling alley or gym.
  • Return library books and anything borrowed from friends or neighbors, and collect things you may have loaned.

Two Days Before Moving Day

  • Point out to the packers any extra fragile items needing special attention. Mark appropriately any items you do not want packed or moved, as well as cartons you will want first when the van arrives at destination.
  • Collect things you definitely want packed together, such as children's toys, and place in separate groups.
  • Unplug all electronic appliances 24 hours in advance of a move, if possible, so that they will be at room temperature on moving day. This includes TV sets, home computers and stereos.
  • Check closets, cabinets, and storage lockers for any articles overlooked.
  • Be on hand when the service representative arrives to prepare your appliances for shipment. Remove ink cartridges from computer printers/fax machines. Place the cartridges in zip-lock bags.
  • It is the owner's responsibility to see that all mechanical and electrical equipment is properly serviced for shipping prior to the arrival of the moving van. For safe moving of such articles, the units should be prepared by a licensed or properly trained service technician. If the owner has failed to have an article serviced, the van operator may load and haul it but will mark the inventory sheet "Not Serviced." Request a copy of "Moving With Appliances & Other Home Furnishings" for more information from Fife Moving.
  • Photocopying Machines: These must be serviced by a company that does maintenance on them. The toner cartridge must be removed, and the reserve well must be emptied of all toner so the copier is not damaged. If not serviced, Fife will not be liable for damage.

Moving Day

  • It is your responsibility to see that all of your goods are loaded, so be sure to remain on the premises until loading is completed. After making a final tour of the house, check and sign the inventory. Get your copy from the van operator and keep it.
  • Approve and sign the combination Bill of Lading and Freight Bill. It states the terms and conditions under which your goods are moved and is also your receipt for the shipment. Be sure you have completed and signed the declared valuation statement in the space provided on the Bill of Lading. Bank of America provides full replacement valuation.
  • Complete and sign the High-Value Inventory form, whether or not items of extraordinary value are included in the shipment. You also need to sign and date the "Extraordinary (Unusual) Value Article Declaration" box on the Bill of Lading, if applicable to your shipment.
  • Make sure the van operator has the exact destination address and your contact information, including telephone numbers, pending the arrival of your household goods. If the shipment is going into storage, your move coordinator will need all this information. When you are ready to schedule delivery out of storage, contact your move coordinator at least 2 weeks before the desired delivery date so arrangements can be made.
  • Last-Minute Details. Even if you own the telephone in your home, please leave it connected throughout moving day. After the van leaves and you finish last-minute calls, be sure to pack the phone in one of your suitcases.
    • Take a last look around:
    • Water shut off?
    • Furnace shut off?
    • Light switches turned off?
    • All utilities arranged for disconnection?
    • Windows shut and locked?
    • Old house keys surrendered?
    • Have you left anything?

Delivery Day

  • Be on hand to accept delivery. If you cannot be there personally, be sure you authorize an adult to be your representative to accept delivery and pay the charges for you.
  • On the day of delivery, the van operator will attempt to contact you by phone and/or will make an appearance at the residence if he is unable to reach you. If you are unable to be contacted by phone, leave a note on your residence door indicating where you can be reached. If neither you nor your representative appears to receive the shipment within the free waiting time (1-2 hours depending on travel miles), your household goods may be placed in storage. You may be responsible for all additional charges related to the storage and re-delivery of your goods.
  • Using the van operator's inventory, check your household goods as they are unloaded. If there is a change in the condition of the property or if any items are missing or damaged, please note items on the van operator's copy of the inventory sheet. By signing the inventory sheet, you are acknowledging receipt of all items listed. Personally report any loss or damage to your Customer Service Representative.
  • When unloading, each piece of furniture will be placed as you direct, including the laying of rugs. If unpacking of the boxes is desired, please notify your CSR of this no later than loading day so arrangements can be made. Unpacking will be scheduled one day after delivery, provided that day is not a weekend. Unpacking will consist of unwrapping the articles and placing them on countertops or table tops. You can then put them away as they are unpacked. If your major appliances were discussed at origin your move coordinator will make arrangements for their reconnection.
  • You may want to place a floor plan of your new home by the entrance which the movers will use. Show on it where each piece of furniture should go.
  • Keep all documents pertaining to your move in a safe place. You will need them for verification of moving expenses when you file your federal income tax return.
  • To prevent possible damage, television sets, other electronic equipment and major appliances should not be used for 24 hours after delivery, allowing them time to adjust to room temperature.

One Week After Move

  • Check with the post office for any mail being held, and ask for delivery to start.
  • Check state (and local) requirements for auto registration and an operator's license.
  • Once you've selected a family physician and dentist, you'll need to have records transferred. Usually, dental records can be sent to your new dentist by simply making a phone call. Transferring medical records from your previous physician normally requires a written request and your signature. If you want to obtain any previous hospital records on your health history, write the medical records department at the hospital where you were a patient. You'll need to include your previous physician's name and the name of your new doctor.
  • You may want to select an attorney to discuss laws that pertain to your destination state, county and/or city. Be sure to cover such matters as wills, transfers of property and investments, insurance regulations, inheritance laws, taxes, etc. Most laws affect a family as soon as residence in the new state and city is established.
  • If you need information about your move — the type and quality of services performed, charges for those services, or interpretations on Mayflower's policies and procedures — please write Fife Moving & Storage, 2300 North Main Street, Ext.
    Washington, PA 15301. We will thoroughly research your question and furnish a comprehensive answer as quickly as possible.

Back to top