The Essential Checklist To Moving House

Moving home can be a very stressful event in your life.  Make this easier on yourself by reading this checklist to moving house first!  It contains all those little things that you might have forgotten in the excitement and lead up to your big removal day.

In the hectic weeks leading up to your moving day, expect to experience a rollercoaster of emotions. While the excitement and anticipation can feel overwhelming, the whole ordeal does not have to be stressful.

Having a handy moving house checklist like this one can help you transition into your new home with ease!

Before moving in, make sure that you have completed all major upgrades, remodels, and replacements.

You can then focus on prepping all the most important necessities in your moving day essentials box. While each household’s needs are different, most families will need scissors, a toolkit, clean beddings and pillows, phone chargers, and cleaning supplies to get situated.

Then you can start taking inventory of all the items you need to take. To make unpacking easier, remember to organize each box according to their function or where they go in your new home. It is also important to discard, sell, or give away items you will not need in your new home.

I will walk you through everything that you need to pack and accomplish so that come moving day, all you have to focus on is unpacking and getting settled in your new place.

What You Should Do Before You Move In

While very important, packing your appliances and furniture is not the only thing you should think about.

Of course, you need to prep your new home before moving in! Imagine how uncomfortable it would be if you bought all your moving boxes into the home while upgrades and renovations are still being done.

Make sure that these construction projects are complete before moving in:

Flooring

Flooring replacement or refinishing is the first thing you want to get done before moving in.

When you are going to have floorwork done,  the rooms in question have to be empty. Imagine the hassle of having to shuffle your belongings around the house as reflooring progresses. In the end, it will take much more time, money, and effort for the flooring project to end.

Paint Jobs

While paint jobs are not as intrusive as flooring projects, you will still need to move your boxes to another room unless you want to get paint splatters on your belongings.

If you can not afford to move your items to another room, you can always cover them with drop cloths or plastic sheeting. However, doing so will require more time and money on your part.

Just remember, the smart move is to look for opportunities to save money during your move, wherever and however you can.

Utilities

This next one may seem obvious, but with the hectic process of buying a home, setting up all the essential utilities can be easy to overlook.

While you can definitely begin managing these core services when you move in, imagine how much easier it would be if you begin your new life with these basic necessities set up:

• Electricity
• Running water
• Gas
• Internet
• TV services
• Mail services

Safety and Security Moving Tips

Remember that you are moving to a new neighborhood, so updating security and safety devices before moving in is always a good idea, especially if you have kids or pets.

Aside from changing the locks and security elements, make sure that you think about the additional safety precautions like setting up a fence or mapping out an emergency exit plan. Make sure that you check where the emergency shut-offs for water, gas, and electricity are.

Major Moving Updates and Upgrades

The two biggest updates include plumbing or electric since these projects will most likely require cutting through drywall or flooring. Repairs for updated wiring and pipes will most likely take up a lot of space and you can expect a lot of dust and debris, so make sure that all major updates are complete before moving in.

You should also look into replacing your HVAC components before the move to avoid uncomfortable exposure to extreme elements and temperatures.

Remodeling

While you can definitely start thinking about your remodeling projects after moving in, it will be less stressful to tick these projects off your checklist.

Heavy remodels will take up a lot of space and produce a lot of debris. Especially if you’re doing a kitchen remodel, it can be a hassle to unplug essential kitchen gadgets and appliances. You might not even have enough storage for your supplies, dishes, and utensils.

Doing a bathroom remodel is also a huge project, especially if you have a lot of people living in one home. It can be a burden if you only have one full bathroom and imagine if the project lasts for weeks.

To avoid these uncomfortable situations, make sure to allot more time for remodels than what your contractor estimates.

Is There a Checklist for Moving?

Before moving to your new home, you should prepare all necessities in a “moving essentials” box or suitcase. These should include all the first-week supplies that you will need to make the move as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Take a look at our top 7 moving essentials:

Clean Bedtime Essentials

With the stress of the move, you might forget about having a good night’s rest! You will not believe what a freshly-made bed can do to make your new house feel like home after an exhausting day of unpacking.

