Moving House Checklist: Week By Week To Moving Day
This moving house checklist takes you week by week from the day you accept an offer to the first night in your new home. It is the order our crew in Altrincham sees work best.
Start here
Why A Week-By-Week Plan Beats A Last-Minute Rush
Most house moves do not go wrong on the day. They go wrong in the weeks before, when a job slips and then lands on the same Friday as everything else. A good moving house checklist spreads the work out, so moving day is mostly lifting and driving.
We are CMR Relocation, a removal firm based at our depot in Broadheath, Altrincham. We have moved homes across Trafford, South Manchester and Cheshire since 2011. Darrin, who runs the company, wrote this guide from what our crews see on real moves: the families who are calm at nine in the morning, and the ones still emptying the loft.
The difference is rarely luck. It is order. Book the right things early, tell people at the right time, and pack in the right sequence. This page gives you that order, with dates you can pin to the fridge.
If you are not buying or selling, and you rent, the same plan works. Just swap "exchange of contracts" for the date your tenancy is agreed.
Moving house checklist to download
Two pages of tick boxes, from eight weeks out to your first week in the new home. Print it and stick it on the fridge.
The full printable moving guide
Eighteen pages of week-by-week checklists, moving-day steps, a first-night box list and Greater Manchester contacts, with space for your notes.
The checklist at a glance
Your Moving House Checklist In One Table
Use this table as the summary. The sections below explain each step and why it sits where it does.
| When | What to do | Why now |
|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks before | Get removal quotes, start clearing out, check your notice periods | Good firms book up, and less stuff means a smaller move |
| 6 weeks before | Book school places, GP and dentist; plan who looks after children and pets | These take longest to arrange |
| Exchange of contracts | Confirm your removal date, book parking, set up post redirection | The completion date is now fixed in law |
| 2 weeks before | Pack rooms you do not use; tell DVLA, council tax, HMRC and your bank | Less to do in the final week |
| 1 week before | Defrost the freezer plan, run down food, confirm times with everyone | No surprises on the day |
| Day before | Pack the essentials box, take apart beds you can, charge phones | An early start with nothing left to find |
| Moving day | Take meter readings and photos, do a final walk-round, hand over keys | Proof of what you left and when |
| First week after | Register to vote, check post arrives, update the last few accounts | Catch anything you missed |
Weeks eight to four
Eight Weeks Out: Quotes, Clear-Outs And Notice Periods
As soon as an offer is accepted, start getting removal quotes. You will not know the exact date yet, but you will learn who is free and what each firm includes. Our guide on how to pick a removal firm you can trust lists the questions to ask. If you want to see what drives the price, read our page on what affects removal costs in Manchester.
Next, clear out. Every box you do not move is a box you do not pack, lift or unpack. Go room by room and sort things into keep, sell, give away and tip. Start with the loft, the garage and the shed, because they hide the most. There are household waste recycling centres across Greater Manchester, and charity shops will often collect good furniture.
Then check your notice periods. Look at your broadband contract, any gym, and your tenancy if you rent. Some broadband providers need a few weeks to move a line, so book the move of your service early. If you rent, read your tenancy for the notice you must give your landlord.
- Ask for at least two removal quotes, ideally after a survey
- Make a list of large or awkward items: pianos, wardrobes, gym kit
- Measure tight spots at the new home: stairs, landings, doorways
- Start using up frozen food and tins
- Find the paperwork for your boiler, alarm and appliances to leave for the buyer
If you own a piano, mention it now. A baby grand can weigh about 225 to 545 KG, and it needs a planned crew. Our piano moving team sends at least three people with floor protection.
Exchange of contracts
The Day You Exchange: Lock In The Date
In England, the completion date is only fixed when contracts are exchanged. Before that, anyone in the chain can pull out. That is why a removal firm can pencil you in early but cannot promise a date until you exchange. Call us on the day you exchange, and we will turn the pencil into ink.
Exchange is also the day to do three jobs. First, set up your Royal Mail redirection. Royal Mail asks for at least five working days' notice, and you can choose three, six or twelve months. Second, book parking. If the van cannot stop outside, the crew carries everything further, which takes longer. Many councils can suspend parking bays for a removal if you apply in good time, so ask your council how early you need to apply.
Third, label your plan. Decide which room each piece of furniture goes into. Our crew uses label cards that name the room and even the wall, so beds and wardrobes land in the right place the first time.
Who to tell
Who To Tell When You Move House, And How
These are the people most households need to tell. All the government services below can be done online on GOV.UK.
| Who | How | When |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Mail redirection | Apply online with Royal Mail; three, six or twelve months | At least five working days before the move |
| DVLA: driving licence | "Change the address on your driving licence" on GOV.UK; it is free | As soon as you have moved |
| DVLA: vehicle log book (V5C) | Update the address on each V5C online or by post | As soon as you have moved |
| Council tax (old and new council) | Each council's online "moving home" form | Two weeks before, with your move date |
| Electoral register | "Register to vote" on GOV.UK at your new address | After you move in |
| HMRC | "Tell HMRC you've changed address" on GOV.UK | Within a few weeks of moving |
| Gas, electricity and water | Give closing and opening meter readings to each supplier | On moving day, with photos of the meters |
| Bank, pension, employer, insurers | Online banking or your account manager | Two weeks before |
| TV Licensing | Change your address online | Before you move |
| GP, dentist, schools, vet | Register with new ones near your new home | Six weeks before, if the area changes |
One tip from our team: take a photo of every meter on the day, with the time showing on your phone. It ends most arguments over a final bill. Do the same at the new house before you unpack.
