Moving Checklist: 8 Weeks Out to Moving Day

Most of the stress in a move comes from things left too late, not from the move itself. Spreading the work out over a few weeks turns a chaotic final weekend into a checklist you’re just working through.

8 weeks out

• Get a written quote from your mover, and ask what’s included (labor only vs. a full truck, packing materials, insurance/valuation coverage).
• If you’re renting, give notice per your lease terms — most require 30–60 days.
• Start a “keep or go” pass through closets, the garage, and storage. Anything you’re not taking is easier to sell, donate, or haul away now than to pack and move.

6 weeks out

• Book your moving date. Weekends and the last few days of the month are the busiest — if your date is flexible, a mid-month weekday is usually easier to schedule and sometimes cheaper.
• Start collecting free boxes (liquor stores, grocery stores) or order moving boxes if you’d rather not hunt.
• Research your new area if you’re relocating — schools, parking rules, HOA requirements — anything that affects move-in day logistics.

4 weeks out

• Begin packing rooms you use least: guest room, storage closets, out-of-season clothes.
• Label boxes by room, not just contents — it’s what actually speeds up unloading.
• Start using up food in your freezer and pantry rather than moving it.
• Confirm your moving company, date, and any building requirements (elevator reservation, loading dock window, parking permit) if you’re in a building that needs them.

2 weeks out

• Submit a change of address with USPS.
• Update your address with your bank, employer, and any subscriptions.
• Transfer or schedule utilities (power, internet, water) to stop at the old place and start at the new one.
• Pack a “first night” box separately — toiletries, a change of clothes, chargers, basic kitchen items — so you’re not digging through boxes the first evening.

Moving week

• Finish packing everything except what you’re using daily.
• Defrost the freezer the day before if you’re bringing the refrigerator.
• Confirm arrival time and any parking or access details with your movers.
• Do a final walkthrough of every closet, cabinet, and drawer before the truck leaves.

Moving day

• Point out fragile or high-value items to your crew before loading starts.
• Keep essentials (medications, important documents, valuables) with you rather than on the truck.
• Do a final walkthrough of the old place once it’s empty, then a walkthrough of the new place as things come off the truck.

If you’re moving anywhere in the Seattle area, our residential moving page has more on how we handle everything from stairs and elevators to full-service packing — or get a quote directly.