Moving house checklist

Moving to a new house is equal parts exciting and daunting. It takes a lot of planning and organising to make sure everything goes according to plan. To help you out, we’ve come up with this simple moving into a new house checklist—see what you need to get done and when. 

Don’t let anything fall through the cracks and have a smooth, fun, and easy house move! 

8-7 Weeks Before the Move 

Your move is still a few ways away, but it’s never too early to prepare. At this point in time, you should start doing some of the preliminary moving tasks. 

• Organise your paperwork. 

Get a binder or a folder ready and put all important paperwork there. Important documents tend to get lost between moves so keeping them all securely in one place helps with that. 

• Look up moving companies. 

Check out the moving companies around the area and see which one is best for you. Researching movers this early means you can properly vet different companies without the time crunch. 

• Start collecting your moving supplies. 

Stock up on boxes, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, tape, and markers. Buying early means you don’t have to rush back to the store in case you need more. 

• Sort through your belongings and keep an inventory. 

Start going through your things and decide which to keep and discard. List down everything you’ve decided to keep and which boxes they’re in so you know where everything is. This is a great opportunity to get rid of some clutter you’ve accumulated through the years. If you’re downsizing, be sure to take your new home’s size into consideration when choosing what to keep and throw away or donate. 

• Come to an agreement with your landlord. 

If you’re renting and moving to your own home, let your landlord know as soon as possible. This will help you know when you can get your security deposit back. And helps you make sure nothing is out of place come inspection time.

6-5 Weeks Before the Move 

The next things on your checklist should be notifying relevant people about your move. This is especially true if you’re moving out of state.

• Tell your children’s schools. 

If you have kids, best to tell the school administrators and teachers about the impending move. You should also get copies of any school records. 

• Look at the enrolment process to the new school. 

Call the new school and ask about the enrolment process. This way you can easily get any requirements from your children’s current school. And this gives you plenty of time to prepare

your children for the big change, as well.  

• Get the family’s medical records. 

Go to your GP and get copies of your family’s medical records and tell your doctor about the move. You never know when you need your complete medical history so it’s best to have that on hand for emergencies. 

• Notify the Electoral Office 

You need to update your details on the electoral roll. Go online to update your information as soon as you can.  

• Change your address on important IDs, documents, and insurance. 

Check out your State or Territory website about how to update the address on your driver’s licence and car registration. A simple change of address can typically be done online. Also, update your insurers about your new address too. 

• Have future mail be redirected to your new address.

An important yet sometimes overlooked step, you should get any upcoming package redirected to your new address. Or ask some of your neighbours to keep a look out for any mail that may be sent when you’ve already moved out. 

• Cancel any magazine or newspaper subscriptions. 

If you have those weekly or monthly mail subscriptions, cancel them now or notify them about your impending move. 

• Notify your utility companies. 

If you own your current home, stop the utilities at your current place. Schedule a cancellation in advance. At this time, you should also be arranging the utilities at your new place. This includes water, electricity, gas, and internet. 

• Hire your moving company.

You’ve started doing research on the best movers in town. It’s time to make a decision and book the movers. Do it as early as now so you can finalise any important details with the movers beforehand. 

4 Weeks Before the Move 

The move is quickly approaching and now is the time to start organising everything. If you haven’t already, start packing up your things. 

• Pack up all non-essentials you’ve decided to keep. 

This includes photographs, decorations, knickknacks, summer or winter clothes (depending on the season), and items you don’t usually need during your day-to-day. 

• Get moving insurance and storage. 

Protect yourself from any loss, theft, or damage during the move by getting moving insurance. Ask your current insurance provider if they offer it or shop around. Make sure to discuss the details with a specialist so that everyone’s on the same page. Also, check out storage facilities if you need them. 

3 Weeks Before the Move 

This is when you should be getting your household in order. 

• Start clearing out your fridge and pantry.

Make sure you empty out all the contents of your fridge, freezer, and pantry before you move out. Plan your meals to ensure all your perishables are dealt with before the moving deadline. 

• Get your car serviced.

It’s best to get your car serviced especially before a long-distance move. No one wants to have car troubles in the middle of moving. 

• Book a cleaning service.

Get your current property professionally cleaned, and arrange for a cleaning service for your new home if you want to avoid the extra hassle. 

• Take a few days off work. 

Moving is stressful enough as it is. If you can ask your work for a few days off, it’s going to make the process much easier. Plus, you’ll need some time to get settled in your new home too. 

2 Weeks Before the Move 

The move is getting closer and closer, time for some final touches. 

• Pack everything.

Box up everything you’re bringing during the move. Wrap your furniture in bubble wrap, cardboard, plastic, and tape. Make sure all your belongings are labelled properly and you’ve kept track of what items are in those boxes. 

• Keep track of your valuables. 

Your jewelleries, heirlooms, and other important items should be kept separate. Keep them with you in the car or a safe place so you’re sure they won’t get lost or damaged. 

• Dispose of items properly.

Get rid of items such as paint, propane, and cleaning chemicals properly. 

• Confirm your bookings.

Talk to your movers about any additional vehicles if you need them. Re-check your booking details so you can make last minute changes. 

• Make sure your medications are stocked up.

For those who take regular medications, check to see if you have sufficient refills of your prescription before your move just in case. 

1 Week Before the Move 

You’re almost there! Just a few final things and you’ll be moving in no time. 

• Confirm with your movers again. 

Do a final check with your movers about the schedule and the number of vehicles you’ve rented out. 

• Pack an overnight bag and essentials. 

You won’t be able to unpack everything right away once you’ve moved into your new home. It’s best to pack some essentials like clothes, toiletries, and the like for every person in the household. This should be enough for at least a few days.

• Make sure you don’t leave anything behind.

Do some last-minute returns. Did you borrow anything from the neighbours that need to be given back? Any overdue library books you shouldn’t bring with you? Did your pick up your drycleaning? These are often forgotten during the stress of the move but make sure you stay on top of them. 

1 Day Before the Move 

The day of the move can be hectic. As long as you’ve kept up with the timeline and done all the heavy lifting beforehand, you don’t need to worry. 

• Pack your cutleries, kitchen equipment, and remaining essentials. 

It’s time to box up items that you use daily. This includes your plates, cutlery, and chairs and tables. 

• Double check everything. 

Go through everything on the list again and make sure you didn’t miss anything important. 

Moving Day! 

It’s finally here. 

• Supervise and work with your movers. 

Meet with your movers and tell them which items are fragile. See what the movers are moving to the truck and coordinate with them. Be aware of which boxes go where so you don’t lose track of important items. Do the same when the movers reach your new home and they’re unpacking.  

• Do a final sweep of the house. 

Before you leave, check each room to make sure nothing is left behind. 

• Assemble big furniture and plug in large appliances in the new house. 

Ask the movers to help you assemble big furniture and get the large appliances in working order. 

• Start unpacking. 

It’s the same process as your moving out unpacking only in reverse order. So, unpack essentials first and work your way out from there.  

Looking for a new home? Whether it’s to downsize or upsize, loans.com.au is here to help you finance your dream home. Download a free property report or suburb report to see what’s available in the market right now.

Ready to start saving on your home loan?

Find out in under 2 minutes if you qualify for one of our low rate home loans.

Do I Qualify?