The Ultimate Moving Home Checklist

Moving house is exciting. It’s a fresh, new start with endless possibilities. However, there is so much that goes into the organising and actual logistics of packing up your life and moving it elsewhere. Even with all the stress, people commonly still manage to underestimate how much there is to do in such a short space of time. 

You’ve got to pack, sort out the removal van, cancel endless bills – the list is never-ending and can quickly turn into chaos. That’s where a simple, step-by-step checklist can come in handy. To help simplify the process, we’ve partnered with Oz Moving, one of New York’s most trusted moving companies, to create a comprehensive moving day checklist that can help keep your relocation organized and manageable.

Have A Declutter

Having less stuff is obviously going to make the whole moving process easier. As soon as you know you’re on the move, try to clear out some of your belongings. From clothes to decorations and even cleaning products, there will be things you won’t need. Sort out items into keep, donate, sell and bin piles (recycle where you can), then you can see how much stuff you are keeping and getting rid of, which might help you be more strict. 

Be ruthless. Do you actually need any of the junk in the loft that’s been up there for years, unused? Not only will it save you time when it comes to packing, but removal costs could be significantly cheaper with less stuff to budge.

Book A Removal Company In Advance

Unless you’re moving for the first time, you’re going to have a lot of stuff that you will find almost impossible to move all by yourself. Arrange some help in the form of a removal company. There are so many different options when it comes to what services are available; two men and a truck services might be great if you’ve not got vast amounts of stuff, but need a bit of assistance, or a full-service removals company might be needed for big house moves. 

Getting some help in the form of a removal company or van hire will save you a lot of time and effort, so budget for one if you are able to. Try to book ahead of time to avoid being disappointed and causing yourself some big headaches later down the line. If you are moving within the West Midlands, comparing removals Solihull services can help you choose the right level of support for packing, transport and moving day.

Sort Out Your Packing Supplies

Even if you’re not quite ready to pack up your belongings yet, it’s better to get as organised as you can and buy whatever packing supplies you need. That might include boxes, tape and bubblewrap – but you might find, whilst sorting through your stuff, that you need something more specialist. If you’ve got any particularly nice clothing, like suits or dresses, you could buy some garment removal boxes to ensure they are wrinkle-free and undamaged during the move.

Doing this ahead of time will help you later down the line. Towards moving day, things can get a little stressful, so sorting out all your packing supplies earlier on will mean one less thing to remember when things start getting a little more chaotic.

Make A Start On Packing Up

Once you’ve got your supplies and sorted out what you do want to keep, it’s time to start thinking about packing up your belongings. Start with stuff you don’t use or wear that often so you don’t end up reaching for things you’ve already packed and waste your time. It might be good to allocate a space to put boxes when you’ve packed them up, so they’re out of the way and not causing too much disruption. Staying on top of your packing early will mean you don’t end up with a mountain of it to do right before your move-in day.

If you’re relocating across state lines or planning a move within California, working with experienced movers can help reduce stress and keep your move organized from start to finish. Professional moving services can assist with packing, transportation, and logistics, making the entire process more efficient. If you’re looking for reliable moving support, click to explore professional California moving services and find an option that fits your relocation needs.

Swap All Your Utilities

It’s easy to get caught up in all the prepping and packing and forget about all your bills and utilities. When you move, you’ve got to notify all your suppliers that you are leaving your home and you no longer require their services. What you don’t want to happen is to completely forget and end up paying for bills that are no longer yours on top of your new ones. 

It might be a super easy process and just result in a change of address if the same company supplies your new home. If not, then setting up new services, like your internet, can take up to a few weeks to get sorted. Make sure you think ahead of time so that you’re not caught out with crazy bills or no internet when you eventually move.

Prep An Essentials Kit

It might seem a bit unnecessary, but making yourself an essentials hit can be really helpful during the moving process. It’s a kit made up of everything you could need on your first night in your new home when everything else is trapped in boxes everywhere around you. These should contain things like the following:

• Electronic chargers 
• Medications
• Toiletries
• Snacks
• Important documents i.e. passport, contracts 
• Kettle
• Toilet paper
• Towel

There’s probably even more you could add, but those are just the absolute basics you might need quick access to. After a stressful day of moving, you’ll be really grateful to have a kit of stuff that’s easy to get to and make you more comfortable, without having to rummage through a million different boxes.

Inform Everyone Of You New Address

When you know for sure that your new place is yours and you have a move-in date, you need to tell everyone, businesses included, of your new address. Obviously, tell your friends and family, but you also need to notify important contacts. The bank, insurance providers, employers and any subscriptions you might have all need to be notified ASAP. 

It’s a pretty commonly forgotten part of moving house, and as a result means you could have missing post, missed bills, and even result in credit issues. If you’re stressing that you might have missed someone or something, you can set up mail redirection as a safety net.

With the right preparation in place, your move can be calm, organised and not leave you exhausted from all the potential chaos that could unfold. By breaking down everything you have to sort into small, manageable steps, you’ll avoid any stressful mistakes and ensure you have a smooth moving day.

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Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.