Moving house checklist: the ultimate moving home guide
After month’s of searching, you’ve finally found a new place to live. But before you can throw your housewarming party, there are a few things you need to do. Luckily we’ve got you covered and have compiled everything into one place. This is the ultimate checklist for moving home.
So, you’ve found a new place to live. Surely next up for the happy new owner is shopping for some new décor, throwing a housewarming party, and making your new house a home? Unfortunately, no - before you can get to all the fun stuff, it’s the not-so-fun part. Whether you’re a first time buyer or a moving house veteran, you’ve still got to get all of your belongings moved to your new location, and there’s a whole lot of time-consuming admin involved, too.
Contacting removal companies is not the only thing that will be on your list, contrary to what you might be hoping. Thinking about changing utility providers, sorting out insurance, getting additional storage organised and even booking days off work all play a part in what it takes to successfully move into a new home.
Like it or not, though, all of this stuff (and more) must be done before you can start enjoying your new pad. Wouldn't it be useful to have one long list of everything that needed to be done before the move?
Aha, you're in luck! We’re hoping that this handy moving house checklist, compiled by our experts, will help make your move smoother, give you peace of mind that you’re getting everything done, and make things overall a little less stressful. After all, we don’t want you getting any grey hairs thanks to your home move.
So without further ado, here’s everything you could possibly need to do when moving home – from packing and contacting removal companies to recording your final meter readings. It really is the ultimate moving house checklist for new movers.
Ahead of your move
Now that you’ve found your new home, here are the initial tasks on your moving house checklist you’ll need to take care of:
Buy a folder where you can keep all the important documents about your move, like to-do lists, notes, estate agent contact details, information about your removals firm and receipts and invoices. Create a budget for moving costs, being sure to leave a little wiggle room for any unexpected expenses that may arise.
Arrange your mortgage and any other form of loan you need to make your new home a reality. Check with your insurance providers that they will cover your home move as well as any new contents you buy. It's a good idea to notify any credit card companies, just to keep them in the loop. Prepare to update your car insurance provider of your change of address.
Contact the local council to sort out what you'll need to do in terms of council tax. You'll also want to get yourself on the new electoral roll. If you are currently renting, make sure to confirm your moving date with your landlord or letting agent, and secure a time for your outgoing inspection. You may also want to set aside some funds for any final bills such as cleaning costs - if you're renting, any of these additional expenses should be outlined in your contract, so nothing should be unexpected.
If you’re relocating due to a new job, find out what your employer is prepared to cover in terms of your moving expenses. If you’re not changing jobs, you’ll need to request time off from work for your moving day. You may want to take a couple of extra days on top, to really get settled in your new address, and bank holidays can be your friend here.
If you’re going to be using a home move or a removals company, you’ll need to make a full inventory list of all your possessions to submit to them for a quote. It’s also good to have this list on hand when you’re packing and unpacking.
Collect packing materials like cardboard boxes (if your moving company isn’t going to supply them). Check the parking restrictions for large removal trucks at both your current property and new property. Your removals company will likely apply for Council permits if they have a large vehicle.
Don't wait to start packing. Clear out any storage spaces like your loft, basement, or shed and pack anything stored there first as you won’t need them immediately after your move. If you aren't able to (or don’t want to) move all your belongings into your new place, you’ll need to arrange storage. Make sure to do your research so that you get a fair price. Alternatively, use Just Move In - we cover storage as well as home insurance, changing internet providers and assisting you with other home move admin.
If you have kids, transfer their school records and order new school uniforms. Research your new property area for information about facilities and local services, like the post office or the nearest supermarket. Local authority information can usually be found on council websites, or you can ask the old owners for any important details they may be able to share.
You’ll need to notify quite a few providers and companies of your move as well as your new address. Utility companies, TV licence providers, insurance providers... The list might seem never ending, but help is available. You can download our handy Home Moves Contact Checklist here.
Shortly before you move
In the last few days before your move, be sure to stick this checklist on the fridge door. You’ll want to take care of these to-dos so that you can have the most straightforward move experience possible:
Clear out the clutter. Throw out or donate unwanted items you don’t need or no longer want. This will mean you’ll move with less stuff and you won’t have unnecessary items to unpack in your new home. We recommend selling items or giving them to charity shops rather than just throwing them out. It may seem easier, but the environmental impact could haunt you forever. Donate, don't just ditch.
Make sure you label all the boxes and then create a list of what is in each box so that you can find things easily once you’ve moved. This doesn't have to be a list of each individual item, just a way to keep yourself informed so that you're not having to tear every single box open to find one pair of shoes. You can keep this list in your important documents folder. You'll want to mark boxes containing breakables as 'fragile', so the removal company knows which ones to handle with extra care.
Arrange child and pet care for your moving day if you need to. It can also be helpful to book a cleaning service to clean your current house once all your belongings have been moved. While it comes at a little extra cost, it saves you a very time-consuming job, and you'll certainly be grateful for the extra hours. Arrange things like broadband, Sky TV, your mobile phone, and boiler cover for your new home. The estate agent may be able to offer some help with this, along with arranging any other subscription services.
Prepare your moving day survival kit, which should be filled with all the essential items you’ll need to tide you over for the moving day and the first few days of unpacking. If you take medication, make sure you have enough of it available to last the initial moving period. Again, this helps you to avoid having to rifle through boxes and unorganised piles of your belongings. Preparation is the key to success, as they always say.
Defrost your fridge or freezer before your moving company comes to pick it up - if you're taking it with you, of course. If it's staying, it's a good idea to do this anyway, or at least clean it for your new owners.
Make sure you have the emergency numbers for your new location, including the previous owners. And double check the exact date of the big move - that is not a hurdle you want to fall at. Fill in your friends and family members. You really don't want to start your house move before the new address is ready. This may sound simple, but getting the basics right will help you get a good night's sleep in. And when you're moving house, that’s something you’re going to need.
The moving date
The big day has arrived, and we're nearing the business end of our moving home checklist. Here are the last few tasks you’ll need to handle:
Record final utility metre readings for water, gas and electricity. It’s best to take photos of these with your mobile phone, and know how to contact previous utility suppliers in case you need to. Don't forget to switch off the central heating. It may also be useful to take photos of all the metres in your new home. You’ll need to compare providers in your new area to get the best possible deal on utility bills.
Strip your beds and take down your curtains, if you’re keeping them. Leave keys behind for the new occupants. You can now consider yourself a 'previous owner’. Make sure someone with one of your spare keys is at your current home until the removal company has left, and ensure someone is at your new property to supervise the moving of your belongings.
Before you leave your current home, do a full walk through to ensure you (or the removal company) hasn't left anything behind. Check that all windows and doors are locked and that your utilities are switched off. And then take in the sights one last time.
Move your boxes into their relevant rooms based on their labels and your list. Start out by making your beds before you unpack. Moving house is exhausting, and we’re sure you’re going to want to get your first night of sleep without the frustration of still having to make them.
Now, all that’s left is to unpack room by room, and start enjoying your new place.
Just Move In: your home setup experts
If all the items on that moving house checklist sounded like a little too much, we have some good news for you: you don’t have to handle all these time-consuming tasks alone. Our expertly trained Move Specialists can help you with many of the things on this checklist. In fact, we can save you the hours you’ll need to spend on the phone just to switch utilities suppliers, giving you time to focus on what’s important and keeping those grey hairs at bay.
Visit here for more information.