Moving house: an 8-week checklist and timeline
Published · 2 min read
Moving feels overwhelming because everything seems urgent at once. Spreading the work over about eight weeks turns it into a series of small jobs. Use this timeline alongside the free moving checklist, which you can edit and print.
8 weeks before
- Confirm your moving date and check your lease or sale terms for notice requirements.
- Set a moving budget. A budget planner helps you track deposits, movers, supplies and overlap rent.
- Start decluttering: sell, donate or recycle what you will not take.
- Request quotes from at least two or three moving companies, or book a van.
6 weeks before
- Book your mover or vehicle and confirm what is included.
- Collect boxes, tape and packing paper.
- Start packing rarely used items such as seasonal clothes, books and decor.
- Make a list of everyone who needs your new address: bank, employer, insurers, subscriptions and schools.
4 weeks before
- Give notice to your landlord if you have not already.
- Arrange internet and utilities at the new place, and stop or transfer them at the old one.
- Set up mail forwarding.
- Plan any time off work for moving day.
2 weeks before
- Keep packing room by room and label every box with its room and contents.
- Book parking or lift access if needed.
- Use up food in the freezer and cupboards. A meal plan can help you cook what you have.
- Arrange childcare or pet care for moving day.
1 week before
- Pack everything except daily essentials.
- Prepare an essentials box: chargers, toiletries, a change of clothes, medication, basic tools, snacks and important documents.
- Confirm times with your movers.
- Clean as you empty rooms.
Moving day
- Photograph meter readings and the condition of the old place.
- Do a final walk-through of every room, cupboard and the loft or garage.
- Hand over keys as agreed.
- At the new place, check for damage before the movers leave and place boxes in the right rooms.
First week in the new home
- Unpack the essentials box and set up beds and the kitchen first.
- Update your address with remaining organisations.
- Check smoke alarms and locate the water, gas and electricity shut-offs.
- Keep unpacking to a daily list so it does not drag on for months.
Plan it like a project
A move has deadlines, costs and many tasks, so it benefits from a simple project approach. The project plan tool can help if you are coordinating a large or shared move. For more free planners, visit the Just Plann homepage.