The Moving House Checklist: What to Do and Buy for a New Home
Moving is one of the most list heavy things most people ever do, and one of the most commonly winged. There are really two lists hiding inside a move: the things to sort out before you go, and the things you need to actually live in the new place. Keep them separate and the whole move gets calmer.
Before the move: the admin list
The stress of moving is mostly forgotten admin surfacing at the worst time. Get ahead of it:
- Change your address with the bank, employer, and anywhere that sends you post.
- Set up or transfer utilities: electricity, water, internet, and any council or local registration.
- Redirect your mail for a few months as a safety net.
- Book the movers or the van, and confirm dates.
- Take meter readings and photos on the way out and the way in.
Moving day: pack an essentials box
The one box you should be able to find instantly holds what you need for the first night before anything is unpacked: chargers, a change of clothes, toiletries, basic tools, bin bags, and something to make tea or coffee. Label it and keep it with you, not in the truck.
The new home: what to actually buy
Once you are in, the gap between "moved in" and "living here" is a shopping list. Rather than a dozen trips to the shop, run one list room by room:
- Kitchen: basic cookware, utensils, cleaning supplies, bin bags.
- Bathroom: toiletries, towels, toilet paper, a plunger.
- Bedroom: bedding, pillows, a lamp.
- Whole home: light bulbs, extension leads, a basic tool kit, smoke alarm batteries.
Our new home move-in essentials checklist has this laid out so you can copy it, tick off what you already have, and shop for the rest in one go. If you are packing at the same time, the travel packing checklist approach works for your first night bag too.
Reuse it, because moving happens again
Most people move more than once. A moving checklist you keep and reuse means the second move starts from everything you learned in the first, instead of from a blank page and a stressed memory.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do first when moving house?
Start with the admin: change your address, set up utilities and internet at the new place, redirect your mail, and book the movers. Doing this early is what keeps moving week from becoming a scramble.
What do I need to buy for a new home?
Work room by room: kitchen cookware and cleaning supplies, bathroom toiletries and towels, bedroom bedding, and whole home basics like light bulbs, a tool kit, and smoke alarm batteries. The new home move-in essentials checklist covers it.
What should go in a moving day essentials box?
Everything for the first night before you unpack: chargers, a change of clothes, toiletries, basic tools, bin bags, and tea or coffee supplies. Label it and keep it with you rather than on the truck.