Each year, more than 37 million people in the U.S. pack up their things and move –to a new house, a new apartment, a new neighborhood, city or state. While most Americans move between May and September, the truth is no matter when you move, it can be a highly stressful and lengthy process.
So how can you minimize your stress and maximize your efficiency? The good news is that there are several things you can tackle before moving day.
First, up to three months before you move, you can change your address online at moversguide.usps.com to ensure you’ll receive your mail at your new home.
If you submit your change of address order online at least seven days before you move:
– You’ll receive immediate email confirmation within seconds. You’ll also receive periodic email reminders, such as when magazine forwarding ends (after 60 days) and when First-Class Mail forwarding ends (after 12 months).
– You won’t miss a beat. Your important mail — bills, credit card statements, tax documents, packages and more — will be forwarded to your new residence. And don’t forget the mail that that makes memories: invitations, birth announcements, birthday cards, and thank-you cards.
– You’ll get coupons and savings for your new home. You’ll have the option to receive coupons from many of your favorite retailers and service providers. The earlier you submit, the more you’ll be able to take advantage of the coupons that come in handy before you move – like discounts on rental trucks and homeowners insurance.
Submitting your change of address online also helps conserve resources. Every year, the Postal Service prints 38 million hard copy change-of-address forms. The more customers who submit orders online, the fewer forms we need to print. You can also submit your change of address form using your smartphone or tablet –it only takes about three minutes.
Did You Know?
Many people are unaware of “copy-cat” websites that look like the Postal Service but charge as much as $39.95 to change your address. The Postal Service charges only $1.05 identification verification fee and it’s the most reliable and protected way to change your address. When you use the official Postal Service website you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your information is on a secure government website. The Postal Service won’t sell your personal information.
Check out even more moving tips for a stress-free moving day:
Color code: Designate a color for each room in your new home and put colored stickers on each box accordingly.
Pack early and often: Although you can’t pack up everything while you’re still living in your current space, try to pack non-essential items early to save time later.
Clean up: Put together a cleaning kit for your moving day so you can have everything you need for your old and new house on-hand.
Happy moving!