Complete Household Shifting Checklist

Household moves rarely fail because of one big mistake. They fail because a dozen small tasks all get postponed to the last two days. This checklist spreads the work across the weeks leading up to the move so the final day is about carrying, not deciding.

Four weeks before: decide what is moving

The cheapest item to move is the one you do not move. Go room by room and separate what is coming with you from what should be sold, donated or discarded. Doing this before packing rather than during it saves both cartons and time.

Sort each room into keep, donate, sell and discard
Measure large furniture against the new home's doorways and lift
List fragile and high-value items that need special packing
Request your moving quotation and confirm the date

Three weeks before: paperwork and services

Administrative tasks have lead times you cannot compress on the day, so they belong here rather than in the final week.

Collect important documents into one clearly marked folder
Arrange transfer or disconnection of utilities and internet
Update your address with banks, employers and delivery services
Inform your building management about the move and lift access

Two weeks before: start packing what you do not use

Books, out-of-season clothing, spare crockery, decorative items and anything in storage can be packed early. Label every carton with the room it belongs to at the new address, not the room it came from.

One week before: consumables and appliances

Run down the contents of your refrigerator and freezer, finish or give away perishables, and stop buying anything bulky. Defrost the refrigerator at least a day before the move so it is dry when it travels.

Empty and defrost the refrigerator
Drain washing machine hoses
Set aside cleaning supplies for the final clean
Confirm the moving time and access arrangements at both addresses

The day before: pack an essentials box

One clearly marked box should hold everything you will need in the first twelve hours: medicines, chargers, toiletries, a change of clothes, basic tools, snacks and documents. It travels with you, not on the moving vehicle.

Moving day and after

Walk through every room and cupboard before the vehicle leaves — the most commonly forgotten items are in the back of wardrobes, on balconies and behind doors. At the new address, direct cartons to rooms as they come in rather than stacking everything in the hall.