This checklist works through a typical home in the order most people find easiest, with the things that catch people out flagged as we go. Use it alongside your survey — your move manager will tell you which parts we're handling and which are yours.
Six to four weeks before
This is the planning stretch, and the part that pays off most.
- Book your survey and confirm the date. The earlier you book, the more choice you have — especially for month-end and Friday moves.
- Decide what you're taking. A move is the best time to be honest about what you actually use. The less that travels, the less it costs and the quicker the day.
- Tell the people who need to know. Start a change-of-address list: bank, employer, GP and dentist, insurers, the council (for council tax and the electoral roll), TV licence, subscriptions and deliveries.
- Sort parking at both ends. In London this often means a parking suspension or a permit. We arrange these as part of the plan, but the earlier we know the addresses, the better.
Three to two weeks before
- Confirm what you're packing and what we're packing. If we're packing for you, you don't need to lift a box. If you're packing yourself, get your materials now.
- Run down the freezer and the food cupboards. Frozen and perishable food doesn't travel well; aim to use it up rather than move it.
- Book any disconnections. Appliances that need a professional to disconnect or reconnect — some cookers and certain plumbed-in items — should be arranged ahead of the day.
- Arrange care for children and pets for moving day if you can. The day is calmer for everyone, and safer, with them out of the way of the carrying.
The week before — room by room
If you're packing yourself, work through the house in this order. Label every box with the room it's going to, not the room it came from, and mark anything fragile clearly.
- Spare rooms and storage first. Lofts, garages, the understairs cupboard and any spare room are the least disruptive to pack early. Start here.
- Books and decorative items. Books are heavy — use small boxes and don't overfill them. Wrap ornaments and frames individually.
- The kitchen. The room most people underestimate. Pack glass and china upright in sturdy, divided boxes with plenty of padding; keep one box of daily essentials — kettle, a few mugs, tea, the things you'll want first.
- Wardrobes and clothing. Wardrobe cartons let clothes travel on the hanger; otherwise fold into cases and soft bags.
- Bedrooms last. You'll sleep in them until the night before, so they're the natural last room to pack.
Set aside an essentials box that travels with you, not in the van: chargers, medication, documents, keys, a change of clothes, basic toiletries, and anything you can't replace easily.
The day before
- Defrost the fridge-freezer so it's dry for the move.
- Finish the last rooms and do a quick sweep for anything missed — the back of cupboards, the medicine cabinet, the shed.
- Charge your phone and keep your move manager's number to hand.
- Set valuables and important documents aside to carry personally — passports, jewellery, anything irreplaceable.
Moving day
With the preparation done, the day itself should feel calm.
- Be there for the start. A quick walk-through with the crew at the start means everyone knows what's fragile, what's valuable and what matters to you.
- Keep the essentials box and valuables with you.
- Do a final check before you leave — windows shut, taps off, nothing left in cupboards, meter readings taken.
- At the new home, point the crew to the rooms. With boxes labelled by destination, everything lands where it belongs, and we'll rebuild beds and reassemble furniture before we leave.
Settling in
- Take meter readings at the new property straight away.
- Find the essentials — stopcock, fuse box, thermostat — so you're not hunting for them on the first night.
- Unpack the essentials box first, then the kitchen and bedrooms. The rest can wait until you're ready, and if we're unpacking for you, we'll work to your priorities.
A good move is mostly good planning. If you'd like the whole thing handled — survey, plan, packing, the day itself and the unpacking — that's exactly what we're here for.
