A Comprehensive Moving Checklist for Your Next Home Move

A smooth, well‑planned home move starts long before moving day itself. Whether you’re upsizing, downsizing, or simply ready for a fresh start, having a clear plan in place makes the entire process far less stressful. 

Working with an experienced removals company in Leicester can certainly help, but there’s plenty you can do yourself to stay organised and in control. 

This comprehensive moving checklist takes you through each stage in order, from early preparation to those final essential tasks before you hand over the keys, and what to do once you arrive at your new home.

Six weeks to go! 

Create a Room‑by‑Room Packing Plan

Breaking the job into manageable sections stops packing from becoming overwhelming. Start with rooms you use least and leave everyday essentials until last. Make a plan for items you do not want to take with you to your new home. 

Declutter Early

Clearing out unwanted items before you pack saves time, space, and money. Donate, sell, or recycle anything you no longer need so you’re only taking what truly matters to your new home. Start early enough so you have time to go to the charity shops and the local tip - you do not want to be doing that on moving day! 

You can give items to friends and family, or to strangers on Freecycle, or hold a garage or a car boot sale. Local charity shops will also welcome items such as books, ornaments, some furniture or clothing. Consider using Vinted, eBay and Facebook marketplace for items worth selling. 

Order new items

You might need furniture or other items for your new home. Start looking at ordering anything you need now as lead times for many pieces of new furniture can be lengthy.

Procure packaging

Get hold of suitable moving boxes, labels, and packing tape as soon as you can. You may be able to find others giving boxes away on local social media sites or on Freecycle. 

Label Every Box Clearly

Simple but powerful. Label boxes with both their contents and destination room to make unloading quicker and help your movers place everything exactly where it belongs. Consider putting anything you won’t need for a while into storage to save time on moving day.

Book Your Chosen Removals Company in Leicester

Secure your preferred moving date as early as possible. Reliable movers get booked up quickly, especially during peak seasons, so early planning avoids last‑minute stress.

Bradshaw Moving would be delighted to give you a quote for your moving needs. Call us on 0116 289 9011 or visit our website at https://www.bradshawmoving.com/pages/quote 

Arrange Temporary Storage if Needed

If you’re between homes, renovating, or simply want to stage your property for sale, storage when moving home can be a lifesaver. It keeps your belongings safe and your home clutter‑free and gives you less to worry about on moving day. You can retrieve your belongings from storage at a later date once you’re a bit more settled in. 

Do your research

Start researching your new area you are moving to. If you familiarise yourself with the local community or the new culture ahead of time, the move will be much smoother

Four weeks to go!

Set Up Mail Redirection

Arrange for Royal Mail to redirect your post for at least 12 months. This protects you from identity fraud, ensures you don’t miss important correspondence, and highlights any organisations you may have forgotten to notify about your move.

And if you get milk or newspaper deliveries, you’ll need to cancel those at some point too! 

Get new insurance

As part of the buying process, your solicitor will advise you to start looking for home insurance for your new place. Talk to your existing provider to see if they can transfer your current insurance to your new address. 

You will also need to update your car insurance to cover you living at the new address. Again, check with your current provider first, but it’s worth shopping around, so give yourself some time to do this. 

Notify Key Organisations of Your Move

Organisations you deal with will all need your updated address. Doing this early prevents missed bills, lost post, or service interruptions.

Contact Utility Providers

Let your utility providers know your moving date. This ensures services are disconnected and reconnected smoothly, avoiding unnecessary charges. You may need to renegotiate your contracts and it’s worth taking the time to shop around for a new supplier on utility comparison sites, too. 

You should also notify your mobile phone provider as soon as possible. If you need a new phone handset sent to you at short notice, there may be a waiting period while they do new address checks. Do it now before you urgently need a new phone.

Wind down your food storage

Start to use up the contents of your freezer and your food cupboards to reduce what you will need to transport on moving day. You will need to defrost your freezer whether you’re taking it with you or leaving it behind. 

