Moving is always a difficult and stressful time for anyone. Most people would never move if it weren’t for either an extreme desire or external circumstances. Regardless, change is the only constant in the world, and moving is one of the ways that change manifests.
Moving doesn’t have to be so stressful. If you plan it right, you can go through with it with relative ease. That’s why we have compiled a checklist that will ensure you have taken care of everything when you are about to move.
Do note that this guide is for people who don’t have to move in an emergency and have had notice for a while. For people who have to move with urgency, i.e., same day, we have a different guide.
2 Months/8 Weeks Before The Move
The moving process starts well in advance of the actual moving day. In fact, it starts approximately 8 weeks before moving day. So, here’s what you need to be doing to ensure a smooth and easy move.
- First of all, create a binder. It can be either digital or physical, where you will store important notes and documents such as estimates, inventory lists, quotes, receipts, and contracts. This binder will come in handy in the weeks to come.
- Start researching moving companies in your area that can handle your move. You especially want to research what services they provide and what kind of extra costs they may charge. You also want to check their reviews on Yelp, Trustpilot, and other review services.
Get a few quotes and book your mover early because they provide better pricing if booked in advance.
Some notable companies that provide quotes in the USA include U‑Haul and the highly‑rated Dumbo Moving a trusted NYC mover offering flat‑rate, full‑service relocations.
Do note that not all companies operate in all regions, so do a Google search with your city and block name for moving companies to find the best matches.
Before hiring any service, ensure that they are licensed by the FMCSA and have a DOT number.
- Start budgeting for the move. Use the quotes you received to set aside money for the move. Include costs for things like:
- Packing supplies
- Fuel costs
- Truck rental
- Storage fees (if applicable)
- Insurance
- Pet or childcare costs
- Permit and cost of a parking space for movers in both locations.
And anything else that may be relevant on the day of the move. Store this information in your binder so that you can retrieve it quickly.
- Start organizing your items. All the things in your house need to be inventoried and sorted. Create three different categories:
- Keep. These are the things you will pack and take with you.
- Sell. These are the things you don’t need to take with you. Sell them on online marketplaces and get some extra cash in hand.
- Donate/Throw. These are the things that you can’t sell. So either donate them (if they are in good condition) or dispose of them.
The idea is to have as few boxes and items on moving day as possible to cut moving costs.
These are the things that should be checked off 8 weeks before you have to move.
6 Weeks Before the Move
Once there are 6 weeks left before the big day, you need to start working on some important things like the following.
- Transferring schools and medical providers. If you have kids who go to school, or a partner or family member who goes to college, then start working on transferring their records to a different institute closer to your moving destination.
The same goes for your medical providers. This includes your health insurance company, your family doctor, and dentist. You will need to find a different doctor/clinic/hospital near your moving destination that falls under your insurance network.
- Start using up perishables. Now that your move is confirmed, start consuming your food items such that you have nothing left on the day of the move.
This is necessary to free up your refrigerator a few days before the move. That way, it can be packed along with the rest of the items.
Also, food is notoriously hard to move without spoiling, so it’s better to just ration it for the number of days left and eat it without wastage.
- Start gathering packing materials. You will need a lot of tape, boxes, bubble wrap, and other related items for packing your stuff. So, its better to gather it all well in advance to avoid running into problems later.
4 Weeks Before the Move
The 4-week/1-month time is crucial as you will need to do another set of important calls and visits, the details of which are given below.
- Update your address. You have to update your address on USPS so that all mail can be forwarded to you (if it is addressed to your old address). You will also need to update your bank, insurance company, and any other location-sensitive services.
- Discontinue utility services at the old address. Utility services like gas, water, electricity, garbage, and internet need to be discontinued at your old address and transferred over to the new one. They usually need a month’s notice to do this, so it is a good time to inform them.
- Start packing the non-essentials. Now you can also begin the actual packing for the move. Start with the non-essential items. These are all the items that you don’t require in your daily life. For example, out-of-season clothes, books, extra sets of bedsheets/drapes, etc.
Make sure you label everything and maybe use color coding or tagging to help keep track of what is in each box.
