An accessible moving plan led by the person moving

1. Write the priorities in your own terms

List the routines that should still work on moving day: communicating, entering and leaving, resting, preparing food, using the bathroom, managing personal items or receiving chosen support. Decide what you want to do yourself, what you want delegated and which decisions others should bring back to you.

If you are helping someone move, ask how they want you involved. Speak to them directly. Agree how to offer assistance and wait for permission before touching a person, mobility device or communication aid.

A brief working note can tell the moving crew what it needs to know without disclosing a diagnosis or medical history. For example: “Text me before arrival. Keep the marked route clear. Ask me before relocating the chair or communication tablet.” Share personal health information only with the people you choose for a specific need.

2. Verify real access at the destination

Visit if possible, or request current measurements and a live walkthrough with someone you trust. “Accessible” in a listing is not a substitute for checking how the space works for you. Consider the route from the vehicle through the entrance and into the rooms you will use first.

Review door operation, thresholds, turning space, bathroom layout, lighting, controls and reachable storage against your own equipment and routines. If you need a formal access assessment or modifications, arrange the appropriate qualified professional and property permissions before moving day.

Write down any dependency that would prevent the first night from working. For example, a promised ramp delivery is not confirmed access until the installation and suitability are verified. Identify a usable alternative place to stay if essential access remains unresolved.

• Arrival point and an entrance that will actually be open
• Usable route to a bathroom, resting place and emergency exit
• Space for the mobility or assistive devices you use
• Reachable lighting, communication tools, controls and essentials
• Status and owner of each required installation or repair

3. Confirm continuity with the people and providers you choose

If you use paid or informal support, list the last confirmed visit at the old address and first confirmed visit at the new one. Ask the provider about service area, scheduling and any required transfer process. Do not assume a new address automatically carries over appointments, authorizations or deliveries.

For medication, equipment or clinical care questions, consult your pharmacist, care team or device supplier about the move. Ask how to handle transportation, storage, supplies, setup and any interruption. This plan should record their instructions, not replace them.

If you want local help identifying services, ACL’s Centers for Independent Living offer information, referrals, peer support and advocacy. Available additional services vary by community. Confirm that the service can meet your dates and requirements.

4. Keep essential devices and daily-use items with you

Choose a clearly identified set of belongings that will not go into the general load. CDC’s disability emergency-kit guidance includes communication aids, adaptive-equipment charging supplies, important contacts and service-animal supplies where needed. Adapt those categories to the actual move and your established routine.

For powered medical equipment, ask the manufacturer or supplier about approved transport, batteries, backup power and reconnection. FDA advises checking device instructions and consulting the supplier or manufacturer about power compatibility. Do not assume an ordinary portable battery or vehicle outlet is suitable.

Decide who is responsible for each essential item at departure, during stops and at arrival. Keep private instructions available to you and authorized support people, rather than attaching a detailed medical record to a publicly visible moving box.

• Your usual communication device, access settings and compatible charger
• Daily-use aids and the supplies your providers advise keeping available
• A contact list in a format you can use without relying on one phone
• Keys, identification and the information needed for confirmed services
• Service-animal essentials, if applicable, traveling with the agreed plan

5. Make communication and pacing part of the job

Tell the coordinator how you want updates: text, speech, email, large print, a shared checklist or another effective format. Avoid a color-only labeling system when words, numbers or other cues would be more usable. A room map can include both the room name and an agreed identifier.

ADA.gov explains that effective communication depends on the person, the context and the complexity of the exchange. If you need an accommodation from a service provider, discuss the specific method early and confirm what it will provide. Do not assume that a companion will interpret or that a written note works for everyone.

Agree on breaks, a quieter place if wanted and a simple way to stop or redirect work. Helpers should not reorganize essentials or change the room layout without checking. A short explanation now can prevent repeatedly having to undo well-intended changes.

6. Sequence arrival around a usable first night

Plan the first rooms and items around your priorities rather than the order they happen to leave the truck. Keep the route to the bathroom, resting area and exit clear throughout unloading. Assign box staging areas so essential space does not become temporary storage.

Example: you want to direct placement by text while a chosen friend handles the door. The communication tablet travels with you. The resting area and charging location are set up first, and the friend sends photos of proposed box locations before the crew stacks them. Your choices still govern the room.

Before support people leave, check the setup yourself in the way that works for you. If an essential item, service or access feature is missing, use the agreed backup rather than accepting an unusable arrangement for the night.

7. Close the gaps without giving away control

Keep a small unresolved-items list with a named owner, next step and contact time. Separate things needed immediately from preferences that can be adjusted after living in the space. Confirm who may contact providers or make changes on your behalf.

During the first full day, check that everyday items are reachable, communication is reliable and scheduled support has arrived. The move is functionally complete when your essential routines can operate, not merely when every box has crossed the threshold.