Moving Checklist: The Complete Pre-Move Checklist – From Planning to Move Day

Let’s not sugarcoat it: Moving is a pain. No matter how far you’re going, it’s never easy to get your life boxed up and loaded onto a truck. The good news is that a little bit of planning  now will go a long way towards making Moving Day as painless as possible. 

Jump to:

Two months out

One month out

Moving week

The night before

Moving day

FAQs

Two months out

• Set your moving budget.
• Tell your landlord you’re moving out.
• Book your movers (or reserve a truck if you’re DIY).
• Request time off work.
• Decide what stays and goes.

Pro tip

Book your movers as early as you can, and avoid the most popular moving days: weekends and the beginning and end of each month.

One month out

• Get your supplies: boxes, tape, bubble wrap, packing paper, etc. 
• Sell or donate items you’re not taking.
• Change your address with USPS.
• Transfer internet, gas, and electric utilities — or set up new service.
• Pack whatever you can.
• Schedule furniture deliveries.
• Plan your goodbye (or housewarming) parties.

Pro tip

If you have bigger items you don’t want to take with you, many nonprofits offer free donation pickup, and you can usually schedule a time online.

Moving week

• Update your address on subscriptions, car insurance, bank account, etc. 
• Eat whatever’s left in the kitchen.
• Finalize the game plan with your mover.
• Label all your boxes by room.
• Plan for your pets.

Pro tip

Pack your dishes vertically — dishes on the bottom are more likely to break when packed flat — and use shirts, socks, and towels as free packing supplies.

The night before

• Throw out, donate, or pack your remaining food.
• Put down cardboard along the main routes in your house to protect the floors.
• Get cash to tip the movers.
• Pack an essentials bag with things like toiletries, chargers, and fresh clothes.

Pro tip

Use different colors of tape on boxes for different rooms so you know where to put them on moving day. 

Moving day

• Take a deep breath.
• Do one last sweep of the house.
• Get the bed set up first.
• Pace yourself and drink water.

Pro tip

Set up a designated home base area on the first day so you have somewhere to recharge as you unpack. (Ours has the coffee pot in it.)

Welcome home

You survived moving day! Take a moment to appreciate what an awesome and difficult thing you just did. Now it’s time to treat yourself. Kick back on whatever furniture happens to be around, crack open your favorite beverage, and order some takeout from one of your new neighborhood spots. The hard part’s over — now it’s time for the (way more fun) work of making your new house a home.

FAQs