Moving home soon? Discover essential things to do before relocating – from booking movers and transferring bills to prepping pets and registering medical services.
Making the leap from one home to another is quite the event. Whether you’re upsizing, downsizing, or relocating for work or lifestyle, preparation tends to make all the difference. Use this moving home checklist to guide you through the major tasks. It’s especially useful for UK‑based moves, with moving house tips built in, and gives you a home relocation checklist so you’re more prepared when it comes to preparing to move home.
1. The Stress of Moving Home
Moving to a new house may be difficult, even if you plan everything well. It’s hard to handle packing, paperwork, and emotional changes all at once. That’s why making a moving home checklist with small, doable stages will help you stay on track and lower your stress.
Why moving is one of life’s biggest stressors
Relocating involves lots of moving parts—literally and figuratively. You’re not just shifting boxes; you’re changing addresses, notifying services, adjusting life routines, and dealing with the emotional side of a big life change. Many people looking at a moving home checklist find themselves overwhelmed by the size of the task.
Locking down everything from your bank details, utilities, healthcare services, and kids’ schooling can quickly become a juggling act. According to the British Association of Removers, moving day preparations often take much longer than expected.
How planning ahead reduces stress and costs
By using a clear moving home checklist and ticking off items such as those in a home relocation checklist, you’re more likely to encounter fewer surprises. For example:
- Booking your removals team early reduces cost and gives you more choice.
- Notifying utilities in advance prevents last‑minute chaos and unintended charges.
- Starting packing early and decluttering first means you’ll carry fewer unwanted items and move more efficiently.
In short, if you treat your move like a project, complete with a moving home checklist, things tend to go comparatively more smoothly.
2. Book a Reliable Moving Team
Picking the best movers can help you save stress, save time, and avoid surprise charges. A dependable team makes sure your things get to their destination safely and on time, so you can focus on getting used to your new home instead of stressing about how to get there.
Benefits of hiring professional movers
When you’re preparing to move home, the part about submitting everything yourself (from furniture dismantling to transport) tends to be tiring and error‑prone. Using professionals means:
- They’ll handle logistics, heavy lifting, and sometimes packing/unpacking themselves.
- They tend to have insurance coverage for transit, which greatly reduces risk.
- They often bring experience with how moves work in the UK context (parking restrictions, narrow streets, scheduling).
Insurance coverage and safety advantages
Using a vetted removals company means you’re likely to get protection for your belongings in transit. The home relocation checklist provided by many providers emphasizes this.
It’s worth checking:
- Are they members of the British Association of Removers (BAR)?
- Is transit insurance included or extra?
- Are there any hidden fees (dismantling, stairs, waiting time)?
Choosing a trusted service like The London Man With Van
If you’re moving within or around London (or elsewhere in the UK), you’ll likely want a company that understands the specifics of your area. The London Man With Van for a simple and affordable move. Things such as congestion, permit parking, narrow roads, and lifts vs. stairs will all affect the removal process and cost.
When you search for “moving house tips UK,” this step (booking a reliable moving team) consistently features.
3. Sign Up for New Medical Services
Early registration with new healthcare providers guarantees that you and your family can always get medical treatment. It also helps you relax because you know that all of your medicines, records and appointments are in order before you move.
Finding a new GP and dentist in your area
If you’re relocating to a new area, one of the tasks on your home relocation checklist is to register with a local GP and dentist. The sooner you do it, the less likely you are to face delays should you need medical care shortly after moving.
For example, sources recommend including GP/dentist registration in your moving house checklist.
Transferring medical records efficiently
When you move home, you’ll probably want to transfer your medical records from your old practice to your new one—especially if you have ongoing health conditions. Contact both practices ahead of your move date so that the handover is smoother.
This is part of the good preparation for the move-home procedure.
Avoiding healthcare delays during the move
Make a task on your moving home checklist to confirm your new GP has accepted you and your new address is logged with the practice. Also, do the same for any specialist services you may have. Doing this early prevents you from arriving at your new home only to find you’re not registered or you’re on a waiting list, which can be frustrating when you’ve just moved.
4. Transfer Bills and Utilities Before Moving
Updating your bills and utilities ahead of time will help you avoid stress at the last minute and make sure your new house is ready to go from day one. It also stops unexpected fees or service interruptions, which makes your transfer go more smoothly.
