Moving House Checklist

If you are preparing to move house, it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed.

There is a lot to do in preparation for a move and moving house can cause plenty of stress if you are not organised.

Once you know you are moving, the best thing to do is to sit down and write yourself a checklist.

Ticking off tasks one by one can make moving feel a lot more manageable.

Having a checklist also helps ensure that you don’t forget any important things along the way.

Important things to include on your moving house checklist

There is plenty to do in preparation for moving house, but here are some of the most important things to include on your checklist:

Book in a removal company Once you know your moving day, get a quote from a quality local removal company and lock them in for the job.

If you don’t think you will have time to pack everything yourself, some moving companies also offer a professional packing service as well as door-to-door transfer of all your furniture, appliances and other household items for a stress-free move.

Declutter The less you have to pack up and move to your new house, the easier the task of moving is going to be.

Start going through your possessions and see if there are things that you no longer need.

Start taking these items to local opportunity shops, giving them away to family and friends or disposing them through recycling or rubbish facilities.

Get your packing supplies Before you start packing, you’ll need a whole stack of moving boxes and other supplies.

Acquiring some butcher’s paper is also a good idea for individually wrapping fragile items.

Get yourself some good-quality packing tape as well to reinforce your boxes and ensure everything doesn’t fall out the bottom of them when they are moved.

Get packing If you are packing yourself, the earlier you get started the better.

Packing up one room at a time is a good approach, starting with the rooms or items that you use least often and leaving your most frequently used rooms and items until last.

Arrange cleaning Your current house should be left sparkling clean for the new owners or tenants.

You can do a deep clean yourself, but it could be a better idea to call in a professional given you will also have a lot of other things on your plate.

Make a list of organisations to notify of your move You are going to need to let a lot of companies and government agencies know about your move ahead of time.

You’ll need to get in touch with energy and internet providers about transferring your service to your new address.

You’ll also have to update your bank, credit card and insurance providers of your new billing and mailing address and update your driver’s license and other local, state and federal government agencies.

Arrange house insurance If you have purchased a new house that you are moving into, ask your insurer and conveyancer when the relevant home and contents cover should start for your transaction; do not assume key collection is the only relevant date.

If you are renting, consider contents cover and check its terms and start date with the insurer.

Organise a locksmith Most people moving into a new house like to have the locks changed as soon as they move.

Discuss lock changes with a locksmith and obtain any permission required under your tenancy or property arrangement before authorising the work.

Arrange care for children or pets Moving day is a busy day and children and pets can get in the way and make it harder.

See if family members or friends can look after your children or pets on your moving day.

Label your boxes It will make unpacking at your new house a lot easier if your boxes are well labelled before your move.

Clearly label them with the room they belong in at your new house so your movers can leave them there.

Need a trusted removal company for your move?

Start ticking off your moving checklist by booking in a trusted and reliable moving company like us at Fragile Removals & Storage.

We are one of Australia’s leading moving companies, with branches in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney.

We not only offer removals, but also a professional packing service and storage solutions.

For a competitive quote, contact us today on 1800 500 584.

Give each checklist item an owner and a dependency

A checklist becomes more useful when it records who is doing the task, what must happen first and how completion will be confirmed. Put the moving date and both addresses at the top. Add a contact number for the person who can make decisions on moving day. If several people are helping, agree who updates the master list so two people do not make conflicting arrangements.

Start with decisions that affect other bookings. Confirm access to the new property, the expected handover of keys and the removalist's collection and delivery arrangements. If possession is uncertain, discuss a fallback before booking cleaning, deliveries or services that require someone to be inside. A preferred date on a checklist is not a confirmed appointment.

Divide tasks into before packing, before collection, at collection and after delivery. Put an actual agreed date beside each supplier task rather than relying on a universal countdown. A local move and an interstate move may have different dependencies. Keep written confirmations with the checklist so the person managing the move can find them quickly.

