Moving Prep List

Moving goes more smoothly when each job happens at the right time. Enter your moving date and a few details about your move, and this planner turns a proven moving checklist into dated tasks — from getting quotes eight weeks ahead to updating your address after you arrive. Tick tasks as you go, see what’s due this week and print the whole plan for the fridge.

Why plan a move by date

Most moving stress comes from jobs left too late: movers fully booked, the internet not connected on the first night, a deposit lost because nobody photographed the flat. Many tasks have natural lead times — removal firms book up weeks ahead, landlords need notice, utilities need a few days to switch — so working backwards from moving day is the simplest way to stay ahead. This planner assigns each task to a stage and shows the date it should be done by.

The eight stages

How to use the planner

1. Enter your moving date.
2. Tick the options that apply: children, pets, long-distance move, and whether you rent or own.
3. Work through each stage; tick tasks as you finish — progress is saved in this browser.
4. Watch the countdown and any overdue tasks from earlier stages.
5. Print the plan or download a calendar file to add each stage to your phone’s calendar.

Worked example

A family renting a flat, with a child and a cat, moving on 15 November: the planner dates the 8-week stage to 20 September, when they give notice (their lease requires one month, so they are well within it), request quotes and register their child at a new school. The 4-week stage on 18 October prompts mail forwarding and booking the internet connection, which in their area takes about two weeks. The 1-week stage on 8 November reminds them to photograph the flat for the deposit and to book a cat sitter for moving day.

Packing tips

• Pack one room at a time, starting with the least used.
• Heavy items in small boxes, light items in large boxes.
• Label boxes on the side, not just the top, with room and contents.
• Number boxes and keep a list so you can check nothing is missing.
• Wrap plates vertically like records — they are stronger on edge.
• Take photos of electronics’ cables before unplugging.
• Keep screws and fittings in labelled bags taped to the furniture.

The “open first” box

Pack one box with everything you’ll need on the first night and morning, and move it yourself: kettle, mugs, tea or coffee, snacks, toilet paper, soap and towels, phone chargers, a torch, basic tools and a box cutter, bin bags, bedding for each bed, medicines and a change of clothes. It saves searching through dozens of boxes when everyone is tired.

Who to tell about your new address

Rules and deadlines for updating a driving licence or voter registration vary by country and state — check the official government website.

Hiring movers or doing it yourself

Ask each company what their insurance covers, whether the quote is fixed or hourly, and what is charged extra (stairs, long carries, packing materials).

Keeping costs down

Moving midweek and mid-month is often cheaper than Fridays and month-ends. Selling or donating furniture you would replace anyway saves both packing and transport. Free boxes from supermarkets or neighbours help, but use new, strong boxes for heavy or fragile items.

Utilities and internet

Contact energy, water and internet providers two to four weeks before the move. Give them the moving date and take meter readings on the day at both homes, with photos. Internet connections can take a couple of weeks to install at a new address, so book early and plan to use mobile data for the first few days if needed.

Moving with children and pets

Involve children early: let them pack a box of their own and plan their new room. Keep routines as normal as possible and pack favourite toys last. Pets are often unsettled by boxes and strangers; on moving day keep them in a quiet room with a sign on the door, or with a sitter. Update microchip details and pet ID tags with the new address before the move.