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Phinnie Zahareas is a contributing writer for USA TODAY Homefront. She works as a project manager and professional organizer for a moving company in Louisiana. She’s managed dozens of moving jobs — from tiny houses to sprawling office buildings — and aims to make relocations easier for everyone. In addition to her work in the moving industry, she holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of New Orleans. She still lives in New Orleans, where she walks her two spotted dogs along the Mississippi River every evening.
A moving checklist can help you stay organized.
Include often-overlooked tasks, such as defrosting the fridge, tuning up your car and refilling your prescriptions.
Pack a moving-day suitcase with essential items for the first few days in your new home.
Perhaps you’ve experienced the stress that can come with disorganized moving or, less likely, the bliss that accompanies an uncomplicated move. More often than not, a chaotic relocation results from improper planning or failure to create a moving checklist.
What makes a breezy move? Proper planning is the key to a low-stress relocation. Ideally, you should start ticking tasks off your moving checklist list two months before your move date. Procrastinating until the last minute usually ends in frustration or missing crucial tasks.
There’s no shortage of tasks to fill the months before a move. For example, you’ll want to shed unnecessary belongings, apply for required permits, account for important documents and book the best moving company for your needs to stay levelheaded throughout the entire process.
Preparing for a move can get overwhelming quickly, so we outlined the top 10 tasks to include on your moving checklist.
Reserve rentals and book services early on to secure the right accommodations within your moving timeline. There’s a wide variety of services to contract, from renting a truck to hiring one of the best long-distance moving companies. Whichever route you take, planning ahead will give you time to research companies, compare quotes and secure the best services within your preferred timeline.
Timeline: Two months before the move
Most moving companies charge based on the volume of your belongings or the time it takes to complete your move, so you’ll likely save money by decluttering beforehand. Purge as much as possible because moving things can cost more than they’re worth, especially if you’re not using them.
Selling items in good condition can provide extra cash to offset moving expenses or invest in new items. Consider having a garage sale or using Facebook Marketplace to sell your items. You can also quickly offload items by donating them to charities like the Salvation Army or church groups.
Timeline: Two months before the move or before packing
Once you’ve confirmed your moving timeline and secured your rentals or coordinated with your chosen moving company, clear your schedule and request time off work. Consider finding a trusted sitter for the day if you have pets or young children. Additionally, get any necessary permits for moving day, such as street parking permits or approval from your homeowners association (HOA).
Parking permits are a common necessity if you’re moving to or from a city or high-rise building, and HOAs may restrict commercial vehicles over a certain size from parking or conducting business within specified locations or times. Check with your new landlord, schedule a call with your HOA representative, or ask your real estate agent about permits or regulations for moving day.
Timeline: One to two months before the move
It’s common to misplace items such as garage door openers, remotes or important documents when packing. To avoid this, create a moving folder when planning your move. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a physical binder or a digital folder — choose what works best for you.
This folder serves as a central location for all essential documents and information related to your relocation. Include items such as your moving contract, inventory lists, appointments, scheduled calls and contact details for your movers.
After discarding anything you don’t want or need, create an inventory list of your belongings. Go through each room in your home and categorize each item based on its type or function — for example, valuables, clothes, knickknacks, books, electronics, furniture, toys and art.
This thorough inventory will come in handy with requesting moving estimates from top movers, buying mover’s insurance, packing and ensuring everything makes it to your new place.
Timeline: Six to eight weeks before the move and before packing
Whether you plan to buy packing supplies or source cardboard boxes from your community, you’ll want to begin the process one to two weeks before packing. You could save money by looking for free boxes at supermarkets, liquor stores and Facebook groups. However, you’ll probably have to make a few stops to gather bubble wrap, padding, tape and other supplies.
Timeline: Six to eight weeks before the move
Think of every institution that keeps important records about you or your family and collect them before leaving your current location. For example, medical records, including immunization and prescription information, ensure new health care providers have the necessary information to pick up where your previous providers left off.
If you have kids, transcripts and enrollment details are critical for a smooth transition into a new educational environment. Maybe you bank at a credit union with no local branch at your destination and need to close the account ahead of your move.
To get these documents or others that pertain to your situation, contact institutions you have regular dealings with and request copies mailed to your address. Having these documents on hand when you arrive at your new location will help you set up medical appointments, enrollment processes and more without delays.
