Week-by-week Moving Timeline

Moving house requires planning and organizing, and our week-by-week timeline will help you prioritize and handle all related tasks in time.

8 weeks ahead

DIY or hire movers

Two months before your move is a perfect time to decide if you want to hire professional moving services or go for a DIY move. If you decide to hire movers, two months before the move is a good time to start searching for a reliable moving company and get better rates.

Get several quotes

Ask for several quotes to get an idea of average moving costs. Obtaining at least three different estimates is a must when you start looking for the best movers. Before you reach out to them, check reviews and movers’ credibility because you want to make sure you’re only getting quotes from legitimate moving companies.

Budget

Plan a budget to help you decide how you’re going to execute your relocation. It will also help you avoid overspending. It doesn’t have to be very specific as long as you have a general idea of what your finances allow for.

Contact your landlord

Notify your landlord if you’re renting a place, as two months gives them plenty of time to find a new renter.

Also, notify your employer

Notify your employer that you’re moving away, and reach out to your new employer to confirm the date. If you’re not moving for work, now is a good time to start searching for a new job.

Find a new home

Start researching options for a new city or state, as eight weeks will give you enough space to find a new place to stay.

Home inventory

Make a home inventory – list all of your possessions to decide what you want to move and what to leave behind. Keep in mind that moving cost depends on the overall shipment, so the fewer things you have, the less you will pay. Some items may require specialized movers, special fine art handling, or extra insurance, so going through every single item in your household is really helpful. Go ahead and download one of the free apps that will help you make a customized home inventory.

The packing strategy

At this point, you still don’t have to start packing, but you should definitely think about how you’re going to execute this task, as packing takes a lot of time and it’s probably the most time-consuming part of your relocation.

6 weeks ahead

Yard sale

This is a good time to sell or donate all those things that you decided to get rid of while making a home inventory. You can organize a yard sale or post those items online for sale by using one of the platforms – Craigslist, Market Place, etc. However, a traditional yard sale may be the quickest way to sell unnecessary items.

Packing

Six weeks before moving is a perfect time to start packing. It will give you sufficient time to go through the process slowly and avoid stress as the moving day approaches. Start packing rooms that don’t get much traffic like basement, attic, etc. As the moving day gets closer, you can proceed to those rooms that are more frequently used as kitchen and bedroom.

Rental truck

If you’re hiring movers you can skip this step, but if you decide to go for a DIY move, now is the time to start searching for a rental truck. Reach out to several large rental companies in your area to compare prices and have a few options.

Documents

Important documents like medical records and school records for your children should be taken care of at this time, as you want to make sure you have all the important paperwork ready in advance.

Change address

Moving home means a new postal address, so go ahead and change your address by visiting the official USPS website, or do it personally in your local post office.

Pets

If you’re moving with pets, take some time to visit your vet and check if a certain vaccine is required. They can also give you a piece of advice on the upcoming relocation with your pet.

Visit a new home

If you’re moving locally, check if it’s possible to visit your new home and measure the dimensions of the rooms. This visit will help you plan a layout and see if all the current furniture will fit into your new place.

4 weeks ahead

Ask for help

If you’re getting professional moving services you don’t have to go through this step, but if you’re moving on your own, one month before the move is a good time to ask your friends for help. You’ll certainly need a few helping hands, and four weeks will give your helpers enough time to organize and plan this time for helping you out.

Get packing supplies

Since you already started packing two weeks ago, you probably already have a certain number of moving boxes, but now is the time to look into other packing and moving supplies. You’ll also need bubble wrap, packing paper, packing tape, and markers. Visit your local supply store or reach out to the closest movers to get the necessary materials.

Service providers

You can also do this later on, but four weeks before the move is a great time to contact all your service providers. Think about all the services and subscriptions that you’re getting at your current address, such as the internet provider.

Check your car

If you own a car and you plan on driving to your new destination, now is a good time to get them serviced to avoid any issues along the way. If you choose not to drive, find a reliable auto transporter to ship your car safely.

Travel arrangements

Whichever way you choose to travel, you should make travel arrangements at this point. Make a plan and include all the details like dates, tickets, hotels, etc.

Make the essentials box

You should gather all the items that are necessary for the first few days, like a change of clothes, clean bedding, necessary toiletries, etc. This box should be with you while moving because it will serve as a “survival kit” in case anything unplanned happens.

2 weeks ahead

Get in touch

Reach out to your movers to confirm that everything goes as planned and there are no changes to your move so far.

Contact utility providers

At this time you should contact your current as well as your future utility providers to arrange both cancelations for your current address and reconnection at your new home.

Fragile items

Plan how you’ll pack fragile items, like art pieces, how you pack sculptures, delicate furniture, etc. These types of items may require special packing materials, special boxes, and extra time to be packed properly.

1 week ahead

Bills

Check if there are any unpaid bills that need to be taken care of before moving out. Keep the receipts with you in case you need proof of payment later on.

Finish packing

Your packing should be almost complete, and seven days gives you enough time to finalize and sort out all those items that weren’t packed so far.

Cleaning

Reach out to your local cleaning service provider and schedule the cleaning of your home. A day before moving out is usually the most convenient time to get your house cleaned.