Here is a realistic moving checklist from 8 weeks before moving day through unpacking, with packing tips, decluttering strategies, and practical lessons I’ve learned from multiple moves.
Moving has always been one of those things I both dread and love.
I dread the boxes, the disruption, and having to hope nothing breaks in the process. But I love that moving forces a reset. And I truly love the cleansing feeling that comes from packing and unpacking. And that busy body feeling of unpacking on my feet for hours on end – I enjoy that too!
I’ve said before in my decluttering posts that moving is the ultimate edit of your life. You realize very quickly what you use, what you love, and what has just been following you from house to house for no good reason. “Is this worth moving?” is the ultimate moving question.
After moving across town, moving into a rental during renovation, and doing the “pack it all up and move it back in” dance more than once, I’ve learned that the best moving strategy isn’t doing everything at once. It’s doing small things early. And like all decluttering projects: the less you have, the easier it is.
This moving checklist starts 8 weeks before moving day and walks you through the whole process.
Moving Checklist: 8 Weeks Before Moving
Start Decluttering First
Do not pack things you don’t want to unpack. This is the golden rule. Before a single box is taped, start sorting.
Go room by room and sort into:
- Keep
- Donate
- Sell
- Toss
I like to start with easy wins: extra towels, duplicate kitchen gadgets, old toys, mystery cords. Every move I’ve ever done has made me ask: if I were moving next week, would I want to pay to move this? If the answer is no, out it goes. Luckily this time around I have MUCH fewer things than I used to! Downsizing has been the theme of this year.
Create A Digital Folder For Moving Info + Start The Paperwork
Create a label in your email or a folder in the cloud with:
- Mover quotes + reservations
- Lease or closing documents
- Utility transfer confirmations + dates
- Address change websites + accounts (make a master list you can re-use or use one like this to check your progress)
- Forward mail confirmation
Book Movers + Cleaners Early
If you’re hiring movers, do it now. We all want to save money on movers, but having someone do the heavy lifting for you is a PRICELESS feeling. Couches, dressers, and dining tables are where DIY moving can go sideways fast.
Another way to save you HOURS when you’re already stressed is to hire move out and/or move in cleaners. The last thing I want to do when I’m worried about where I will sleep that night is if there are crumbs throughout either of my fridges. This is a priceless expense.
6 Weeks Before Moving
Gather Packing Supplies
Ask your friends if they can pass on any extra shipping boxes for a few weeks. Or better yet, find someone else who is moving right before you and offer to pick up their boxes! Win-win.
Start collecting:
- Small boxes for small collections of things (bathroom drawers, for example)
- Medium boxes for most household goods
- Large boxes for lightweight bulky items
- Wine boxes for glassware
- Packing paper
- Tape
- Sharpies
- Zip bags for hardware
- Smart Sticky Notes for easy labeling (use code KATHEATS for 15% off!)
I also have laundry baskets for “open first” items and tons of big baskets in my house I use for the things I’m moving myself. Those baskets have moved more random essentials than I can count.
Start Packing Non-Essentials
Starting early keeps the final week from becoming chaos.
Seasonal Items
Holiday decor, off-season clothes, specialty serving pieces. These are often already “packed,” but if not, do them first.
Books, Decor, Artwork
Pack what you won’t miss. All the decorative things, plus all the things hanging on the walls.
Guest Rooms
This is often the easiest first room.
Closets
Sort and pack into boxes with open lids so when it’s time to move you don’t have to think about them.
4 Weeks Before Moving
Plan Food Strategy
This one always sneaks up on people. Start eating down freezer and pantry food. The less food you move, the better, especially the freezer which tends to have heavy things like frozen meat that you have to move FAST or in big coolers.
Measure Furniture for the New House
I have literally lost sleep wondering how to set up a room. I think this is one of the most exciting parts! If you can get into your new place early (during an inspection or a rental tour), measure every wall! That way you can plan your furniture before you get there, which makes telling the movers (or friends helping) where to put things so much easier.
2 Weeks Before Moving
Pack by Zone, Not Randomly
This is one of my biggest packing tips.
Pack in categories or zones:
- Baking supplies
- Coffee station
- Everyday dishes
- Kids art supplies
- Bathroom toiletries
- Garage stuff
- Artwork
- Out of season clothes vs. what you need to wear moving week
Label Every Box Clearly
Write:
- Room destination
- Contents
- Priority level
Better yet, order some Smart Sticky Notes that you can tag each box with and list everything inside! Add a label to each moving box and create a digital contents list you can update as you pack. Instead of writing “Kitchen” or “Miscellaneous” on the outside and hoping for the best, you can store a much more detailed inventory of what’s inside, add notes about fragile items, even include photos, and note which room each box belongs in. It makes unpacking so much easier, but it’s also incredibly helpful if boxes end up in storage and you need to find something months later without opening everything.
