Relocating from one city to another or one country to another is unavoidable in today’s world. Irrespective of the fact that you may pride yourself to be a bit of a master at the game since you have “Been there done that”, it is never easy to shift home. There has to be a checklist that needs to be ticked off so you do not miss anything. Yeah, we know that you plan to hire the most efficient movers & packers to help you relocate, but there are many other things that you will need to take care of, other than moving your belongings from one place to another.
It is extremely important to minimize the stress of moving to the bare minimum and keep track of all the essential paperwork and documents you will need at your new place of residence. Every utility company like telecom, piped gas, electricity, cable etc. needs multiple copies of varied documents for subscription, so you’d better have them on you when you move. Let’s break this process into a few steps to make it easier to follow:
Step I: Collect all the necessary documents
- Driving License: This important document is considered to be an identification proof and an address proof too, so you will surely need it during travel and at your new residence too. Do not forget to alter your new address with the Regional Transport Authority (RTO) and update your records as soon as you shift or maybe earlier too.
- Aadhar Card: This is a very important document and has been recently introduced by the Govt. of India. Make sure the Aadhar Card is safely kept along with other necessary papers for easy retrieval. This serves as an all in one proof of residential, citizenship and identification so make sure your latest address is updated to avoid any complication.
- Passport: If you are relocating to another country, this could be THE most vital document you would need in your document folder. Apart from a valid identity proof, it is also the document your employer may ask you for. It makes a lot of sense to apply for the address change procedure once you have settled into your new home.
- Vehicle documents: Your vehicle papers which include the RC or Registration Certificate, Insurance, PUC are essential ones if you intend to drive along with your Moving agency, so keep them close at hand. If you are shifting across states, you will be required to change the registration, so plan accordingly.
- Purchase deed: Whether your new home is a rented one or self-owned, keep the agreement original and one copy handy as many utility services ask for the same. This could be a key document till the time all the other documents are ready with the address changes, so keep it close at hand.
Step II: Keep what you need, dispose the rest!
Apart from collecting important documents, it is also necessary to sift through the old documents you would have accumulated over the years, planning to dispose them but never got to do so. Keep only those which you would need for filing taxes or paying off loans etc., while the rest can find their way to the garbage bin.
Step III: Document Organization
Collecting important papers and shredding the ones you have hoarded over the years is one part, but it is very important to find them when you need them. Filing all these documents in a single properly marked folder or separate folders is the best way to organize them. Make sure you have created another folder that has copies of every single document you have retained. All those tech-savvy people out there, you can scan them too and stow them away for future use on your personal computer. Here too, rename the folder properly to locate it quickly.
Once you take these three steps, you can be assured of a hassle-free Home shifting since you will be confident and secure with the knowledge that all the necessary papers, everything nicely catalogued and properly labelled, are at your fingertips.