Make the inventory drive the packing plan

Walk through every room and record large furniture, appliances and boxes. Check cupboards, outside areas and storage spaces rather than estimating from the number of bedrooms alone. Mark items that are being sold, donated or left under an agreement so they do not accidentally enter the removal load.

Identify belongings that need a separate decision: a piano, plants, artwork, unusually heavy furniture or anything that may not fit through the new entrance. Use measuring furniture volume for the inventory and give the removalist the actual dimensions and access details. Volume alone does not establish that a piece can pass through a doorway.

Choose packing materials for the contents and inspect boxes before filling them. Label the destination room and the contents in a way that helps unpacking. Keep a separate list of boxes required immediately after arrival, and tell the crew which items require particular handling. Decide whether fragile packing is your task or part of the booked service.

Keep essential arrangements outside the removal load

Keep keys, contact details, important documents and the items your household needs during the journey accessible. Include the arrangements for children and pets, not just the furniture. Confirm who is responsible for them while doors are open and the removal crew is working.

Use the change-of-address checklist to track organisations individually. Record the effective date and confirmation for important account changes. Arrange electricity through the provider and check the actual connection requirements for the address using the electricity moving guide. Do not assume a utility will be ready simply because a previous occupant had it.

Check completion at both properties

Before leaving, walk through each room, cupboard and outdoor area against the inventory. Check that items intended to stay have stayed and items intended to travel have been accounted for. Confirm cleaning and key handover arrangements with the relevant person.

At delivery, direct boxes to their labelled rooms, check important items with the crew and record any concern promptly. Keep photographs and written details if something needs follow-up. If delivery or access changes, update the checklist and contact the affected suppliers rather than allowing the original plan to become misleading. Use storage options when the collection and occupancy dates cannot be aligned.

What should I confirm before booking the rest of my moving tasks?

Confirm the date you can leave the old property, the date you can enter the new one, key handovers and the removalist’s collection and delivery windows first. Those arrangements determine when cleaning, utilities, packing and care for children or pets need to happen. Record which dates are confirmed and which depend on another person. If possession is uncertain, discuss storage or a revised delivery plan before booking dependent tasks. Keep the relevant contacts and confirmations together so changes can be coordinated.

How do I stop important jobs being missed?

Give each checklist task an owner, a due date and a way to confirm completion. Group jobs into preparation, collection, delivery and follow-up, then record dependencies such as clearing a room before cleaning it. Include out-of-sight areas such as the garage and storage cupboards in the inventory. Review the list with everyone helping rather than assuming a verbal arrangement is settled. Before leaving and after delivery, check the relevant rooms and goods against the list and record any remaining work.

Should essentials go into the removal truck?

Keep what you need during travel and the first arrival with you, clearly separated from the load. Include keys, identification, booking contacts, important documents, chargers, basic clothing and the household’s immediate everyday essentials. Plan for the actual delivery window, particularly for an interstate move or a storage gap. Label priority cartons by destination room and keep their location on the inventory. Tell helpers which bags must not be loaded so the essentials remain accessible when the truck leaves.

When should I start packing and decluttering?

Start once the move is sufficiently settled to plan, beginning with goods you rarely use. Work room by room, deciding what will move before buying all the packing supplies. Arrange accepted donation or sale collections early enough to leave a fallback if they fail. Pack everyday items later and keep the final essentials separate. Allow extra time for fragile goods, difficult furniture and any professional packing assessment, then update the removalist if the inventory or requested help changes.

Which address and service changes belong on the checklist?

List electricity, internet, banking, insurance, government records and other organisations that send important correspondence. Record each provider’s effective date and confirmation; changing a mailing address does not automatically transfer or close an account. Coordinate old-property services with cleaning and handover, and new-property services with the first day you need them. Keep pet registration and household-specific contacts on the list too. Check the arrangements directly with each organisation and follow up anything still pending before moving day.