You can purchase them here. Use the code KATHEATS FOR 15% off!
Label Categories:
- Open First – essentials
- Open This Week – will need soon
- Can Wait – decor and extras
1 Week Before Moving
Confirm Everything
Confirm movers. Confirm utility transfers. Confirm childcare or pet plans. Confirm closing logistics.
Clean as You Empty Rooms
If you’re not getting a cleaner, cleaning as you go will save you moving day headaches. Once I move out of a house I don’t want to go back for cleaning – how boring! I’m ready for unpacking. So I try to clean things like the inside of cabinets as I empty them. Vacuum always comes to the new place last so I can do a final floor clean.
Disassemble Furniture and Bag Hardware
If you are doing any of the furniture breakdown yourself, tape hardware bags directly to furniture. This is a tiny thing that prevents giant headaches.
Pack an Essentials Box
Mine usually includes:
- Coffee setup
- Paper towels
- Dish soap
- Chargers
- Scissors
- Toilet paper
- Basic cookware
- Pajamas
- Sheets
- Towels
- Toiletries / shower stuff / makeup
- Extra clothes
- Basic tools (for furniture)
Deliver these first to the new house!
Moving Day Checklist
Keep These With You
Do not load these into the moving truck:
- Important documents
- Jewelry
- Medications
- Laptop
- Daily valuables
- Overnight bag
- Your Essentials Box (with cleaning supplies)
Do a Final Walkthrough
Open:
- Cabinets
- Drawers
- Closets
- Fridge
- Garage
- Outdoor storage
There is always one forgotten thing.
Feed People
This sounds silly, but moving day requires snacks.
Protein bars, sandwiches, takeout. If you’re super organized, schedule your takeout the day before to arrive at 6pm! Or have a freezer meal ready to go right in the oven.
Unpacking Strategy: First 72 Hours
Unpack in This Order
If you’re not crazy obsessive about moving like me, this is where people often lose steam.
Bedrooms First
Make beds first. Then at least when you’re ready to rest you can. (Especially if kids are with you!)
Kitchen Second
Get the coffee maker set up. Have basics in the fridge (hopefully transferred from your old fridge in a cooler.)
Then unpack:
- Everyday dishes
- Silverware
- One pot
- One pan
- Food basics
I almost always prioritize getting the kitchen functional before decorative spaces.
Bathrooms Third
Stock the shower. Hang towels. Put toiletries away.
If I can sleep, caffeinate, eat, and shower, I feel somewhat normal!
What Not To Do After Moving
Don’t Decorate Too Fast
Live in a house before hanging something on every wall. I often change my mind, or I rush to hang something and put it too high, too low, etc. Take a little time to learn traffic patterns, light, what the room needs. And enjoy the minimalist walls for a hot second : )
Wait To Buy Things Before Unpacking
Unpack first. Then organize. Then buy containers. Every house has different drawers, shelves, and nooks. You might not need to buy as much as you think. I do like to have a “saved for later” cart at Amazon where I’ve already researched some baskets / bins to buy if needed.
Have A “Later” Box Zone
Some boxes can wait. I like to have a “box storage area” for boxes that I definitely don’t need to unpack anytime soon. This might be a big closet, an attic, a storage room, or a guest room. Throw anything you don’t really need anytime soon in there so it’s out of the way and out of sight.
My Best Packing Tips That Always Help
Use Towels And Throw Blankets To Wrap Breakables
Free packing material. I currently have a Frame TV wrapped in a blanket in my basement closet!
Keep Drawers Loaded When Possible
Wrapped dressers with contents inside can save time. I always ask my movers if I can keep the clothes inside.
Use Big Baskets For Loose Essentials
I have a collection of large baskets that have gone through every move with me. I like to carry my non-breakable kitchen stuff from cabinet to cabinet in big baskets vs. tightly packing them in boxes. (Obviously a long-distance move will be different.)
Recruit Friends
For local moves, a couple of friends to help move things like lamps, kitchen appliances, throw pillows, etc. can save you hours and hours compared to doing it yourself. I appreciated my friends’ help so much on my last move and couldn’t have done it without them since I vastly underestimated how long it would take. Feed and hydrate the crew as a big thank you and return the favor when they move!
Every move feels overwhelming when you look at it all at once. But moving is really just dozens of small tasks. Pack one shelf. Label one box. Clear one drawer. Progress stacks. And the earlier you can get started – the better!
Wish me luck this week and follow along on Instagram @Katheats!
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