A guide to sending moving announcements

Summer is a prime time for moving to a new home. In fact, according to MyMovingReviews.com, June, August and July were the most popular months for moves during 2014, respectively. It makes sense – the weather is perfect for running between the house and the car while unpacking, it may be easier to get time off of work, and you don’t have to worry about picking up the kids from school. Since summer is now here, many folks are thinking about what they have to do as they make the big move. You want to make sure you’re still getting all of those special birthday cards, holiday greetings and other mail at the new place, so sending out a moving announcement is crucial for letting everyone know your updated address. Follow this guide to managing your moving announcement strategy:

Choosing an announcement template
Are you moving into the city, transitioning out to the suburbs or venturing into a rural area? Wherever you’re going, you can use that location as inspiration for selecting your moving announcement. You can also use your family’s personality as a muse. Incorporate your favorite colors and themes, and let the announcement showcase your fun side.

Regardless of what your announcement looks like, just be sure to send it through a postal service. Emails may be quicker, but an update on your new address is important. You don’t want these details getting mixed up in everyone’s overloaded inboxes. Additionally, phone calls can take up a ton of time. Not only do you want to avoid getting stuck making small talk over and over, but the person you’re calling will have to scramble to find a pen and paper to record your new address. Additionally, though posting it on social media may be a fast way to get the word out, you never want to publicly announce your address if you can avoid it. Sending out a moving announcement is simply safer and more efficient.

Who to send it to
Hand the announcements out at work, and let your kids pass them out at school. Additionally, mail them to everyone in your address book. This way, you’ll ensure everyone gets the notice, and you can update your own log of information while you’re at it. Share the news with your old neighbors, too, so they can come by for a visit. Finally, don’t forget about people you haven’t been in contact with lately. They will likely be unaware of your transition, so they will need to be updated.

When to send it
This can be a tricky question because you don’t want people sending any mail to the wrong address. If you wait until after you move, you risk having items sent to your former home. If you ship off your moving announcements before the big day, another family may receive your greeting cards and snail-mail messages. Depending on your own preferences and schedule, timing is up to you. However, most people choose to send out their moving announcements immediately after the move. The people who are most likely to send you a letter, your close family and friends, will know you’re making this transition without an announcement anyway. Therefore, waiting shouldn’t be a problem.

It’s never too late
If you’ve forgotten all about updating your address with family and friends, and you’ve already been living in your new place for a few months, you can still send out a moving announcement. This provides you with a great opportunity to showcase your brand new home or apartment with a photo card. Snap some pictures of your family on the front lawn or sitting around the dinner table. Everyone will appreciate the creative addition to the announcement.