Moving House Checklist: Free Printable (UK)
Moving house is a hundred small jobs pretending to be one big one. The checklist below is every job in order — from booking the van to photographing the meters — and it works two ways: tick it off on screen, or print a blank copy and stick it to the fridge.
At a glance
- Start
- The day your date is confirmed
- The one everyone forgets
- Photograph meters at BOTH properties
- Mail redirection
- Set up two weeks ahead
- First-night box
- Kettle, chargers, bedding, tools
🖨️ Moving house checklist — printable
0/25 doneAs soon as the date is set
Four weeks before
Two weeks before
Moving week
Moving day
Ticks live only on this page and reset when you leave — print the blank version for the day itself. Free to print and share.
The three that cause the most pain when missed
The meter photos. Gas, electricity and water — at the place you leave and the place you arrive, with the reading legible and ideally the date on. Billing disputes months later are won and lost on these photos, and they take ninety seconds.
Mail redirection. Royal Mail redirection takes about a week to start, so set it up two weeks ahead — and it buys you months to find the accounts you forgot. What lands redirected becomes your to-do list.
The first-night box. Kettle, mugs, tea, toilet roll, a bulb, phone chargers, bedding, basic tools, and the paperwork. It travels with you, not in the van — nothing about night one should depend on finding the right box.
Boxes themselves are their own small science — where to get good ones for free is covered separately. And if the move comes with a new-build at the end of it, walk in with the snagging list on day one, when the builder is most responsive.
Frequently asked questions
When should I start packing before a move?
Non-essential rooms four weeks out, working toward daily-use items in the final days. Label every box with room and contents — future you, holding a box at 8pm, is the customer.
Who do I need to tell when I move house?
Bank, employer, DVLA (licence and log book separately), GP, dentist, council tax at both councils, energy, water, broadband, TV licence, insurers, pensions and subscriptions. Mail redirection catches whoever you miss.
When should I book a removal company?
The day your date firms up — good firms and weekend slots go first, and month-end is the busiest window because completions cluster there.
What should I keep with me on moving day rather than in the van?
Documents, keys, medicines, valuables, chargers and the first-night box. If the van is delayed, your evening survives.
General information only, not financial or legal advice. Templates are a starting point — adjust them to your situation, and take advice where the stakes justify it.