- Hire the Movers. If you haven’t already done this at the 8-week mark, then you should do this now. Hire a moving company or truck/van rental (whichever service you opted to use after research) and set the date of the move.
2 Weeks Before the Move
When there are 2 weeks left before moving day, make sure you take care of the following.
- Confirm the mover’s appointment. Call your moving company and double-check that they are still available on move day. Make sure to get the date and time right.
You will also need to verify/confirm the payment method and tip policy (if any), insurance, and applicable extra costs.
- Plan for pets and kids (if applicable). If you have pets or small kids, then now is the time to hire a pet sitter or babysitter for moving day. The idea is that you want someone responsible to take care of them while you help the mover load everything into their truck/van.
You don’t have to exclusively hire a sitter, you could arrange a pet boarding for like half a day. You could also arrange for friends or neighbors to handle pets and kids while the movers do their work.
In the end, you should choose an option that works for you, but 2 weeks before moving is a good time to start making arrangements.
- Pack essential toiletries. You should have a special bag that you can carry with you during the move. This bag should be packed with essential toiletries like a toothbrush, toothpaste, sanitizer, a change of clothes, and maybe a pair of slippers/shoes.
Don’t forget your phone charger, medications (if any), and any documents that you may need on hand during the move.
You should also add some snacks because you may need them during the move, while other options to obtain food will be scarce.
1 Week Before the Move
1 week before the move is a stressful time. Your house is half packed, and you might be stressing about moving day. But don’t worry. Here’s a list of stuff you need to do at that time, and it will help you keep busy.
- Pack the rest of your stuff. Before, you only packed the non-essentials. Now, it’s time to pack everything that you do not use in your daily life. Just leave a few items unpacked that you may need for the rest of the week. Everything else should be packed, photographed, and appropriately labeled. Remember, the labels should include the room the stuff came from, fragility notice, and of course, the contents of the box.
- Clean The House. Once the packing is done, it is a good time to clean the house and do small repairs. For example, any holes left by nails for wall hangings should be filled in. Touch up and remove any scuffs, and generally, make sure that everything is clean.
- Make a backup of digital data. Before you pack your electronics, make a backup of their data. This is to prevent data loss in case your electronics get damaged during the move. It is considered a good practice to save the backup on the cloud so that you can access it easily later.
- Get some cash. On moving day, it is better to have cash on hand because you may need it for anything. Any emergency stops, last-minute snacks, and even the mover’s tips will require cash. So, go to your bank or ATM and withdraw some for moving day.
Moving Day
Finally, it’s moving day. By this point, everything except the absolute essentials should have been packed.
So, before the movers arrive at their appointed time, do the following things to ensure a nice and smooth move.
- Take inventory of all items. Recheck all packed items and ensure that everything is present. This is to avoid leaving anything important behind. Once the movers arrive and everything is loaded, take the inventory again to make sure nothing is left out.
You will need to sign a bill of lading before the movers can start transporting your stuff. Make sure that nothing is left out from that bill because anything not on it won’t be covered in any protection guarantees.
- Verify the movers. All movers have a DOT number on their trucks. You should have this number beforehand as part of the contract. Verify that the number is correct because it is not uncommon for scams to happen during a move.
- Do a final check. Walk through your apartment/house and check to see if anything is left. If it is, load it on the truck. Make sure to check every drawer, cupboard, closet, and room, especially the garage and the attic.
- Keep snacks and drinks ready. It is a nice gesture to provide snacks and drinks to the movers. You should also have some for yourself and any family/friends who are included in the move or helping with it.
- Supervise the move. Once everything is loaded and the move starts, be vigilant about the following things.
- Inventory lists
- Box counts
- Damage sustained on items during the move.
At the end of the move, provide the tip to each mover by hand to ensure that everybody gets their fair share.
Conclusion
So, that’s the gist of it. This was the ultimate moving checklist for 2025. Whether you are about to move within your city or across state lines, these are all the things you will need to account for to ease the process of moving.
Just remember, don’t be overwhelmed by the number of tasks on the list. Just approach each task individually, and soon you will be done with all of them without stress.