Moving Checklist Generator

How to use the moving checklist

1. Enter your move date. The checklist turns into dated deadlines, starting eight weeks before the move.
2. Add your details. Tell it whether you rent, are selling, are hiring movers, are moving far, or have kids or pets.
3. Tick off tasks. Your progress is saved in this browser, so you can close the page and come back.
4. Print it. Print the checklist or save it as a PDF to share with everyone who is moving.

How the moving checklist works

The checklist runs from eight weeks before moving day to the first days in your new home. Your answers remove the steps that do not apply, so a renter hiring movers gets a different list from a seller who is renting a truck. Add your move date and every step gets a deadline, the step you should be on now is marked, and any earlier step with jobs left shows how many.

Your ticks, your move date and your answers are saved in this browser only. Nothing is sent to us. Print the list or save it as a PDF to share it with everyone who is moving.

Who to tell about your new address

• USPS. Change your address online and allow at least 7 to 10 business days for it to start. Standard mail forwarding lasts 12 months.
• The IRS. You can use Form 8822 to report a new home address.
• Your state DMV. Update your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline.
• Money and work. Your bank, credit cards, employer and insurance companies.
• Health and school. Doctors, dentist, pharmacy, vet and your children's schools.
• Everything else. Subscriptions, deliveries, online stores and your voter registration.

Hiring movers for a move to another state

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration advises getting estimates from at least three movers and comparing the services as well as the price. An interstate mover must be registered with FMCSA and have a USDOT number, which you can look up on its Protect Your Move site. Get the estimate and the contract in writing, and read the inventory and paperwork on moving day before you sign.

Cleaning as you move out

Clean each room as it empties rather than leaving the whole home for the last day. Work top to bottom: shelves and cupboards, then walls and switches, then floors. A rental deposit usually depends on the kitchen and bathroom, so give those the most time.

• Empty and wipe every cupboard and drawer, and clean the oven, the stove top and the fridge. Our kitchen cleaning guide covers the order.
• Scrub the toilet, the shower and the sink. See how to clean a bathroom.
• Wipe scuffs off the walls and doors, following how to clean walls without stripping the paint.
• Vacuum and mop every floor last, working toward the door.