Make sure to pack clean pillows, bedding, and pajamas.

Cleaning Supplies

You should not forget about packing some cleaning items as well!

Even if you do have the opportunity to clean the house before moving into your new space, having basic cleaning supplies will come in handy. Some unexpected messes are inevitable, especially since you’ll be unpacking boxes and movers will go in and out of your house.

Remove dust, dirt, and spills with these basic cleaning supplies:

• Paper towels and wet wipes
• A bucket and mop
• A Broom and dustpan
• Rags and sponges
• Trash bags
• Dish soap and hand soap
• All-purpose cleaner

Toolkit

While you may not need it right away, having a basic toolkit in your essentials box is a must! Especially if you need to reassemble furniture, having your toolkit at hand is a surefire way to get things done fast.

On top of that, having a hammer, pliers, and a flashlight on standby will also be useful should anything need a quick repair.

Writing Supplies, Tape, and Scissors

Have writing instruments, paper, tape, and scissors ready on moving day to make the unpacking process easier and more efficient.

Label each room accordingly so that movers and your friends and family will know where to bring boxes. So that you don’t have to direct every single person as they go in and out of the house, you can draw up a floor plan detailing where each box goes.

You can also label shelves and cabinets so that people will know where to place your unpacked belongings.

With the hustle and bustle of moving day, you’ll inevitably forget a few important tasks, so leave yourself a to-do list or post-it. Even though you can leave an alarm on your phone, nothing beats a tangible handwritten note to remember important details.

Phone Chargers

With all the calls and Instagram stories that you’re making on moving day, your phone battery will likely drain after a few hours.

Nothing could be worse than having to open up multiple boxes as your phone’s power slowly trickles away. Make sure that you pack your phone chargers and power bank in an accessible bag or box.

An Overnight Bag

Even though you are moving into your home, the first few days of the move can feel like you are staying at a stranger’s house.

To keep your head clear even amidst the chaos of unpacking, the trick is to pack an overnight bag with your personal essentials.

Plan ahead and set aside a change of clothes for the next day and some toiletries, including your toothbrush and toothpaste and shower essentials (soap, shampoo, and towels). Preparing a shower curtain, a bath mat, and even house slippers can make all the difference after a long moving day.

Do not forget to include your daily medications and a small first aid kit in your overnight bag.

Snacks and Water

Hauling furniture, appliances, and heavy boxes are going to be exhausting physical labor. Make sure that you have snacks and bottled water ready so that you feel refreshed on moving day.

When you get to your new home, put some water bottles in the fridge so that you always have cold water on hand when you break a sweat.

Easy to carry food that packs a punch like protein bars, bananas, and apples, are great moving day snacks.

Room-by-Room Packing Checklist: How Do I Pack for Moving?

Now that all home renovations are done and you have organized your moving day essentials, it is time to pack your belongings, room-by-room.

Making an inventory of all the things you need to bring based on each room will help you organize and keep track of all your belongings. From there, you can estimate how many boxes, tape, and padding you need to buy.

As much as possible, group all of your possessions bas

ed on their function per room.

And do not forget this step: it’s important that you carefully label each box so that you know which room it belongs to. Aside from labeling the room name on the top and sides of the box, list down all the contents, and mark if it’s fragile.

Kitchen

1. Carefully pack dishes by wrapping them in bubble wrap or newspaper. Be careful not to overpack boxes – you don’t want to lose a pile of dishes at once!
2. Get sectioned boxes for your mugs and glasses.
3. Defrost your refrigerator 48 hours before moving out. Then, pack all perishable goods in coolers with ice.
4. Pack dry goods like seasonings and jars in boxes. Don’t forget to use paper or bubble wrap to avoid cracking any containers.
5. Pack small appliances by removing any loose components and blades. Tape the cord and additional parts to the body and put the user manual in the same box.

