A move becomes easier when each decision has a deadline. Use this eight-week sequence as a starting point and adjust it for your route, lease or closing date, building rules, school calendar, work schedule, and household needs.
Eight to six weeks before
- Define the origin, destination, preferred date, and flexibility.
- Decide what will move, sell, donate, recycle, or discard.
- Research movers or brokers and request written estimates.
- For interstate moves, verify federal registration and complaint history.
- Collect school, medical, pet, vehicle, and property records.
Five to four weeks before
- Confirm building reservations, elevators, parking, and loading rules.
- Create a room-by-room inventory and photograph valuable items.
- Choose packing, storage, vehicle, and specialty services.
- Order packing materials and begin low-use rooms.
- Arrange utilities, mail forwarding, and insurance changes.
Three to two weeks before
- Confirm the written move details and contact information.
- Label boxes by room, contents, and handling priority.
- Separate documents, medication, chargers, valuables, and travel items.
- Plan food, cleaning, keys, access codes, and final property handoff.
- Reconfirm travel and arrival plans.
Moving week
- Finish packing and keep an essentials kit outside the shipment.
- Review the estimate, inventory, order for service, and bill of lading.
- Walk through the property before the vehicle leaves.
- Stay reachable and keep copies of all documents.
- At delivery, check items and record visible loss or damage before signing.
The FMCSA moving checklist includes additional consumer-protection steps for interstate moves.