How to Create a Pre-Home Move Checklist Before you Start Packing Any Items

With pretty much any large-scale project that involves a complex array of logistical challenges, it’s important to put all of the constituent parts of the project together in a single location, in things like checklists. 

These checklists can make it a lot less likely that you forget something critical, while also making it a lot easier to break it all down into more manageable chunks. 

Below, we outline some of the main areas to include in your pre-home move checklist, from important dates to packing and moving your belongings. 

Important dates

One of the first things you should do is clarify the important dates that your home move will revolve around.

These might include when you book services like Bright Movers, the last day of your old tenancy, the date that you can pick up your keys to your new place and when you need to inform the utilities companies that you’re moving. 

These dates will help to structure the rest of your checklist, and are a great starting point. 

Declutter first

One of the most important things to do before and while you pack is to declutter. Moving with items that you don’t want or need, but that you haven’t taken the time to sell, throw, or give away, takes up unnecessary space in your new home, and costs you time and money to transport. 

Leave plenty of time to declutter, as it always takes longer than expected. Going through items that you’ve had for years can be surprisingly emotionally taxing, and it isn’t something you can really rush.

Admin tasks

A big part of moving house consists of administrative tasks. For starters, you’ll need to get your finances in order, potentially preparing a whole host of important documents for the estate agent or mortgage provider. 

You’ll also need to redirect your mail, let multiple organisations know about the move, including your bank, the DVLA, your GP, employer, insurance providers and, of course, the utilities providers. 

Packing & removals plan

You’ll also want to create a separate checklist for the more physical parts of the move. Importantly, this will include when and how you pack the various rooms in your home; you can do this alone, but a lot of people also choose to use packing services, especially if moving between larger properties with a lot of stuff. 

Moving your belongings will likely be a bit simpler than packing them, especially if you’re using a professional service. Still, it can be helpful to write down how you’re going to achieve this, and make a short checklist to ensure that you’ve sorted everything you need to. 

Making checklists before you start with the more physical tasks involved in a home move can be a great way to conceptualise things, and makes it much more likely that you’ll actually get everything done. By going through the general areas outlined above, you should be able to get a good idea of what it is you need to do.