The last two weeks
Two Weeks To Go: Pack The Quiet Rooms First
Pack from the outside in. Start with rooms you hardly use, such as the spare room, the loft and the dining room. Leave the kitchen and bedrooms until last. That way the house still works while you pack.
Pack one room at a time and finish it. A half-packed room spreads across the house. Write the room name and a short list of what is inside on two sides of each box. Our room-by-room packing advice covers plates, glass, books and clothes in detail.
If you would rather not pack, our full packing service can do one room or the whole house, usually the day before you move. It brings its own boxes, paper and tape.
In the final week, confirm times with everyone: your removal firm, your solicitor and anyone minding children or pets. Run the freezer down. If it needs defrosting, do it a day or two before, with towels down. Take beds apart the night before if you can, and keep the screws taped to the frame in a labelled bag.
Moving day
Completion Day: What Really Happens, Hour By Hour
Completion day has a rhythm. Knowing it stops you worrying when the keys are not in your hand by ten o'clock.
- 1
Morning: we load
Our crew arrives, lays floor protection and starts loading. You can load before completion, because you are leaving, not arriving.
- 2
Late morning: money moves
Your buyer's solicitor sends the money. In a chain, each sale waits for the one below it, so this can take a few hours.
- 3
Afternoon: keys released
The estate agent releases keys once the seller's solicitor confirms the money has arrived. In a chain, this is often after lunch.
- 4
Evening: beds first
We unload room by room and place boxes on their labels. If you booked our packing service, we put the beds back together too, so you can sleep there that night.
If the chain stalls and keys do not come that day, your things can stay safe. They can wait on the van or go into our containerised storage at Broadheath until the keys arrive. Ask about this when you book, so it is a plan, not a panic.
The essentials box
The First-Night Box That Lives In Your Car
Every move needs one box that does not go on the van. Put it in your car and open it first. It turns a tired evening into a normal one.
- Kettle, mugs, tea, coffee, milk and a few snacks
- Phone chargers and a multi-plug extension lead
- Toilet roll, soap, towels and basic medicines
- Bedding and a change of clothes for everyone
- A small toolkit, scissors, bin bags and light bulbs
- Keys, documents, passports and anything valuable
Keep jewellery, laptops and important papers with you too. Our team will carry almost anything, but some things are better in your own hands.
After you move
Your First Week In The New Home
Once you are in, register to vote at your new address on GOV.UK, and check your post is arriving through the redirection. Update the last few accounts as letters turn up at the old address. Test smoke alarms, find the stopcock and the fuse box, and note where the meters are.
Unpack the kitchen and bedrooms first, then one room a day. Flatten boxes as you go. If you borrowed crates from us, we collect them when you are done. Moving a business as well? Our separate checklist for office moves covers IT, staff and suppliers.
If you are moving within South Manchester or Cheshire, our house removals service covers everything on this list, from survey to the last box placed. You can see how our crew works in the reviews on Trustpilot, and you can find your town on our map of the areas we cover. Not sure when to move at all? Read our guide to choosing the best time of year to move, or browse all our moving guides.
Ready to fix a date? Call Darrin or the team on 0161 478 3639, or send the form and we will reply with a free quote.
Get a free quoteFAQs
Moving House Checklist: Your Questions Answered
Still unsure about something in this guide? Darrin is happy to talk it through.
When should I book a removal company?
Get quotes as soon as your sale or purchase is agreed, so you know who is free. You can only confirm a firm date once contracts are exchanged, because that is when the completion date becomes legally fixed. Tell your removal company early that a date is likely, then confirm it on the day you exchange.
How far ahead should I set up Royal Mail redirection?
Royal Mail asks for at least five working days before the redirection starts, and you can apply well in advance. Plans run for three, six or twelve months. Setting it up when you exchange contracts is a good habit, so the start date matches your completion date.
Do I need to tell DVLA when I move house?
Yes. You must update the address on your driving licence and on the log book (V5C) for any vehicle you keep. Changing your licence address with DVLA is free, and GOV.UK says the new licence should arrive within a week if you apply online. You can be fined if you do not tell them.
Who should I tell about council tax?
Tell the council for the home you are leaving and the council for the home you are moving to. Give both the date you move. The old council sends a final bill or refund, and the new one sets up your account. Most councils have an online form for this.
What should I pack in an essentials box?
Kettle, mugs, tea or coffee, toilet roll, phone chargers, a basic toolkit, bin bags, cleaning cloths, medicines, a change of clothes and bedding for the first night. Keep it in your car, not on the van, so it is the first thing you open.
What happens if completion is delayed on the day?
Your things can stay loaded on the van while the money moves along the chain. If keys do not come that day, they can go into storage overnight or longer. Talk to your removal company about this before the day, so there is a plan and no panic.
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