Moving House Checklist: Everything to Do in the 8 Weeks Before You Move
Moving house is about a hundred small jobs with deadlines attached, and the expensive ones are the ones you find out about late: the removal slot that has gone, the broadband that needs 30 days’ notice, the parking bay nobody suspended. This checklist puts every job in the week it needs doing, from eight weeks out to your first week in the new home.
It is written for the UK, with a section for the extra things a London move needs. Work through it from the top or jump to the week you are in. Your ticks are saved on this device, so a refresh will not lose your progress.
Renting? Do this checklist and the end of tenancy checklist side by side: one gets you into the new place, the other gets your deposit back from the old one.
The 8-week moving house checklist
Eight stages in the order they need doing. Tick them off as you go.
1. Eight weeks before: date, budget, bookings
Everything else hangs off the move date and the removal booking, so these come first.
2. Six weeks before: declutter and measure
Every box you do not move is money saved on the van and space saved at the other end.
3. Four weeks before: notify, order, pack the first boxes
The month-out point is when notice periods start to bite.
4. Three weeks before: paperwork and the awkward items
5. Two weeks before: pack most of the house
6. The final week: essentials box and last checks
7. Moving day
8. The first week in your new home
Dates not lining up? Store between moves, collected from your door
Who to notify when moving house
Most of these take five minutes online, and the ones you forget are the ones that cause problems months later. Royal Mail Redirection is the safety net for anything you miss, but it is not a substitute for telling people.
Government and official
- Council tax: tell the council you are leaving and the one you are moving to (both have online forms)
- Electoral roll: register at the new address on gov.uk
- DVLA: driving licence and V5C log book (free to update)
- HMRC, and DWP or your local Jobcentre if you receive any benefits
- TV Licence: move it to the new address
- Student Finance, if applicable
Money
- Banks, building societies and credit cards
- Pension providers and any ISAs or investment platforms
- Insurers: home contents (cover often needs to start at the new address on completion or key day), car, life and pet
- Loan and car finance providers
- Your employer’s HR or payroll
Home services
- Gas and electricity: give a final meter reading on the day and an opening one at the new address
- Water: notify your water company; it is a different supplier in some regions
- Broadband and TV: most providers need 14–30 days’ notice to move or cancel
- Mobile phone contract billing address
- Royal Mail Redirection: apply at least 5 working days before the move; 3, 6 or 12 months
Health and family
- GP and dentist: register locally if you are moving out of the catchment area
- Optician and any hospital or clinic you are under
- Schools and nurseries, including the new school application if you are changing areas
- Vet, and update your pet’s microchip record with the new address
Everything else
- Subscriptions and deliveries: streaming, meal kits, magazines, gym
- Online shopping accounts and saved delivery addresses
- Loyalty schemes and store cards
- Friends, family, and any clubs or societies
Moving house in London: the extra things to book
A London move is the same checklist with four extra lines, and each of them has a lead time. Skip them and the day gets longer and more expensive.
London add-ons
New home essentials for the first few days
Beyond the essentials box, these are the things people end up buying in the first 48 hours. Get them before the move or on the way to the new address.
- Toilet roll, hand soap, bin bags and a multi-surface cleaner, before the first box is opened.
- Light bulbs (check the fittings) and a torch; previous owners often take the bulbs.
- Shower curtain or screen seal, bath mat and towels for the first shower.
- Extension leads and a few multi-socket adaptors; the sockets are never where you need them.
- Basic toolkit: screwdrivers, Allen keys, tape measure, picture hooks, and the fixings bag from your dismantled furniture.
- Kitchen basics if you are starting fresh: kettle, pan, chopping board, a sharp knife, tea towels, washing-up liquid.
- Curtains or a temporary blind for the bedroom; new-build and rental windows are often bare.
- A doormat and, for the paperwork, a folder for the warranties, manuals and meter readings you now own.
Moving house checklist FAQs
How far in advance should I start planning a house move?
Eight weeks is comfortable for most households. Removal firms and end-of-tenancy cleaners book up four to six weeks out at busy times (Fridays, month ends, summer), broadband moves need up to 30 days’ notice and Royal Mail Redirection needs at least 5 working days. If you have less time, do the bookings first and compress the packing; our three-day packing guide covers the emergency version.
Who do I need to notify when moving house?
Both councils for council tax, the electoral roll, DVLA (licence and V5C), HMRC and DWP if relevant, TV Licensing, your bank, insurers, pension and loan providers, employer, gas, electricity, water, broadband and mobile providers, GP, dentist, schools and vet, plus Royal Mail Redirection to catch anything you missed. The full list, grouped by who to contact, is in the who to notify section above.
What should I do first when moving house?
Fix the date and book the removal. Everything else on the checklist hangs off the move date, and the removal slot is the hardest thing to get at short notice. Then give notice to your landlord if you rent, and start decluttering, because every box you do not move is money saved.
What do I do if my moving dates do not line up?
Store the contents in between. Storage with collection is built for this: Stackt collects everything from the old address, holds it for as long as the gap lasts and delivers it to the new one, so you do not pay for two van hires and a self storage unit. See storage between house moves for prices.
What should go in the essentials box?
Kettle, mugs, tea and coffee, a few plates and cutlery, a sharp knife, toilet roll, hand soap, towels, bed linen for the first night, phone chargers, medication, toiletries, a change of clothes, basic tools and a torch, bin bags, cleaning spray and cloths, important documents, and anything a child or pet needs to settle. Keep it in your own car or clearly marked so it is the last thing on the van and the first thing off.
How do I move house with pets or young children?
Arrange for them to be elsewhere on moving day if you can: a friend, family, nursery or a day at the kennels. If not, set up one quiet room at each end with their bed, water and familiar things, and keep that room off the movers’ route. Update the microchip address and register with a new vet before you go.
Is there anything extra to do when moving house in London?
Yes: book a parking suspension outside both addresses with the council (most need a week or more), book the lift and loading bay if either address is a block of flats, check whether the van’s route and time fall inside the Congestion Charge or ULEZ, and allow for the fact that a London move is usually slower than the distance suggests. The London section of this checklist covers each of these.