Timeline: Two to three weeks before the move
Completing a change of address form ensures that your mail, subscriptions and important documents follow you to your new home. This way, you avoid complications such as missed bills, delayed packages or important documents ending up in the wrong hands. To accomplish this, visit your post office or use the online form at the USPS website.
Additionally, write down a list of banks, credit card issuers, insurance providers, government agencies and other member organizations that send important communications to your current address. Inform them of your new address to prevent any disruptions in communication or service.
Cleaning your place is more than just a courtesy — it’s a necessary step when moving. Most landlords require a clean property when you vacate to get your security deposit back, and if you’re selling, the house should be ready for the new owners to move in. Schedule professional cleaners if you’re not keen on scrubbing every nook and cranny. They have the expertise and tools to leave your place spotless.
Timeline: Two weeks to one month before the move
Schedule the setup or transfer of utilities such as gas, electricity, water, trash and internet at your new home one or two weeks before your move-in date to ensure that your essential services are fully operational in your name for your arrival.
If you’re unsure about service providers or how to set everything up, your landlord or real estate agent should be able to assist you. While not having internet access can be inconvenient, a delay in essential services like heat or electricity could be a catastrophe.
Timeline: One or two weeks before the move
Getting caught up in major tasks like hiring movers and changing your address is easy, yet the devil is often in the details. Overlooking seemingly small checklist items can lead to unnecessary stress, so let’s spotlight some oft-forgotten but crucial moving tasks.
Defrosting the fridge is a step that can easily slip through the cracks amid the chaos of packing and preparing for the move. You should prep the frig whether you’re taking it with you or leaving it in an unoccupied home before the next tenants or homeowners move in.
Plan to defrost your fridge and freezer at least twenty-four hours before the move. Unplug it, and place towels around the base to catch the water that falls on the floor. Remember to wipe down the interior once defrosted and, on moving day, ensure it’s dry.
Timeline: At least 24 hours before the move
Inform your neighbors about your relocation a week or two before the move. Drop a friendly note, host a casual get-together or knock on their doors to share the news. Be transparent about the expected duration of the moving process and any potential hassles they may experience, like parking shortages.
Timeline: Two weeks before the move
Before embarking on your relocation, call your local mechanic to schedule a tuneup. Getting everything looked at is a good idea if you rely on your car for a move, especially if you’re planning a long-distance move or towing a trailer. A quick tuneup can improve gas mileage, prevent unexpected breakdowns and make your journey less stressful.
If you don’t take supplements or medications, skip to the next tip. Otherwise, remember to refill your prescriptions before move-out day. Finding a new pharmacy and transferring prescriptions might take time. Having your meds sorted beforehand ensures you won’t run out during the transition, and you’ll have some extra in case of any hiccups.
Timeline: One month before the move
One week before your move, it’s a good idea to consume all the perishable items in your fridge and freezer, such as meat, cheese and frozen foods. Doing so will help you avoid wasting food and reduce the amount of groceries you need on the road.
Timeline: A week or so before the move
On moving day, your essentials checklist is your best friend. Include a list of items you’ll want on hand, like IDs, keys, meds and your moving-day suitcase — stuff you’ll need immediately. And things you need to do, such as double-checking utilities, locking up and returning the keys. Toss in important documents and cash for surprises, and do a final walk-through to ensure you have everything you need.
The key to packing your moving-day suitcase is to keep it light. Consider items such as a change of clothes, toiletries, medications, chargers and anything you’d need for a short trip — keep it simple but ensure you have everything you need to feel comfortable for the first couple of nights in your new home. Whatever you pack, keep everyday necessities easily accessible so you’ll have one less thing to worry about.
On moving day, the rush and excitement make it easy to overlook critical last-minute tasks. Consider the following checklist to stay on track:
Congratulations on successfully navigating the chaos of moving day. Now that you’ve crossed that threshold, it’s time to make your first week in your new home as organized as possible.
Uprooting your life and moving into a new home is disruptive and likely to cause at least some level of stress. However, you can keep your blood pressure in check by maintaining as much organization and control as possible during your move. Create your moving checklist and chip away at your mountain of tasks starting up to two months before your move.
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