Moving House Checklist UK: Week-by-Week
Tick List

Moving house in the UK is a 60-day project, not a one-day job. This checklist breaks the whole move into eight timed stages — from eight weeks before completion right through to the first week in your new home — so nothing gets forgotten, no deposit gets lost and no utility bill follows you to the wrong address. Tick each item off as you go, or get a free removals quote and let our crews handle the heavy part.

The moving house checklist at a glance

• 8 weeks before: confirm the moving date, book removals, start decluttering.
• 6 weeks before: order packing materials, book time off work, sort schools.
• 4 weeks before: notify utilities, council tax, bank, DVLA; arrange Royal Mail redirection.
• 2 weeks before: pack non-essentials, arrange parking or a suspended bay, service appliances.
• 1 week before: pack room-by-room, label everything, defrost the freezer, confirm the removal crew.
• The day before: pack an essentials box, charge devices, disassemble beds, empty the loft and shed.
• Moving day: take meter readings, do a final walk-through, hand over keys, check the inventory.
• First week after: register with a GP, update the electoral roll, test alarms, unpack by priority.

8 weeks before moving day

This is planning time. Decisions made now decide how stressful the final fortnight feels.

• Confirm your target completion or tenancy end date in writing with your solicitor, landlord or letting agent.
• Get at least three removals quotes. Ask whether the price is fixed or hourly, what insurance cover is included and whether packing is extra. Our house removals team quotes on a fixed-price basis.
• Decide whether you need a full packing service, a part-pack (kitchen and fragiles only) or a self-pack.
• Start decluttering room by room. Anything you would not pay to move should be sold, donated or cleared. A house clearance before packing usually costs less than moving the same items twice.
• Check whether your new home has restrictions: lift booking in a block of flats, narrow access, permit parking or conservation-area rules.
• If you are renting, re-read the tenancy agreement for the notice period and end-of-tenancy cleaning clause.

6 weeks before

• Book your removals firm and get written confirmation of date, crew size, van size and arrival window.
• Book time off work for moving day and ideally the day after.
• Order packing materials: double-walled boxes, wardrobe boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper (newspaper ink transfers), strong tape, marker pens and mattress bags.
• Contact schools if children are changing catchment. UK admissions can take weeks, so start early.
• Arrange childcare and pet care for moving day — both are far safer out of the house.
• Measure large furniture and doorways in the new property. Sofas and wardrobes are the two most common items that will not fit.
• Start using up freezer food and bulky cupboard stock.

4 weeks before — the admin block

This is the stage most people underestimate. Set aside one uninterrupted evening and work down the list.

• Royal Mail redirection: apply online (from around £39 for three months). Allow at least five working days.
• Energy suppliers: tell your gas and electricity providers your move-out date; you will submit final readings on the day.
• Water company: notify both the old and new supplier — they are often different regional companies.
• Council tax: notify both councils. Overlaps and refunds are common and are not automatic.
• Broadband and TV: a new line or engineer visit can take 2–4 weeks. Book it now, not on moving day.
• Bank, credit cards, pension, insurance, subscriptions: update your address.
• DVLA: update your driving licence and V5C log book — free, and a legal requirement.
• GP, dentist, optician and vet: request records transfer if you are moving out of area.
• Home insurance: arrange buildings and contents cover to start on completion day, not the day after.

2 weeks before

• Pack everything you will not need: books, out-of-season clothes, decorations, spare bedding, garage and loft contents.
• Label every box on the top and two sides with the destination room and a one-line summary of the contents.
• Arrange parking. Many councils let you suspend a bay or apply for a temporary permit; a blocked van adds an hour to any move.
• Service or disconnect appliances: washing machines need transit bolts, gas cookers need a Gas Safe engineer.
• Confirm your end-of-tenancy or vendor cleaning. A professional end of tenancy clean is the single most reliable way to protect a deposit.
• Photograph the back of your TV and any complex cabling before disconnecting.
• Return library books, borrowed tools and anything in storage or repair.

1 week before

• Finish packing everything except essentials, bedding and one set of cooking gear.
• Defrost and dry the freezer at least 24 hours before the van arrives.
• Confirm arrival time, crew size and contact number with your removals firm; confirm key release timing with your solicitor or agent.
• Withdraw cash for tips, parking or unexpected costs, and keep documents (passports, deeds, tenancy paperwork) in one folder you carry yourself.
• Take a full inventory of high-value items and photograph any existing damage to furniture.
• Plan your route and, for long moves, book overnight accommodation. For journeys over 150 miles see our long distance moving guidance.

The day before

• Pack the essentials box — the one thing everyone wishes they had done: kettle, mugs, tea, toilet roll, soap, towels, phone chargers, medication, scissors, cleaning cloths, snacks and a change of clothes per person.
• Disassemble bed frames and bag all screws and fittings, taped to the frame itself.
• Empty the loft, shed and garage. These are the most common cause of moving-day overruns.
• Charge phones, power banks and cordless tools.
• Set aside keys, alarm codes, manuals and meter locations for the new occupants.
• Do a final sweep of high cupboards, the airing cupboard and behind doors.

Moving day

• Take photos of gas, electricity and water meter readings, with a timestamp, at both properties.
• Walk the crew round the house before loading and point out fragile or priority items.
• Keep the essentials box, documents and valuables in your own car — never in the van.
• Do a final empty-house walk-through: every cupboard, the loft hatch, the garden and the bin store.
• Turn off water at the stopcock if the property will sit empty, and switch off non-essential power.
• Hand keys to the agent or vendor, and collect the new set only when your solicitor confirms completion.
• At the new property, check the inventory as items come off the van and direct boxes to the right rooms.
• Locate the stopcock, consumer unit, boiler and meters before the crew leaves.

The first week in your new home

• Submit opening meter readings to your new suppliers.
• Register with a local GP, dentist and vet.
• Add yourself to the electoral roll at the new address — it also helps your credit file.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and change the locks if you have bought the property.
• Unpack by priority: beds, bathroom, kitchen, then everything else.
• Book any handyman jobs — shelves, curtain rails, TV mounting, flat-pack assembly — in one visit rather than piecemeal.
• Flatten and recycle boxes, and arrange a rubbish removal for packaging and unwanted items.
• Introduce yourself to neighbours and check bin collection days.

What moving house costs in the UK

Budget realistically. Typical 2026 UK ranges for a three-bedroom local move:

• Removals (local, 3-bed, self-packed): £450–£900
• Full packing service: £250–£500 on top
• End of tenancy or vendor clean: £180–£350
• Royal Mail redirection (3 months): from £39
• Storage, if completion dates do not align: £25–£60 per week

Ask for a fixed price in writing that names the crew size, van size and any waiting-time charges. See current Hello Services prices or book a slot online.

Print or save this checklist

Use your browser's print function to save this page as a PDF and tick items off on paper — most people find a physical list far easier to work through on moving day when the laptop is already boxed.

Moving soon?

Hello Services covers house removals, packing, storage, end of tenancy cleaning and clearance across London, Kent, Surrey and the West Midlands — one team for the whole move. Get a free quote or book your moving date online.