House Move Checklist: A Complete Guide in 2026

Moving house involves dozens of tasks, and most of them have a deadline. Miss one and you could end up without electricity on your first night, paying for a removal van that cannot park, or chasing a post sent to your old address.

This moving house checklist breaks everything down week by week, from the day your offer is accepted to your first few days in your new home. It is written by the team at A & R Removals in Peterborough, so alongside the usual house move checklist you will find practical tips we have picked up from helping local families move.

8–12 Weeks Before

Once you have agreed to buy your new home, the legal side of your move begins. This stage sets the pace for everything else, so getting your solicitor and survey booked early is the best way to avoid delays later.

• Choose a conveyancing solicitor, the legal expert who handles all the paperwork for buying your home

• Confirm your mortgage with your bank or mortgage adviser

• If you are renting, tell your landlord in writing and check the date your tenancy ends

• Book a property survey, an inspection that checks the home for problems such as damp, roof damage or cracks

• Read the survey report carefully, and ask for repairs or a lower price if it finds problems

• Check your home and contents insurance

• Set a moving budget, including removals, packing materials and solicitor fees

• Keep one folder for all your contracts, ID and important documents

• Look into your new area, schools, doctors, transport and shops

Researching your new area is very important because it helps you understand your lifestyle after the move. Schools, hospitals, transport, and shops should be checked early so you don’t face problems later.

Start Decluttering Early

Make your move easier by clearing out what you no longer need. Start with one room at a time and sort your belongings into four groups,keep, sell, donate and recycle. The less you take, the less you’ll have to pack, carry and pay to move.

• Start with lofts, garages and spare rooms

• Sell valuable items online or locally

• Donate clothes, books and furniture in good condition

• Ask your local council to collect large items you no longer want, such as an old sofa or broken furniture (this is called a bulky waste collection)

• Measure your new rooms and plan where your furniture will go

6 Weeks Before: Book Your Removals Company

To secure your preferred moving date, book your removal company four to six weeks before, particularly during the busy summer months or at weekends.

• Get quotes from at least three removal companies

• Ask the removals company to look round your home, in person or on a video call, so they can give you an accurate price

• Check reviews on Google and other independent sites

• Check the company is insured, so your belongings are covered if anything is damaged during the move

• Decide whether you need a packing service or will pack yourself

• Ask whether furniture dismantling and reassembly is included

• Book short-term storage if you have to leave your old home before your new one is ready

• Check there is space for the removal van to park at both homes. On busy streets, you can ask your council to reserve parking spaces for the day (this is called a parking suspension)

4 Weeks Before: Exchange of Contracts and Start Packing

Once contracts are exchanged, you and the seller are legally committed to the sale. Either side could lose money if they cancel. Your completion date, the day you become the owner and collect the keys, is also confirmed. This is the time to finalise your moving plans and start packing.

• Confirm your completion date (moving day) with your solicitor

• Confirm your moving date and arrival time with your removals company

• Buy packing materials, strong boxes, tape, bubble wrap and marker pens

• Plan which rooms to pack first

• Organise someone to look after your children and pets on moving day.

How to Pack Your Belongings

Packing takes longer than most people expect. Doing a little every day is far less stressful than leaving it to the last week.

• Start with rooms and items you rarely use, lofts, spare rooms and seasonal clothes

• Pack the kitchen last, as you will use it until the end

• Use small boxes for heavy items like books, and large boxes for light items like bedding

• Do not overfill boxes; they should close flat and be easy to lift

• Label every box with the room and a short list of contents

• Wrap fragile items individually and mark boxes "Fragile"

• Keep screws and fittings in labelled sandwich bags taped to the furniture

2 Weeks Before: Utilities and Change of Address

Set up your utilities and update your address before moving so your new home is ready and your post reaches the right place.

• Tell your gas and electricity supplier your moving date (at least 48 hours' notice)

• Tell your water company you are moving

• Arrange broadband and TV for your new home, installation can take two weeks or more

• Ask Royal Mail to forward your post to your new address for 3, 6 or 12 months (this is called mail redirection)

• Update your address with your bank and insurance providers

• Cancel or transfer subscriptions and memberships

• Start using up food in your freezer and cupboards

1 Week Before: Final Packing and Cleaning

Most of your belongings should be packed by now. Use this week to pack the remaining items, clean your home and confirm your moving arrangements.

• Pack everything except the items you will need in the last few days

• Defrost and clean your fridge and freezer at least 24 hours before moving day

• Clean each room as you empty it

• Confirm the arrival time and address details with your removals company

• Check where and when you will collect the keys to your new home (usually from the estate agent)

• Put valuables, jewellery and important documents somewhere safe to carry yourself

H3: Pack an Essentials Box

Keep one box with you, not in the van. It should hold everything you need for the first night and the next morning:

• Clothes for two or three days

• Toiletries, towels and toilet roll

• Phone chargers

• Kettle, mugs, tea, coffee and snacks

• Bedding for the first night

• Medication and a basic first aid kit

• Important documents and keys

• A small toolkit and a torch

The Day Before You Move

• Finish packing and label any remaining boxes

• Dismantle beds you will not sleep in tonight

• Charge your phone and keep your removals company's number handy

• Leave keys, alarm codes and instruction manuals for the new owners

• Get a good night's sleep

Moving Day

On moving day, your main job is to be on hand to answer questions and make sure nothing is left behind.

• Be ready before the removal team arrives

• Walk the team through the house and point out fragile or "do not move" items

• Take photos of your final gas, electricity and water meter readings

• Check every room, cupboard and the loft before you leave

• Lock all windows and doors

• Hand over the keys to your old home to the estate agent, landlord or new owner, as agreed

• At your new home, take meter readings and photos straight away

• Show the team where each room is so boxes go in the right place

After You Move In

You do not need to unpack everything on day one. Focus on the essentials first, then work through the rest over the following weeks.

In the First Few Days

• Unpack your essentials box and make up the beds

• Check the heating, hot water, electricity and water are all working

• Check for any damage from the move and report it to your removals company

• Find the stopcock (the tap that turns off your water supply), the fuse box and the gas meter

• Change the locks, as previous owners may still have spare keys

• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

In the First Few Weeks

• Register with a local GP (doctor) and dentist

• Finish updating your address (see the list below)

• Pay stamp duty if it applies. This is a tax on buying a home, and it must be paid within 14 days of completion in England and Northern Ireland, or 30 days in Scotland and Wales. Your solicitor usually handles this for you.

• Get to know your neighbours and your local area

Final Thoughts

A smooth house move comes down to doing the right things at the right time. Book your solicitor and survey as soon as you agree to buy, book your removals company four to six weeks ahead, and start packing the rooms you use least well before moving day. Leave the kitchen and your essentials box until last.

In the final two weeks, focus on the small jobs that are easy to forget: telling your energy and water suppliers, forwarding your post, and updating your address with the DVLA, your bank and your council. If you follow this moving house checklist week by week, nothing important gets missed and you can enjoy your first night in your new home instead of chasing loose ends.