The move itself
What should I do before moving day?
The short answer
Weeks out: surveys, quotes, booking, and declutter. The week before: confirm the crew and the elevator bookings, transfer utilities, and pack everything except essentials. The night before: pack the first-night box, charge everything, and photograph the property and anything valuable.
Weeks out
- Get surveys and comparable quotes, and check registration for anyone you are considering.
- Book, and get the estimate type, valuation and cancellation terms in writing.
- Declutter. Every item you do not move is volume you do not pay for.
- Sort out anything the movers will not take, including hazardous waste disposal.
- Arrange time off, and childcare or pet care for the day.
The week before
- Confirm the date, the crew size and the arrival window in writing.
- Book elevators and loading docks at both ends and tell the mover the times.
- Transfer or set up utilities and internet at the new address.
- Redirect mail, and update the address with anyone who matters.
- Pack everything except what you need for the last few days.
- Empty fuel from mowers and power equipment.
The night before and the day
- Pack the first-night box: bedding, toiletries, a change of clothes, chargers, tools, toilet paper, and the kettle.
- Photograph the condition of both properties and anything valuable.
- Charge phones and keep a paper copy of the contract and the contact numbers.
- Defrost the fridge.
- Keep documents, jewellery, medication and keys with you.
Check every room, cupboard, and the loft before the truck leaves. The things left behind are always in the places nobody thought to look, and going back is rarely easy once the keys are handed over.
Also asked
When should I book a mover?
Earlier for summer and end-of-month dates, and earlier again for an interstate move. The constraint is usually the good companies' capacity rather than the date itself, and by the last fortnight of a peak month what is available is what nobody else booked.
The long version
Interstate moving checklist from planning to pickup
Follow a practical interstate moving timeline for researching movers, comparing estimates, preparing records, packing, and moving day.
Read the guide →General information about moving and about hiring, not advice about your move. Interstate household-goods moving within the United States is federally regulated; local, intrastate and Canadian moving is regulated by each state or province, and the rules differ. The authority for your move is the one to check.