Home Movers Checklist

After finding your new home and with your official moving date agreed upon, there’s only one thing left to do, right? In reality, moving home requires a lot more preparations than simply packing boxes and transporting them to the new address. There are still many things to think about and get ready, from collecting packing supplies to choosing a removal company and contacting utility providers.

Moving can be stressful, and it’s easy to lose track of things without having at least a basic to-do list to follow and monitor your progress. To help you avoid unnecessary complications, we’ve created a moving homes checklist based on our own experience handling house moves across London. Of course, every situation is different, so you may want to add/remove certain points depending on your individual needs.

Moving House Checklist: Things to Do Before Moving

Declutter Your Home

Everyone feels lighter after a good purge. Even if you’re not a collector, it’s impossible to avoid gathering at least a few things you don’t really need over the years. Clothes that went out of fashion years ago, old textbooks, toys and electronic devices you no longer use are just a few examples of items you may find around your house, and there’s no reason to waste your energy and money on moving them.

Use your house move as an opportunity for decluttering before moving and get rid of everything you don’t need or want to keep. But don’t just throw things away unless they are damaged beyond repair! Remember that one person’s trash can become someone else’s treasure. Not to mention that it’s not good for the environment. Give away or donate anything that is still usable and in good condition. You can also try selling your unwanted belongings online or at a local car boot sale to earn extra money.

Collect Moving and Packing Supplies in Advance

To keep your belongings safe during transport, you must pack them properly, so good-quality packing supplies are essential. And you’ll need a lot of them because even after decluttering, your house will be far from empty. You can buy new moving boxes in the right sizes for your needs, but if you’d rather save money, using second-hand ones is a great alternative.

Where can you find free moving boxes?

• Online shopping is a great source of free boxes. If you often buy things online and your moving day is still a few months away, you may be able to gather a lot of boxes this way.
• Check local ads and social media groups. There’s a chance someone in your area wants to give away boxes after their move.
• Sometimes, it’s possible to get free cardboard boxes at local supermarkets.

You will need many boxes in various sizes (while you may be tempted to get only the biggest boxes, it’s not a practical option as they will get heavy and difficult to carry once filled with your belongings) and other supplies, including:

• bubble wrap,
• packing paper or newspapers,
• moving blankets,
• packing peanuts or something else to fill empty spaces in your boxes,
• packing tape.

Start Packing Early

Packing is a lot more time-consuming than it may seem, especially if you run into unexpected problems (e.g., lost or damaged items). Leaving this task until the very last minute can unnecessarily add more stress to something that’s already quite stressful anyway. Short on time? Our full packing service can take this off your hands.

While there are things you’ll need right until you move out, others can be packed early without causing you any inconvenience. Start packing with items from this category, which includes books, out-of-season clothing, seasonal decorations and rarely used kitchen appliances, among others, and then pack room by room as you get closer to your moving day.

• If you have young children, it may be best to pack their room last. Moving house can be a difficult experience for kids, and being surrounded by their belongings can help them feel calmer and less worried about upcoming changes. For the same reason, we recommend getting your child’s room in the new house ready as soon as possible.

After packing and sealing each box, make sure to label it properly. You can use a marker or store-bought stickers. Your label should be visible, provide basic information about the content (e.g., a warning that the items inside are fragile), and show which way up the box must be carried. Consider using labels or even boxes in specific colours for each room. This will help you track boxes and items inside them to make unpacking much easier and faster.

Pack Valuables and Important Documents in a Separate Box

With all the chaos of packing and moving, things can easily end up damaged or misplaced. And while losing an old T-shirt or breaking a cup you haven’t used in years is not a big issue, items that have sentimental or financial value are much more difficult to part with. In addition, losing important documents can not only lead to additional costs but even legal issues, so it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on them during your house move.

Before your moving day, gather all your valuable belongings (e.g. photo albums, jewellery) and important documents (e.g., birth certificates, passports, marriage certificates, insurance policies) and pack them in a separate box that you’ll take with you. This way, you’ll know exactly where they are when you need them before, during or after the move.

Get Familiar With Your New Neighbourhood

Moving house often means starting afresh in a new city or neighbourhood that you’re not necessarily very familiar with. Getting to know new places and people can be both exciting and stressful, so it’s good to start early. You’ll have enough things to worry about on your moving day as it is, even without having to look for the nearest shops and parking spots.