Dining Room

1. Wrap your dining table in a blanket and make sure it doesn’t move around in the moving van.
2. Pack dining chairs by removing their legs and placing casters and nails in a labeled plastic box.
3. Carefully pack dining room decorations in paper and bubble wrap.
4. Roll up rugs and carpets using a rope or plastic.

Bathroom

1. Pack all toiletries per bathroom in one box. This is usually the first box you need to access on moving day.
2. Pack towels, toilet paper, hand soap, and tissue in one box per bathroom.

Living Room

1. Secure all electronics such as TVs and monitors with a soft blanket on the screen. Tape all components, remote controls, cables, chords. and bases to the back of the electronics.
2. Remove the legs of couches and chairs for easy transport. Load furniture first into the moving truck before the moving boxes.
3. Put sliders under table legs to prevent scratching your flooring. Cover table surfaces with a blanket to protect the surface.
4. Carefully wrap artwork, mirrors, and lamps with blankets or bubble wrap. Make sure to remove bulbs and lampshades from lamps.
5. Pack CDs, DVDs, and books in separate boxes, but be careful not to overpack each package.

Bedroom

1. Store valuables such as jewelry and watches in a secure container that you can keep with you at all times.
2. Keep important files and documents in a locked box or safe.
3. Pack casual clothing in moving boxes, while formal wear can be kept in wardrobe boxes with hangers.
4. Store mattresses in bed bags to protect from dirt, dust, and spills.

Laundry Room

1. Pack the washer and dryer by disconnecting all the components and taping them to each appliance.
2. Throw away detergents, fabric softeners, and other liquids since they’re dangerous and messy to transport.
3. Use laundry baskets and hampers as moving boxes.

Essential Moving Checklist a Few Days Before the Move

• Pack all your valuable items and important documents in a safe and secure place – you want to make sure that the sensitive and high value items are kept with you right up until you move into your new home.
• Begin packing separate bags (plastic preferably) with household essentials such as toothbrush, toothpaste, phone charger, cleaning materials, toilet rolls, tool kits, kettle, iron, towels and so forth. These are the items you may use up until the day you actually move, so you need to be able to access them.
• Make sure that your house keys are available to the occupants of your old home (sometimes this is dealt with via your estate agents).
• The same can be said for your new house keys – make sure they are available to your new home on or before the day or arrange for this beforehand.
• Essential security information to be traded or learned for the home such as alarms and relevant security information. Once again, your estate agents can handle the specifics of this.
• Do not forget to take out the rubbish!
• Leave your old home clean and tidy.
• Defrost your fridge/freezer the night or a few days before you leave – do not forget to lay towels on the ground to catch the water.

Day of Move Checklist

• Label the house keys and any internal keys that are for the new occupants so they know which key opens what door. It’s not a necessity but it is considered a courtesy.
• Make sure you have all the essential contact information for your solicitors, estate agents, mortgage advisors, removals team, or anyone who is involved with the process of your home move. This is just in case there are any last-minute dilemmas and or problems.
• Cover yourself in terms of bills by taking note in of your meter readings and when your last call was made. If you have sorted out all the utilities in advance, you shouldn’t have to worry about being charged for any period of time after you have left the property.
• Security check to make sure all the windows in your property are closed up and locked
• Be prepared to change the locks on your new property as you can never be sure who might still have access to it. This can be arranged for on the day or to be carried out within the next few days.
• After the long moving process is done and you are in your new place of residence we recommend you get sit back and relax. You deserve a break!

Final House Move Tips

Remove the stress of moving into your new home by having a handy checklist to lean on! Accomplish all necessary remodels, upgrades, and home upgrades to make your transition seamless and natural. 

It is also important that you prepare a moving essentials box so that you can focus on unpacking. Lastly, make sure to carefully pack your belongings based on their room and function.

Good luck moving home!

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Home Moving Checklist

About Anita Clark Realtor

Anita Clark has written 617 posts on this blog.

by Anita Clark Anita is a residential Real Estate Agent in Warner Robins Georgia, with Coldwell Banker Access Realty (478) 953-8595, aiding buyers and sellers with all their real estate questions on her Warner Robins blog.

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