The Only Moving Checklist You Need (So You Don’t Forget Anything)

Last updated on February 4th, 2026 at 11:34 am

Congrats – you sold your home and it’s time to start prepping to move. But, um, things are feeling overwhelming. Where do you start? What do you need to do? Don’t worry – I’ve got you covered with this detailed moving checklist and timeline.

We’re currently dealing with the process of trying to sell our house (we were under contract, it fell through, it’s a mess!), and while the process of selling is stressful, the process of moving is downright overwhelming.

I’m a big list-maker, so when I’m feeling stressed it can be really helpful to sit down and make a big ol’ list of things to do. Crossing something off a list gives me a sense of control and calms my nervous system. So, if you’re like me maybe you’ll find this printable moving checklist helpful!

Printable Moving Checklist

Let’s start with a simple printable moving checklist – if all you want to do is print it out and move on, GREAT! Click the button below!

The Ultimate Moving Checklist

Now, let’s get into the details! If you want some more thoughts and help with each of the tasks, keep reading for more.

Two+ Months Before Moving

Start Decluttering

As soon as you know you’re going to move, it’s a good time to start purging. You don’t want to bring anything to your new home that you don’t love and use. So, start systematically going through your house to purge anything you don’t need. Follow this 30-day schedule to make it really easy!

Research Moving Companies

Now is a great time to go ahead and get estimates for moving and choose a moving company, if you plan to use one. If not, you can go ahead and schedule a moving truck as soon as you know the date of the big move.

Get Organized

Create a folder in your email for moving-related communications, or put together a moving binder for important paperwork. Start thinking about things you might need to sell or purchase before the move, and take. care of anything you can take care of now! Oh, and don’t forget to print out your moving checklist and tack it up on the fridge!

6 Weeks Before Moving Checklist

Start Gathering Boxes

Scrambling for moving boxes at the last minute is annoying – so go ahead and do it now! If you see anyone on your local Facebook groups offering them up, grab them! In past moves, we’ve also had really great luck with getting boxes for free from Chick-Fil-A and our local liquor store. Go ahead and get some packing tape, bubble wrap, and permanent markers too!

Eat Through the Pantry and freezer

Sure, you can move all of your food to the new house, but wouldn’t it be lovely to not have to? This is also a great way to save a bit on groceries over the next month before the move! Make a list of everything in your freezer and then create a meal plan to work through it. Sure, you’ll have to stock up when you settle at the new house but it’ll feel really good to start with a blank slate.

Make a Shopping List

Any move comes with a lot of things that you need to buy. Furniture to replace things that aren’t coming with you, new appliances, new locks – it can get overwhelming. Go ahead and start a list and grab things as you can. It’ll make things a little easier when moving day arrives.

Pack Nonessential belongings

This is a great time to go ahead and start packing! Go through your house and pack up any seasonal items you aren’t using or anything you can live without for the next six weeks. Commit to packing at least a couple of boxes a week until it’s time to pack in earnest! Don’t forget to clearly label those boxes so you’ll know where they go!

consider a storage unit

Every time we’ve moved, we’ve rented a small storage unit for a couple of months to help in the transition. We usually rent it right before we put our house on the market and use it to clear things out a bit for showings. Then, when it’s time to pack it can be a really great holding spot for boxes!

Get To Know Your New Area

By this point, you’ll probably have a good idea of where you’ll be moving. So, start to get familiar with your new neighborhood, various service providers nearby, restaurants, etc. If you’re doing a long-distance move, you’ll also want to do things like find a new pharmacy, research dentists and doctors, find a veterinarian, etc.

One Month Before Moving Checklist

Book Movers

By this point, hopefully you’ve gotten some recommendations and done research and you know what moving company you’d like to use. Go ahead and book them now!

Begin Packing

Now is the time to really start packing. You can live without a lot of things in your house for a month, so don’t hold back. Set a goal (1 box a day?!) and don’t let yourself off the hook.

Schedule a Trash Pickup

It can be really helpful to grab a Bagster or set up a bulk pickup with your trash company. Moving always produces a shocking amount of trash! Additionally, you can schedule a pickup with your local Habitat for Humanity Restore if you have a lot of appliances or furniture to donate. It’s also a great time to set up a garage sale if you want to!

Set Up Your Change of Address

Now is the time to go ahead and set up mail forwarding (you can fill out the change-of-address form here). You’ll need to notify a lot of people and companies of the change! Don’t forget to update things like:

• Voter registration
• Driver’s license
• Credit card companies
• Schools
• Medical providers
• Bank
• SSA
• Any delivery services (meal delivery, subscriptions, etc)

Schedule Utilities + services Change

You’ll also want to set up a change of address with all of your service providers, including cable, internet, water, and trash. A few things to consider outside of your basic utilities include lawn care services, cleaners, homeowners insurance, and bin cleaning services.

Make Plan for School Changes

If your kiddos will be going to a new school, now is the time to prep that! Get to know the new school, reach out about a tour (especially if you’re moving mid-year and miss all of the new family events), and figure out any school supplies you’ll need to grab.

