The ultimate moving house checklist

When your moving date for your contemporary home is getting closer, you’ll be overjoyed. But, you’ll also be a little sceptical to start packing and organising. That’s to be expected, and we want to help ease your mind, and make the moving process as smooth as possible.

So, we’ve created the ultimate moving house checklist for you to read, print out, and save to your phone’s gallery.

How to get organised for moving home

As well as providing our top tips for moving day, we’ve created this helpful guide to ensure you’re relaxed and prepared when you move into your new property.  

Trust us, it will be a lifesaver both before and during the moving process…

In the month before

Preparing for your moving day starts one month before (four weeks), which eases you into the moving process, keeping you nice and organised for when this exciting day arrives.

Contact a removal company ▢

Whether you’re moving from a rented property or the house you currently own, you’ll likely want some help moving your boxes, furniture and appliances (such as your dishwasher, cooker, and fridge).

So, start contacting companies, get a quote and compare prices; then settle on the best one and tick it off your list.

Book time off work ▢

Moving out requires a lot of organisation and leg work. So, once you’ve got your official “moving-in” date, we’d recommend booking the time you need off work.

This gives you time to sort last-minute home tasks out that may arise. Plus, once you’ve moved everything and unpacked, you’ll want to relax, and enjoy the comfort of your new home.

Start clearing out unwanted items ▢

Moving to a new home is a great excuse to get rid of any unwanted furniture, clothes or items that you’ve managed to hoard over time. As you won’t want to take anything you don’t need to your new home.

Start adding items you no longer need to two boxes, one for the charity shop (for unwanted clothes and crockery) and one for the rubbish tip (such as old, unusable appliances or broken chairs).

Two weeks before you move

In the weeks leading up to your move, here’s what you need to prepare for: 

Contact your utility companies ▢

Inform all of your utility companies that you’re moving. And if you’re going to move suppliers, arrange to cancel your contract and set up a new one for your moving-in date. 

Redirect all your mail to your new address ▢

Fill out a form at your local Post Office to change your address and redirect your mail. Ensure you organise this before you move, so that important letters, or new home purchases arrive at the correct address.

Start packing less important items ▢

Take out your boxes and begin putting non-essential items inside. You can do this in one go or gradually over the space of the week, but starting to pack up will make this process a lot smoother.

One week before you move

Following this moving checklist will put you in a good position for the next week when you move home:

Request a council tax statement ▢

Contact the council to inform them about your move/new address, either by post or email, and ask for a statement proving your council tax payments. 

Contact the DVLA ▢

Legally, you’ll need to update your driving licence so it features your new address on it. 

Just apply by post or online to update your driving licence and vehicle’s log book (V5C). Although, it’s probably easier to arrange online since you’ll be between addresses.

Two days before you move

There will be a few things left to cover a couple of days before your moving date. To help you, we’ve listed the most important things to action:

Disconnect all appliances ▢

Start disconnecting your freezer, dishwasher and washing machine, to make for an easier exit.

Create a moving day essentials box ▢

Get a box and begin adding essential items you’ll need on your moving day, such as phone chargers, makeup remover, deodorant, car keys and snacks. 

This saves you from rummaging around your neatly-packed boxes for the removal van on the day!

One day before moving

To make sure you don’t leave anything before leaving your current home, follow this moving checklist one day before. Simply print it out and tick off each item to do one final stock-take!

▢ All bedding, pillows and upholstery

(including duvet covers, sheets, pillows, cushions, throws, mattress toppers, mattress protectors, etc.)

▢ All clothing 

(of yours and everyone’s clothing that you’re moving with)

▢ All jewellery items

(box up any earrings, necklaces, watches, chains, etc.)

▢ All toiletries 

(such as deodorant, hair products, face creams, and medical creams)

▢ Cleaning products 

(including bathroom and kitchen products such as bleach, antibacterial spray etc.)

▢ Furniture and matching cushions/throws 

(like your dining room table and chairs, bedroom cabinets, coffee table etc.)

▢ Interior accessories

(such as cushions, ornaments, and personal photo frames/canvases)

▢ Any items in your loft/attic

(including extra storage, boxes, scrapbooks, photos, or tools)

▢ All kitchen electricals

(kettles, toasters, sandwich makers, microwaves, slow cooker units, etc.)

▢ All kitchen utensils 

(cutlery, knife blocks, chopping boards, mugs, glasses, crockery and dinnerware)

▢ All remaining kitchen food

(including long-life cereals, alternative milk, biscuits, cans of soup/beans, etc.)

▢ Any other electricals

(such as hair dryers, razors, straighteners/curlers, laptops, computers, chargers, and vacuum cleaners)

▢ Books and magazines 

(including any newspapers or annuals)

▢ Children’s toy boxes and teddies 

▢ Gardening tools, equipment and furniture

(such as outdoor tables and chairs, spades, lawnmowers, weed killer, bird feeders etc.)

▢ Bikes, scooters, skateboards and other outdoor equipment

▢ All office equipment

(e.g. office chairs, keyboards, monitors, as well as any game consoles you own)

On your moving day

On your official moving day, you should:

▢ Keep your vacuum cleaner handy – for any last-minute tidying

▢ Bring some antibacterial wipes – to clean surfaces like the toilet seat

▢ Begin labelling each moving box - with details of which room they should be moved to.

▢ Make your bed – this means that when the main items have been unpacked, you can slip into bed and get some rest.

After moving day

Completing these moving house checklists doesn’t stop once you’ve moved in; there are a few more things you’ll need to do:

▢ Change the locks – in case the previous tenants/homeowners still have access.

▢ Check you’ve changed and updated your address - for future online deliveries.

▢ Take down the property’s metre readings (if it’s not a new build home).

And there you have it. Now you have different checklists to refer to when the big day arrives, and you’ll feel organised and ready to take on the move.

For other moving guides like this one, head over to our news hub. Here, you’ll find insightful articles about new build homes vs old houses, as well as quick tips on how to heat your home for less.