HarryTheSpider

Hi

PenguinSix and a few others recently listed a couple of things to think about - and others have said how useful lists can be, so I thought I'd ask around, see if we can build a definitive list here (I couldn't find one on the Wiki, and I guess different people have small lists about something quite specific... be nice to have it all in one place!)

I'm currently making lists under the following headings:

• Cars & Motoring
• Housing
• Medical
• Employment
• Moving
• Finance & Credit
• Pets
• Things to do immediately (in the UK...)
• Stuff to sell/get rid of
• Things to buy (once in the US)
• Things to pack (ship by surface)
• Things to take on plane (so you have some stuff when you finally arrive - clothes, pots& pans etc)
• Things to do the week before the move
• Things to do on the day we leave
• Social calls to make
• What has to be done in the first 2 weeks after your arrival

At the moment I'm using these headings for memory jogging and brainstorming - some things in the first half of the list would also appear under a heading that appears in the second half of the list - I'd rather catch it twice than miss something!

So what other headings would you add (we don't have kids yet, but I guess Education, Kids would be 2 more headings to add) ?

And what items would you put under each heading?

Cheers

Harry

PS - I'm happy at the end of this exercise to pull things together in to a single document.

tonrob

Would the Wiki section be helpful if you're trying to build a list collaboratively?

MtbbikeVanlife

I look forward to the development of this list ! Just what I was looking for - thanks !

Carl.

HarryTheSpider

Good call - I'll get started right now!

Cheers

Harry

penguinsix

Hi

I actually started a list about two months ago, but my own relocation (to Asia) put things on a hard disk I only recently unpacked.

But here are few ideas:


Medical
Get a copy of the kids medical records from your GP
Get a copy of the kids vaccination history from your GP
Get a copy of your medical records from your GP
Get a copy of your vaccination history from your GP
Google "<name of your state> school vaccination requirements"
Arrange to get those jabs that your child is missing (they will NOT be allowed in school in most states without an uptodate vaccination history)
Get an annual physical
Get an annual dental visit
Get an annual eye exam
Get a copy of your new employer (USA) health insurance plan. Read the fine print to see what is covered and what is not (really--it's that important you should do it now).

Academic
Get a copy of your kids academic transcripts.
Get a copy of the curriculum plan for the next X year(s) (if your move is temporary, so they can keep up)
Get a copy of your diploma
Get a copy of your transcript
Get your transcript converted by a conversion service (if needed).

Legal
Make a copy of your passport, at least the cover page.
Make a copy of your visa
Scan a copy of the above and email it someone you trust (for emergency purposes)
Get copies of your birth certificate (pack an original, not a Xerox)
Get copies of your marriage certificates (pack an original, not a Xerox)
Get copies of your recent tax records

Home
Turn off the electricity
Turn off the gas
Turn off the water
Turn off the trash pickup
Cancel the newspaper
Cancel the magazines
Cancel your mobile phone
Cancel your telephone
Cancel the Internet
Cancel the satellite TV
Unsubscribe from UK-only email 'spam' (i.e. Easyjet, Asda, and other mail you won't need and will make you homesick)
Cancel store credit cards
Cancel car insurance
KEEP one UK bank account and one UK credit card for emergency purposes
Change your address with the Post

Lock all windows
Set timers on some lights
Lock all doors
Turn off the water heater
Turn off the heat
Turn off the a/c
Turn off the water
Arrange for someone to check on your house
Make copies of your keys for a trusted neighbor

Sell/donate your TV
Sell/donate your electric tools
Sell/donate your old furniture
Sell/donate your electric kitchen appliances
Sell/donate your electric personal appliances (hair dryer, curler, electric toothbrush)
Sell/donate old clothes
Sell/donate old toys
Sell/donate your car

Rent a car for the last week of your trip (drop it off at the airport)

Buy speciality sauces, foods or toiletries that you cannot live without.
Buy spare underwear (for the first week unpacking, when laundry is the last thing on your unpacking mind)
Buy new luggage (I recommend duffel bags--stores more and you can stuff things in it)

tilz

Great list thanks for this, I will need one of these in about 6 months so this is a great start

Awesome Welles

I would venture that if you need a list to remind you to turn off the gas before you leave the country, you should not be allowed out unaccompanied.
I would like to add to the list:
When getting dressed, socks go on before boots.
When conducting your daily routine, don't forget to inhale/exhale periodically, to prevent death.

traceym

MsElui

AS much in advance as possible - start to go through all your cupboards and drawers/wardrobes and attic and shed /garage etc.
Put into seperate piles
stuff you are taking with you
stuff you will be leaving in the house for the new buyer/tenant
stuff that is worth selling to dealers/ebay/ carboot etc
stuff that is not worth selling but useful to friends/family/neighbours etc
stuff to throw as its broken/decrepit etc
stuff to give away - for charity shops or freecycle etc.


as each pile grows then take it up the charity shop - or to the dump or round your friends house etc- so that the piles remain manageable.

