Moving checklist: a week-by-week countdown to moving day
Moving house goes wrong in the small things: the internet isn't on, the deposit check is forgotten, the box with the kettle is buried. This prompt has your todo.is agent build a checklist dated back from your move, find movers or van hire near you with links, list every address you need to change, and remind you each week.
The prompt
- Make me a moving checklist. I'm moving from [CURRENT HOME] to [NEW HOME] on [MOVING DATE]. Household: [WHO IS MOVING]. I'm [RENTING OR OWNING] both places. Plan it week by week from today: notice periods, booking movers, packing order by room, utilities and internet to cancel and set up, and every address change I'll need (bank, employer, doctor, voter registration, subscriptions). Find 3 movers or van hire options near me with links and what to ask for in a quote. Make a printable box label sheet and a moving-day bag list. Give me a Word checklist and send me the week's tasks every Sunday at 18:00 on Telegram.
What to change
- [CURRENT HOME]: City or area, and the type of place, e.g. "2-bed flat, 3rd floor, no lift, Leeds".
- [NEW HOME]: City or area, e.g. "house in Harrogate". Moving abroad? Say so.
- [MOVING DATE]: E.g. "30 November". Add your key handover time if you know it.
- [WHO IS MOVING]: E.g. "2 adults, a toddler and a cat".
- [RENTING OR OWNING]: E.g. "renting now, buying the new place"; this changes deposit and notice tasks.
Example result
- Moving checklist: Leeds flat to Harrogate house, 30 November
- 2 adults, a toddler and a cat · renting now, buying the new place · 6 weeks to go
- 6 weeks before
- • Give your landlord notice in writing as your tenancy agreement requires; keep a copy
- • Get 3 mover quotes (links in the file); ask about stairs with no lift, insurance and parking
- • Start decluttering: sell, donate or bin one room per week
- • Book time off work for moving day and the day after
- 4 weeks before
- • Book the movers and confirm the date in writing
- • Order boxes, tape, markers, bubble wrap
- • Arrange internet at the new house; installs can take 2 weeks or more
- • Find a new GP and nursery in Harrogate; register the toddler early
- 3 weeks before
- • Pack the rooms you use least: loft, spare room, books, out-of-season clothes
- • Change the address with the vet and book a cat carrier check
- • Plan where the cat stays on moving day (one closed room or a friend's)
- 2 weeks before
- • Address changes: bank, credit cards, employer, pension, car insurance and driving licence, phone, subscriptions, online shops
- • Set up mail redirection
- • Tell gas, electricity and water suppliers your move date; book final readings
- • Use up the freezer
- Moving week
- • Pack everything except the moving-day bag
- • Clean the flat; book a cleaner if your deposit depends on it
- • Confirm times with movers and the key handover
- Moving day
- • Take meter photos at both homes with the date showing
- • Check every room and cupboard before you leave
- • Unpack the beds, the kettle and the toddler's things first
- After the move
- • Ask for your deposit back with photos of the clean flat
- • Update the electoral register and council tax
- • Check smoke alarms and find the stopcock and fuse box
- Moving-day bag
- Chargers, documents, medicines, toddler snacks and nappies, cat food and litter, kettle, mugs, toilet roll, basic tools, bedding for the first night
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in where you're moving from and to, the date and who's moving.
- Paste it on the Today screen in todo.is or message your agent on Telegram.
- You get a dated Word checklist, mover options with links, box labels and a weekly Sunday reminder.
- Tell your agent what's done and it drops those items from the next reminder.
Tips for a better result
- Book movers early for end-of-month and Friday moves; they fill up first.
- Label each box with the room and a number, and keep a list. Your agent can make the label sheet and an Excel box inventory.
- Photograph meters and the empty rental on the day. It settles most deposit and bill disputes.
- Moving abroad? Ask your agent to add visas, shipping, pet travel rules and bank tasks, and check official sites for each.
moving checklist: FAQ
- How far in advance should I start packing? Start with rarely used rooms 3 to 4 weeks ahead, then pack a few boxes a day. Leave the everyday kitchen and bathroom for the last 2 days.
- Who do I need to tell when I move? Your bank, employer, doctor, insurers, utility suppliers, the post office, voter registration and any subscriptions. The checklist lists them for your country.
- How do I compare moving quotes? Get at least 3 written quotes for the same inventory, and check insurance, extra charges for stairs or parking, and the cancellation policy.
- Can todo.is book the movers? No. Your agent finds options, drafts the quote request emails and compares replies; you choose and book.
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