Make a Plan for Your Pets

If you have pets, go ahead and figure out what you’ll be doing with them on the day of the move. Will they go to a friend’s house or get boarded for the day? Or, are they able to just spend the day at the house while moving is happening?

Two Weeks Before Moving Checklist

Prep Your Moving Day Schedule

Things are getting serious! I like to have a little visual for moving day so I know what to expect – so I jot down a general timeline to help keep us on track. Create a moving day list of things you don’t want to forget, make a plan for meals, and write down what time you can expect the movers to show up.

Schedule Post-Moving Cleaner

Most of the time when you’re selling a house, you have to have it professionally cleaned. As soon as you know your move-out day, go ahead and get that cleaning scheduled!

Final (Brutal!) Decluttering

Did you think you were done decluttering? No way! As you do your final packing, be even more cutthroat with what you’re purging and what you’re keeping.

Pack Everything But the Essentials

At this point, pretty much everything except what you use on the daily should be getting packed.

Prep Anything You’re Leaving for New Owners

Gather any manuals, the fireplace key, garage door openers, HOA information, etc. and make a little kit to leave for the new owners. If you want to go above and beyond, you could even grab a bottle of wine and a card to leave for them!

Take Off Work

If you need to schedule any time off for work for the move, go ahead and do that now!

One Week Before Moving Checklist

Prep Essentials for the First Few Days

I always like to have a big plastic bin full of things I know we’ll need in the first couple of days. I include things like clean sheets, paper towels, disinfectant wipes, toilet paper, toiletries, etc. Basically, anything you don’t want to be scrambling for on night one should go into this bin!

Clear Out Fridge + Pantry

Time for the final fridge and pantry clean out! Eat anything you can, toss anything you don’t want to bring, and pack up the remaining food.

Make a Safe Box

Make sure to pack the really important documents valuables separately from everything else. Things like jewelry, social security cards, prescriptions, passports, and birth certificates all need to be easy to access. It can be helpful to pack them all together in a lockable box, so you can rest easy.

A Few Days Before Moving Checklist

Double-Check Schedule + Details

Do a final check in with your movers, your cleaners, and make sure to notify the neighbors that there will be chaos on the street. If you’re a renter, check in with your landlord about final move out details so you can ensure you get that security deposit back from your lease!

Defrost the Refrigerator and Freezer

Once you’ve emptied out the fridge and freezer, give it a really deep clean and defrost it!

Get Cash

It’s really nice to be able to tip the movers at the end of the day, so go ahead and pull out a bit of cash so you’re ready!

Gather Moving Day Snacks

On moving day, there will probably be a lot of people and a lot of chaos. Go ahead and do a little shopping trip to gather up some drinks and snacks that you can set out so no one is starving or scrambling for something to eat midday.

Moving Day Checklist

Have a Good Breakfast

Make sure you plan ahead for a good breakfast for everyone, so you’re fueled up for the day. We always grab breakfast tacos from our favorite spot on moving day (the “favorite spot” has changed with each home – can’t wait to find our new one!).

Change Locks

Be sure to change the locks on your new doors ASAP once you’re settled!

Say Hi to the Neighbors

As an introvert, I find that if I don’t say hello to the neighbors on moving day when it’s really obvious that we’re new to the street, it can get hard to work up the courage later. You don’t need to knock on their door, but be sure to wave and say hello if you see anyone out and about.

Order in Dinner!

Don’t even think about trying to cook in that new kitchen on day one. Order takeout from somewhere next to the new house and eat it together while dreaming about how much fun you’ll have in your new space.

Don’t Forget to Take a Moment

Finally (and perhaps most importantly) don’t skip slowing down and taking a moment to say goodbye. Hug your neighbors and take a million photos of your family in your old home for the last time. Take a moment to walk through your empty house and touch every single wall. Think about all the good times and, if you’re the praying type, say a little prayer for the new family moving in after you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Before Moving Should You Start Packing?

It depends on how much time you have, but I find that packing in earnest beginning about a month before the move works best for me. Any sooner, and I end up packing a lot of stuff I need. Any later, and I’m scrambling towards the end!

In What Order Should I Start Packing for a Move?

I recommend you always start by packing things you don’t use often. Think linen closets with extra stuff, the attic and basement, storage closets, and rarely used kitchen tools. Once you’ve got all of that done, I personally like to work by room!

How Long Does It Take the Average Person to Pack for a Move?

It depends on a ton of factors like:

• How much time each day you can devote to packing
• If you’re decluttering while you’re packing
• If you have any help

If you’re able to devote yourself full-time to packing, most people can handle a 2-3 bedroom home in about 1-2 weeks.

What Are Some Moving Essentials I Should Have On Hand?

Here are my moving essentials that I always make sure to keep around when I’m prepping for a move!

What Room Takes the Longest to Pack?

Definitely the kitchen! It generally has a lot of things that need to be wrapped carefully, and a lot of lesser-used tools. Not to mention food! I highly recommend doing the kitchen in stages – pack all of the less-used stuff first and get it down to bare bones! Then, later in the process you can circle back and do a more thorough pack.