For a residential move, local or long-distance. Assumes you have roughly eight weeks; if you have less, do the phases in order and compress.

32 items · 10 essential reviewed 7 Jul 2026 2 sources .md .json

Eight weeks before

Set a moving budgetLocal moves typically run $1,000–$3,000; interstate moves $4,000–$10,000+. Decide now whether you're hiring movers, renting a truck, or using a hybrid (you pack, they drive).
Get binding quotes from at least three moving companiesPrices vary as much as 3x for identical moves. Insist on a binding quote after an in-home or video survey — a non-binding estimate is a suggestion, not a price.
Verify the mover's license and complaint history if interstateLook up their USDOT number on the FMCSA website. Moving scams almost always trace back to unlicensed carriers.
Give written notice to your landlord if rentingCheck your lease for the required notice period — 30 days is common, 60 is not rare. Missing it can cost you a month's rent.
Start a single moving folderOne place — physical or digital — for quotes, receipts, the lease, school records. Moving expenses may be tax-deductible for military moves.

Six weeks before

Declutter room by roomEvery box you don't move is money saved. Sell, donate, or discard; charities will often schedule a free pickup for furniture.
Order packing suppliesRule of thumb: 10–15 boxes per room, plus tape, paper, and a marker per packer. Liquor stores and grocery stores give away sturdy boxes.
Research schools and transfer records if moving with kidsRequest transcripts and immunization records now — schools can take weeks to process transfers.
Book movers for pets or vehicles if long distancePet air transport and car shipping both book out 4–6 weeks in advance.

Four weeks before

File your change of address with the postal serviceTakes five minutes online and forwards mail for 12 months. Do it now; it can take two weeks to kick in.
Schedule utility shutoff at the old place and startup at the newElectricity, gas, water, internet, trash. Internet installation appointments are the bottleneck — book that one first.
Update your address everywhere that mattersBank, employer/payroll, insurance, DMV, voter registration, subscriptions. Work from your last two bank statements — anything that charged you knows your old address.
Start packing rooms you don't use dailyGuest room, garage, storage, off-season clothes. Label every box with its destination room and a one-line summary of contents.
Arrange time off work for moving dayAnd for the day after. You will not want to be in meetings.

One week before

Confirm the movers in writingDate, arrival window, both addresses, contact numbers, and the binding quote amount.
Pack a "first 24 hours" box per personMedications, chargers, toiletries, two changes of clothes, towels, sheets, toilet paper, coffee setup. This box rides with you, not in the truck.
Use up or give away frozen and perishable foodMovers won't take perishables; coolers only buy you a few hours.
Refill prescriptionsYou want a full supply crossing the gap, especially if you're changing pharmacies or states.
Photograph valuables and electronics setupsCondition photos for insurance claims; cable photos so you can rewire the TV without swearing.
Empty, defrost, and dry the refrigerator 24 hours before loading if moving appliancesA wet fridge in a sealed truck grows mold impressively fast.

Moving day

Walk the movers through the house before loading startsPoint out fragile items, what stays, and the "do not load" pile (your first-24-hours boxes, documents, valuables).
Keep documents, jewelry, and small electronics with youAnything irreplaceable or pocketable travels in your car.
Do a final sweep of every room, closet, cabinet, and drawerCheck the dishwasher, the oven, the attic, behind doors, and the garage rafters. This is when things get left behind.
Record utility meter readings and photograph the empty rooms if rentingYour evidence for the deposit dispute you hope never happens.
Hand over keys, garage remotes, and mailbox keysTo the landlord, agent, or buyer — count them out loud.

First week after

Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, locate the breaker panel and water shutoffBefore you need any of them.
Change the locks or rekey if buyingYou have no idea how many copies of the old keys exist.
Unpack the kitchen firstA working kitchen makes a house livable; everything else can wait.
Register your new address with the DMVMost states require a license and registration update within 30 days of moving.
Register to vote at your new address
Find a new doctor, dentist, and vet, and transfer records if long distance
Note the inspection deadline on your mover's paperworkInterstate movers: you typically have nine months to file a written claim for loss or damage — but the sooner, the stronger.

Tell us what’s going on — everyday words are perfect

Built only from the steps above — nothing new gets invented.

Sources & upkeep

usps.com
- Official change of address
dot.gov
- FMCSA — Protect your move (interstate moves)

All 2 sources are re-checked weekly. When one changes a fact this checklist asserts, the step is edited and the change is logged — the revision history is public.

Different situation? — it only selects from the steps above; nothing new is written.

Essential isn’t a shorter checklist — it’s the same one with the optional steps tucked away. Everything’s still a click away, and the essential marks stay put in anything you make from this, right down to the .json.

A helpful starting point, not professional advice — here’s why.