Carry on packing

By now, you should have a plan for what items are going to be moved to the new home and which are not. Take action on tricky items such as liquids, oils and paints which will need to be carefully disposed of ahead of the move.

Pack up lesser used items over time to help you identify any items that you have not yet accounted for. 

Have a plan for transporting valuables such as jewellery, important documents, and other valuables. 

Two weeks to go!

Now is the time to plan your moving day in detail.

Pets and children - Moving day can be chaotic and having a plan is always a good idea. Make arrangements for the care of your pets and young children. Leaving them with a friend or family member helps the day run more smoothly for everyone.

Plan Your Route and Parking - Check travel times, parking restrictions, and access at both properties. Clear access helps your movers work efficiently and reduces delays. Apply for any necessary permits for transport. 

Moving appliances

If you’re going to need your appliances to be disconnected and reconnected in your new home, then you need to book a professional or two to come out close to moving day. 

The final week!

Give Your Home a final clean. A thorough clean is both courteous and practical. It helps you spot anything you may have missed and ensures the property is ready for its new owners.

Defrost your freezer and pack an essentials box. Having essential items easily accessible makes your first evening in your new home far more comfortable. You should have easy access to essential items such as a phone charger, emergency snacks and a toilet roll for your new home’s first ‘visit’.  

Pack all remaining items

Finish packing all your items and get them ready for your removers. 

Prepare some things to make the packing as fast as possible. You can usually leave drawers and trunks with their contents intact, provided there are no breakable items inside. If you do this, however, it is your responsibility to point out to the crew any drawers, wardrobes, cupboards, and other containers that have ‘out of sight’ items within.

Place liquids, oils and paints into sealed containers and dispose of safely.

Empty all bins; it is your responsibility to ensure that all bins are emptied of contents. Generally, removal crews can't carry any type of receptacle containing refuse. This is particularly important when your goods are due to go into storage for a period of time.

Put together a 'do not remove pile' comprising essential things that you do not want us to put on the truck, such as snacks, handbags, or cleaning materials. Some people put everything into their bathtub and tell the removals crew not to pack anything in their bathtub. Wherever you put it, just be sure to let the guys know on the day what isn't to be packed!

On the day!

Take Final Meter Readings

Take a reading of your utility meters on the day you leave. This protects you from being billed for usage after you’ve moved out.

If you’re using a removals company like Bradshaw Moving then you can leave a lot of the hard work to us but there are a few essential things you will need to take care of:

• Be present when the movers arrive and answer their questions when necessary

• Check the condition of your belongings as they are being loaded

• Perform final checks before leaving your home. Turn the water and power supply are off, and check that doors and windows are closed

• Make sure that you are not leaving anything behind - walk around your property, ideally with the foreman of your removal crew, to check that nothing has been overlooked

• Drop keys at the estate agents if you need to.

• Pick up the keys for your new home, if you don't already have them.

• Make sure that you have exchanged contact numbers with your removals team, and arrange a time to meet them at your new home.

• When you walk into your new home, don't start unpacking right away. Give yourself some time to enjoy your new home, sit down and relax. The most stressful part of the move is over. Only start unpacking when you feel relaxed and energetic.

• If you have requested an unpacking service, assist the crew to ensure that items are placed in the appropriate rooms. You may need to place items such as clothes into wardrobes and cupboards.

Once you are in!

Test smoke alarms, check that keys work properly, and familiarise yourself with stopcocks, fuse boxes, and heating controls.

You should take new meter readings straight away and pass them on to your utility providers so your accounts start accurately from day one. 

Discard used packing materials. You could pass these on to someone else moving home through a local social media site or Freecycle. Your removals company may do this for you on moving day or later by request. 

Confirm your new address with your GP, dentist, employer, and any local services you rely on. 

Register on the electoral roll at your new property to ensure you’re eligible to vote and to help keep your credit record up to date. 

Welcome to your new home!

A successful move is all about preparation, organisation, and choosing the right support. With this checklist to guide you, and the expertise of a trusted removals company in Leicester, you’ll be well on your way to a smooth, stress‑free transition into your new home.