Moving Checklist
6–8 Weeks Before
- Choose a moving date
- Set a moving budget
- Hire movers or reserve a moving truck
- Start decluttering: donate, sell, recycle, or discard
- Create a moving inventory
- Gather moving boxes and packing supplies
- Measure large furniture and confirm it will fit in the new home
- Notify your landlord or arrange the home sale/closing
- Start packing items you rarely use
4–6 Weeks Before
- Notify your employer, school, and relevant organizations of your address change
- Arrange utilities for the new home
- Schedule utilities to be disconnected at the old home
- Update your address with banks, credit cards, insurance, subscriptions, and other accounts
- Arrange mail forwarding
- Transfer or establish internet/cable service
- Schedule any required cleaning or repairs
- Make arrangements for pets and children on moving day
2–3 Weeks Before
- Pack room by room
- Clearly label every box with its room and contents
- Photograph valuable items and electronics before packing
- Separate important documents and valuables
- Use up or properly dispose of unnecessary food and household supplies
- Confirm the moving company/truck reservation
- Confirm parking or building access at both locations
- Arrange storage if needed
1 Week Before
- Finish most packing
- Disassemble furniture that requires it
- Prepare an essentials box
- Prepare an overnight bag
- Charge phones, tablets, laptops, and power banks
- Clean the old home
- Confirm keys/access codes for the new home
- Confirm moving-day arrival time
- Keep medications and important documents with you
Moving Day
- Keep valuables, documents, medications, and essentials with you
- Do a final walkthrough of the old home
- Check closets, cabinets, attic, basement, garage, and appliances
- Photograph the condition of the old home
- Record utility meter readings if applicable
- Supervise loading
- Check each room as boxes are unloaded
- Photograph the condition of the new home before unpacking
- Confirm furniture placement before movers leave
- Make sure you have keys/remotes/access devices
First 24–48 Hours
- Set up beds
- Set up bathroom essentials
- Connect refrigerator and other necessary appliances
- Set up internet
- Unpack kitchen basics
- Locate circuit breakers, water shutoff, and other important controls
- Check that utilities are working
- Update your address with any remaining accounts
- Dispose of packing materials as you unpack
- First Week
- Unpack room by room
- Assemble remaining furniture
- Change locks/rekey the home if appropriate
- Update driver’s license/vehicle registration if required
- Update voter registration if applicable
- Find nearby grocery stores, pharmacies, doctors, schools, and other essentials
- Meet neighbors and learn local trash/recycling schedules
- Return rented moving equipment
- Keep receipts and moving-related documents for your records