Updating your internet, water, gas, and electricity
When you’re planning a move, it’s easy to forget about switching over utilities—but this is a frequent item in the “moving house tips UK” archives. According to one guide, make sure you contact your energy supplier, water company, and broadband/internet provider ahead of time.
Important tasks on your moving home checklist include:
- Take meter readings at both the old and the new property.
- Confirm final bills and notify the supplier of the move-out date.
- Transfer or arrange new service at the new address (internet, TV license, council tax).
Notifying service providers in advance
Setting up notification of your move with each provider tends to avoid disruption. For example, the utilities may take a few days to process your move date. If you wait until the last minute, you may find yourself without broadband or with a more expensive default tariff.
Setting up connections at your new address
On arrival at your new home, one thing on your home relocation checklist should be to check that all essential services are live—gas, electric, water, and broadband. If any are missing, fix them early rather than waiting until everything is unpacked. According to another checklist, it’s wise to confirm these before moving in fully.
Here’s a table summarizing key bills/utility changes and when to do them:
| Service | When to Notify | Tips |
| Gas & Electric | 2–4 weeks before moving | Provide meter readings on the day; check the supplier for the new address |
| Water | Immediately, when the new date is known | If metered, allow time to register the change. |
| Broadband/TV license | At least 1–2 weeks before | Match installation date with move-in where possible |
| Council Tax & Electoral Roll | On completion/move-in date | Notify both old and new councils if changing the area |
| Address changes (banks, insurers) | As soon as move date is confirmed | Use moving home checklist to list all parties |
5. Prepare for Moving with Pets
If you plan beforehand for your pets’ safety and comfort, the move will be less stressful for both of you. Adding their needs on your list can help them get used to your new home quicker.
Reducing pet stress during relocation
If you have pets, moving home involves more than just boxes and furniture. They tend to pick up on change quickly. On your preparing to move home list, include items for pets: familiar blankets, treats, crates, toys. During the move day, it’s often best to keep pets away from the main bustle (a friend’s house, pet-sitter) so that nothing accidental happens.
Safe pet transport options
Getting your pets to and settled in your new home requires planning. Make sure your moving home checklist has:
- Transport crates or harnesses for pets.
- Familiar items to help settle them (their bed, toys).
- A plan for feeding during the journey if it’s lengthy.
- A vet checks if you’re moving a fair distance.
Consulting your vet for travel advice and sedatives
For some pets (older pets, anxious ones), the move may require extra care. Discuss with your vet ahead of moving day whether sedatives or other measures might help. Having this on your home relocation checklist means fewer surprises on moving day.
Conclusion: Smooth Transitions – Simplify Your Move with Smart Preparation
When you’re preparing to move home, the difference between a fraught move and a relatively smooth one often comes down to the planning and the checklist you follow. A well-used moving home checklist or home relocation checklist will keep you on track, reduce stress and help you handle the myriad things that crop up before you move.
From booking that trusted removal team, to transferring utilities, setting up new healthcare services, and making sure your pets are safe and settled – each element plays a part. While you might not tick off everything perfectly, the act of writing it down, scheduling timing and gradually working through the list makes a big difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How far ahead should I start following a moving home checklist?
A: Ideally, once your moving date is confirmed, you should begin with tasks from your home relocation checklist. Even 4–6 weeks out is useful for things like booking removals and starting to pack.
Q: What if I’m renting rather than buying? Does the same checklist apply?
A: Yes, while some tasks differ (deposit return, lease end date), the core things like utilities, removals, address changes, and preparing to move home still apply.
Q: Can I do some tasks after I move in?
A: Absolutely. Your moving home checklist should include after-move items such as redirecting posts, unpacking essentials, and registering with a new GP if required. Many checklists include an “after moving in” section.
Q: What’s the biggest mistake people make when moving?
A: Two major mistakes: under-packing the time needed (so packing becomes rushed) and forgetting to inform key services early (leading to bills, missing utilities, or delayed access). Using things to do before moving house effectively helps you avoid those.
Also Read: The Home Buyer’s Journey: Understanding the Impact of Mortgage Selection on Long-Term Wealth