The sooner you do this the easier it is as its likely you wont finish and the remained will just get junked or packed (depending on how much you can take).
______

Remember that stuff like cleaning material or food or booze cant be shipped (can take some food and boozer in your suitcase) so start to use it up or give it away over time so you have less to worry about on the day. I gave a box of half used cleaning materials to the kids nursery. Either have a party and drink all your booze or chose whom you will donate it to (my mum and dad inherited our collection!) Start to eat the stuff in your freezer now so it gets emptier.
______
find a site like http://delicious.com/ where you can save all your bookmarked sites - so that whilst your computer is shipped you can still borrow a pc and find all your regular favorites/bookmark sites.
________
start a new address book with everyones address and email and tel number that you can take with you on the day so you have everyones details asap. Or if you have an online accessible email account like yahoo - save all your contacts into the online contacts folder so you can find the details online. Its also worth considering writing all your UK utility companies/direct debits takers, their contact numbers/ your account numbers etc - onto a piece of paper you can take with you. then if there is any issue once you have left - you can contact them to sort it out with minimal hassle. (we were told by our UK cabel company to cancel the DD - but they then sent us a final bill which they couldnt collect by dd as it was then cancelled - having a number meant it easy to sort out)
________
i wouldn't take things like plates/pots and pans with me on the plane - you can pick up cheap stuff in walmart to last a few weeks til your stuff arrives and can eat a lot of takeaways too til you get going. If your company gives you any air freight you could stick a box of stuff in there as that will arrive sooner than sea freight.
_________
If you do a lot of cooking in the UK and have lots of uk cookbooks/recipes that you will bring - make sure you have a couple of UK measuring jugs - as the UK pint measurement is 20fl oz - which is different to the US pint measurement )16fl oz) and it makes it easier if you can measure the right 'pint' for english recipes. Also things like steam pudding basins and mince pie sized tins or yorkshire pudding tins can be hard to find - so consider bringing one of these if you use them ever in the UK and want to carry on in the US.
________
Bedding is a different size here and duvets are far LESS commonplace than in the UK. If you like to sleep with a duvet then consider bringing some and covers for them. If you ship an english bed you may wish to bring bedding in that size too.
________
Regarding tools - the construction of houses here 'tends' to be far less long lasting than in the UK (ie often a wood construction). The electrical powertools in the UK are often far more heavy duty because they need to be to drill in brick walls etc. Obviously your power tools will likely NOT work over here - but dont just be tempted to run to a hardware store and buy a similar heavy duty piece of kit when you get here. A much more lightweight piece of kit will likely be all you need to do most 'DIY' jobs around the new home. (my husband bought a new drill here just like the one he left behind. when he put up a curtain rail in our first rental he nearly punched through the wall and saw daylight! )
____________

You can do the mail forwarding from your old UK house from the US - if you dont know where you will be living. Or you can have it redirected to a freinds house and then when you have the new address can ring up the Royal Mail redirection team and change the address its redirected too. You can also renew over the phone for 2 years in total so dont feel you have to do it all in one go before you leave.

Hubcaps

Speak to your kids schools about this. My kids school/LEA will not allow me any documentation and will only deal with the new school in the US directly.

_npr

Is the wiki page set up for this list? If so, can you post a link? I would like to contribute / use it as I prep for my move in Sept to San Jose.

Bob

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/List_o...n_about_Moving

In the absense of finding a list, just created that with the US tags. Used Penguin as a starting point to get the list going. Not sure how best to organise the page though so that adding MsE's stuff to it in a tidy way.

_npr

Great stuff! OH is a list demon and has started our own list using the suggestions from here as a starting point. I will add anything additional we think of. First thing that has come to mind - check to see the availability of furnished rental accommodation at your destination before you sell all your furniture (*oops*)

Bob

Okay, I gave it a quick go, so there's some stuff up there, but it's a bit bland, so anyone else feel up to making it look nicer, go for it and add information too