The comprehensive moving house checklist to minimise the chaos
Moving house brings a state of great confusion and a feeling of deconstruction that can be overwhelming. It’s easy to lose your bearings when the contents of your home are getting packed into boxes, and life begins to shift to somewhere new. Novelist Helen Garner calls it a Nameless Emotion. However, there’s no need to let chaos dominate this exciting new beginning. Our moving house checklist is a survival guide to early planning so, you do not get inundated with things to do at the last minute.
Let’s start two months in advance because it is the correct amount of time for organised planning.
8 weeks before moving
Fix the moving date
If you’re buying a property, your moving day depends on the arranged day of completion. If you’re renting, the moving day is usually at the end of your tenancy.
Give your notice
The first person you need to inform if you are renting is your landlord.
Declutter
Get rid of unwanted furniture, clothes, and obsolete items by selling, donating, or sending them for recycling.
6 weeks before moving
Book a removal
Get removals quotes from companies to decide on the most cost-effective removal company to carry out the job. Depending on the scale of the move and amount of items, you might want to look at options for hiring moving vans or truck rentals.
Insurance
Get home insurance for your new home and check to see if your existing insurance has contents cover for the removal. You might be able to transfer your existing insurance to the new home, or you can cancel it for a new policy.
4 weeks before moving
Notify
- If you are leaving your present job for a new one after moving, notify your employer. Refer to your contract to see how much notice is required when leaving.
- If your children are changing schools with the move, inform the school about their last day in school.
Start Packing
Start packing the non-essential items first. Collect removal boxes and items for packing. You can get these from your hired removal company if they provide packing material, or you can ask your friends for empty boxes and newspapers. Find a hazardous waste disposal service to dispose of chemicals, batteries, etc. You might need to book a storage unit for some items or store while work on your new home gets completed.
Book a cleaner
Before moving house, you need to ensure that your old home is clean and ready for the new occupants. A cleaning service will clean after you on the last day.
Update your details
- Contact HMRC and update your address for income tax, National Insurance, state pension, tax credits, and child benefit.
- Use the post office Redirection service to get your mail redirected to the new address. You can choose to redirect your mail to your new address for 3-12 months as necessary.
- Let the utility companies know the date you are moving and pay all remaining bills.
- Update your address with the DVLA for your licence and vehicle registration.
- Notify service providers for your home phone, broadband, cable TV, and mobile phone. Your TV licensing company needs to know your new address to change the licence details.
- If you are cancelling a gym membership, it is likely they need a 30day notice.
- Inform your GP and dentist and register at the new GP, local NHS surgery, and dentist, so you are ready to see them as soon as you arrive.
- Inform local council about council tax changes.
- Tell your neighbours, friends, and colleagues.
Parking permit
If the new area is residential-only parking, make sure you have applied for permission before moving into your new home. Get parking permission for the removal van too.
Use up fridge and freezer content
Instead of buying more, use what’s remaining in the fridge to minimise perishable food waste. No need to get through it all if you can’t; you can always give away the extras.
A week before moving
The moving box
Gather and pack all your important documents and valuables into a box. It should travel with you, not in the transit van.
Inventory
Invite your estate agent and landlord to conduct an inventory inspection and consult the inventory you filled out when you first moved in.
Notify
Give your milkman and newspaper agent a date to stop delivering
Pets
Have pet carriers and a travel pack for them ready. Update microchips and restock any medication they need.
Childcare
You might need support on the day of moving to keep the children out of the way. Book a nanny, or make arrangements for them to spend time with friends or family.
Day before moving
Pack first-night essentials. Toiletries, clothing, sheets, pillows, and meal packs in separate labelled boxes. Add phone chargers, laptops, and medication to the moving box.
Day of moving
- Make sure to take the final metre readings for water, gas, and electricity, and don’t forget to take timestamped photos of the metres.
- Take down curtains and pack the bedding.
- Switch off utilities
- Lock up your pets in an empty room to keep them safe until you are ready to leave.
Did you find this moving checklist handy? Enjoy free moving services when you move into a GS Brown Construction home.
