Moving House Checklist

The big day is fast approaching, you're about to move into your new place. Have you got everything covered? Here's a list of tasks that might help you.

Four Weeks To Go

• If you are using a removals firm, get them booked in. If you are moving everything yourself, book your own van and contact friends and family to see who can help on moving day
• Acquire packing boxes and materials
• Plan where your furniture will go in the new place. Anything you don't have room for, look to dispose of
• Have you booked removal day(s) off work yet?
• You should already have decluttered when you put the house on the market, but if you didn't, now is the time
• Do you need to find a new doctors / dentist / other location based service at the new property

Two Weeks To Go

• Create a list of all services and utilities that are linked to your current address
• Inform utility companies that you will be moving
• Inform TV Licence / Broadband / TV Signal Suppliers that you will be moving (they may all have a process for transferring your account to the new address)
• Start packing non essentials. Start at the top of the property and work your way down. Label each box with the room it needs to go in at the new property
• Complete a mail redirection form with the Royal Mail
• Start running down food in your cupboards and fridge freezer, particularly frozen food
• If you have a landline number, contact your supplier to get this redirected

One Week To Go

• Inform your current doctors / dentists that you are moving and give them the new address. If you are switching service provider, let them have the details of the new doctor / dentist so they can transfer your records
• Contact your local council tax department and notify them of the move
• Notify your insurance providers of the move, they may need to recalculate your premiums. You may not be covered if they have the wrong address for you
• Ensure all the important people in your life; friends, family, schools, employers etc have your new address
• If you have children / pets arrange who will look after them whilst you move. We have a specific moving house guide for pets here
• If you are looking to move any plants from the garden, move them to an appropriate pot ready
• Organise a locksmith to attend the new property on moving day

Two Days to Go

• Defrost the freezer it will prevent water being spilled in transit if you are taking the freezer with you. If the freezer is staying at the property it's just a nice thing to do
• Get yourself a box of moving day essentials. Tea / coffee / kettle / mugs / snacks / games for kids / and so on
• Decide which things you will be transporting personally and set them to one side
• Disconnect dishwasher and washing machines and drain them (assuming these are moving with you)
• Label items and keys for new owner
• If you have instructions for house alarms / boilers / thermostat / gas fires / ovens then leave these together with the keys
• You want everything non essential packed by this point, don't be packing things on moving day

The Night Before

• Everything should be packed now
• Start moving boxes downstairs ready for the move
• Clean the upstairs rooms as you go
• Get an early night
• Have a box or cupboard of cleaning supplies and vacuum set to one side to handle all the cleaning of the house before you move

Moving Day

• Get up early and eat a decent breakfast, you need the fuel
• There will be lots of foot fall and large items being moved. If your floors need protecting then put down some sheets
• Strip the beds. Use one of the quilt covers to put all dirty bedding into
• Let the removals team handle all the large items and boxes
• Any items you are responsible for, pack into your car and start moving them to the new property
• Once the property is empty, conclude your cleaning
• Leave enough space in your vehicle for the vacuum and cleaning supplies, these will be the last thing you remove from the house
• Take meter readings from the old house as you leave, and the new house as you arrive. Notify your suppliers of these readings.

After Moving Day

• Pay Stamp Duty Land Tax if you've not already done so
• Change the locks, you don't know who has previously had keys to the new property
• Unpack all your items into your beautiful new home
• Have a cup of tea and a chocolate hobnob