You can look for information online or plan a visit a few weeks or days before your move. And if you’re moving with kids, consider organising a family trip. It’s a great way to explore the new neighbourhood, find interesting places, and help the youngest members of your family feel excited about moving house.

Update Your Address

Your family and friends are not the only ones who need to know your need address. Before moving, you should pay your bills and council tax, cancel services you cannot transfer to your new home and notify utility companies. It’s one of the most important things on your moving house checklist, as it will ensure that you are not charged for services used by new occupants.

• Contact your utility suppliers and give them your moving date. Don’t forget to take final meter readings on the day. Depending on your new address, you may be able to stay with the same utility providers, but it’s still important to let them know early to transfer your services.
• Contact the DVLA to change the address on your driving licence. It doesn’t cost you anything, but you can be fined up to £1000 if you don’t do it, so this is one to tick off as soon as you can! You can apply by post or online.
• Notify the following parties of your upcoming change of address: work, financial institutions and credit card companies, your doctor, your dentist, mail subscriptions, insurance providers, childcare providers, educational institutions, vet and microchipping services.
• Transfer your TV licence to the new address. You can do this up to 3 months before you move, and it’s simple to update your TV Licence online.
• It’s sensible to arrange for your post to be redirected from your old address to make sure you don’t miss any important correspondence and protect yourself from identity theft. Royal Mail can do this for you for 3, 6 or 12 months. This will give you a bit of a safety net if you miss anyone on your list of people and institutions to notify about the new address. You can do this at your local post office or online.
• You need to contact local councils at both addresses to update your council tax and electoral roll information.

Look for New Insurance

Shop around for car insurance. It’s not just a change of address with this one, as a different postcode can mean a new premium, so it’s worth taking some time to make sure you’re still getting the best deal.

You will need home insurance for the new property too. If you are in rented accommodation, you may only need a contents policy, but if you own the new property, you will also need buildings insurance. As with car insurance, premiums are influenced (at least in part) by postcode, so it’s worth shopping around to find the best offer.

Prepare a Moving-Day Survival Kit

It will likely take at least a few days to fully unpack after moving into your new home, so it’s best to pack essentials separately. This way, you’ll have everything you need for the first few days within reach. Your survival kit should include things such as toiletries, toilet paper, a first aid kit, a change of clothes, medicines, phone chargers, basic kitchen equipment and cutlery.

Plan Your Moving Day and Make the Necessary Arrangements

If you want to hire a removal company, make sure to book their services as soon as you know your moving date to make sure they are available on the day. Remember that professional movers, especially in London and other big cities, often have their schedules full for weeks ahead, so finding a moving company at the last minute can be difficult.

If required, arrange childcare and pet care for moving day so you can spend your time focusing on getting everything in and where you want it on the day without tripping over fluffy tails and little feet.

Double-Check Everything Before Leaving Your Old House

Take a walk through your house and carefully check each room to make sure that you have packed everything. If there’s any food left in the fridge that won’t transport well, you can give away any good (and accepted) food items to the local food bank. Don’t forget to record final utility meter readings, consider taking pictures as they can be used as proof in case of any misunderstandings with providers or the new owners.

Before moving home, gather any spare keys that you may have given to friends, family, neighbours or dog walkers. You should give them all to the new owner.

Confirm That Everything Is Ready for Your House Move

Right before moving day, make sure that your new house is ready for you and your family to move in. Arrange a suitable parking spot for the removal van near the property and double-check all details, including date, time and address, with your chosen removals company.

You can also prepare a list of essential information about the old house (e.g., where the fuse box is, where to check meter readings, etc) to help the new owners get familiar with the place.

Make Your New Home Your Own

Now that you’ve crossed out everything from your moving house checklist, it’s time to unpack and relax in your new home. Give the rooms a personal touch with decorations, and plan a housewarming party for your friends and loved ones. It’s also a great opportunity to meet your new neighbours!

Move House Without Stress With W & W Movers!

Moving can be a bit overwhelming with so much to do, but we are here to help. Apart from doing all the heavy lifting, we can take care of packing as well, giving you more time to get everything else ready without the extra pressure. When you’re ready, get a removals quote and we’ll talk through the next steps.

You’ll be relaxing and drinking a cup of tea in your new home before you know it!