Changing Schools and Moving to New Area

Changing schools and moving can be stressful, even if the entire family is excited about the move. The purpose of this article is to give you a checklist of all the things you may need to think about as you orchestrate your move and what you may need to do when changing schools. We have set up a list of things to do along a timeline to mirror your busy schedule as you get your household and school paperwork in order.

As Soon As You Decide to Move

Changing Schools?

Private schools often have rigorous admissions. As soon as you realize that a move is necessary, it would help if you researched the private schools in the area and set up interviews so that you can better ascertain your family's fit for the school.
One of the easiest ways to begin your search is by using the Private School Review directory to compare schools by location, grade level, tuition, enrollment, and academic offerings before scheduling campus visits.
Get on the waiting list. Even if you cannot get your children into your first choice school because they do not have room, stay on their waiting list. Students drop out, move themselves, and enrollment openings occur throughout the year.
Consider using an educational consultant from your target destination to help you decide where to place your children when you move.
Give yourself enough time for your children to take admissions tests, if required, or placement tests so that the school can best determine fit for your children. Since admissions requirements vary from school to school, always verify the latest testing and application requirements with each admissions office.
Find out if any extracurricular activities require early enrollment or may involve practice over the summer before the school year starts.
Find daycare services or extended-day services as soon as possible. Most of these services will have waiting lists, enrollment applications, and deposits necessary to hold spots.
For additional admissions planning, see Applications Calendar.
Decide what you want to do with your house. Will you rent it out or sell it? If so, find a Realtor.
Find a moving company. Ask around for good recommendations. Get a few quotes for the move to help you decide who to pick.
If you work for yourself or have a business and you're moving to a new state, learn the latest state business and tax laws.

Two Months Before Your Move

Keep immunization records, medical forms, birth certificates, and other important documents separate from other papers you plan to pack for the move. You'll need these papers to enroll the children in their new school. Keep them with your essential personal papers rather than risk losing them or misplacing them during the move.
Verify that your children's immunization records are up to date. It might be easier to make appointments with their current doctors than to find new ones after the move. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides current school immunization recommendations by state.
Get a change-of-address kit from the United States Postal Service (USPS) or complete your change of address online before your move.
Make a list of all the contacts you need to inform of your move: banks, credit cards, insurance companies, car payments, magazine subscriptions, memberships, the IRS, and other organizations that need your updated address.
Schedule closings of your gym membership, community clubs, or country clubs. Before you close your membership, verify whether these organizations have branches where you are moving.
Schedule stoppage of service for your local and long-distance phone numbers, internet, electricity, gas, oil, security service, newspaper service, and other household utilities.
Schedule your move with the moving company.
"Spring clean" your possessions before the move. Consider whether something is important enough to take with you. Otherwise, throw it out, recycle it, donate it, or give it away.
Families comparing schools before relocating may also find Evaluating and Choosing a Private School helpful when narrowing their choices.

One Month Before Your Move

Schedule a party or get-together so your children and you can say goodbye to your friends. Take plenty of pictures. Get mailing addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers. Don't wait too long to have this party if you'll have it at home because your moving plans will start to interfere. Alternatively, throw the party at a local restaurant or park.
Get maps of the new place where you're moving to. Show the children the relationship between their new house and school. Highlight any other significant landmarks to help the kids get a good feeling for their new place. Many families now also use online maps and street-view tools to help children become familiar with their new neighborhood before moving day.
If the move is in the middle of the year, you may have some extra steps to make sure the move is smooth.
Find out what the school supply list is. Many private schools have in-school stores from where the kids will want to buy their supplies.
Get the children's uniforms in order. You may want to wait until you get to the school to see what uniform pieces most kids wear before you spend a lot of money buying the uniforms.
See if you can arrange a meeting before the children's first day of school to have any of your questions answered.
Inventory your significant or expensive possessions with a video camera or photographs. Digital photographs stored securely can also simplify insurance claims if necessary.
Unless you have money in a small local bank, you probably do not have to worry about changing banks. Still, this may be a consideration. Look into banks in your destination area.
Contact your new utilities and schedule to have their services turned on (local phone, internet, electricity, gas, water, etc.).
Find new doctors in the new location.
Make your travel arrangements, if necessary.
Consider how you will transfer your pets. Will they travel with you, or do they need separate travel arrangements? Are you taking them with you, or must you leave them behind?
Give your plants away if you have any. Most plants usually cannot make the move.
For additional guidance on selecting a new school, see How to Choose the Right Private School in 2026.

Three Weeks Before Your Move

Get a babysitter for moving day or arrange to have the older kids hang out with a good friend. You do not want the kids running around on moving day.
Look into moving insurance; consider whether you need any.
Arrange to have a cleaning crew come to clean the house after the move.
Arrange to maintain the lawn after you leave but before the house closes (if you sell the home) or until the renters move in.

Two Weeks Before Your Move

Make sure all school books and library books have been returned.
Pick up any dry-cleaning that may still be out.
Get the locks changed on your new home. Have any necessary repairs been made on your new home?
The American Red Cross recommends checking smoke alarms and reviewing your family's emergency plan before settling into a new home.

One Week Before Your Move

Return cable equipment that was loaned from the cable company.

Moving Week

Organize your personal belongings so that the movers know what to pack and what to leave alone.

After You Arrive at Your New Place

Drive the kids to their new school before school starts.
Consider introducing yourself to the neighbors, depending on your comfort level, and talking to strangers. You may want to go door to door or throw a backyard or house party, inviting your closest neighbors over.
Talk to the new school counselors to ensure they know that your kids are experiencing not just a new school but have experienced a significant house move as well.
Look into extracurricular activities (associated with and without the school) to allow the kids to meet new friends.
Work out a fire evacuation plan. The U.S. Fire Administration provides helpful guidance on creating a home fire escape plan after you move.

General Moving Tips

Research school zones before you look at houses or rental apartments so that you are making an informed decision regarding where your family will live.
The best time to move is at the beginning of summer. That gives the children more time to get used to their new home and area and hopefully meet new friends before the first day of school.
Follow up with school counselors about a month after school starts to see how the children adapt to their new schools.
Get involved with the new school. Join the PTA to help support an extracurricular activity.
Families comparing schools may also find What Is Really Important in Choosing a School? helpful before making a final enrollment decision.
Test all of your fire alarms before putting them up.

Online Sites & Services

Here are some of our favorite online sites related to moving and moving services:

Moving.com can help you find a mover, rental truck, storage facility, and real estate help. By using an online interface, you can request moving quotes.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) offers an online mover's guide and allows you to complete your change of address before your move.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) provides consumer information about selecting interstate moving companies, understanding your rights and responsibilities, and protecting yourself from moving fraud.