---
title: The moving checklist you actually need
description: Every moving checklist tells you to forward your mail. Almost none of them mention Internet. This one does, and it's organized by when things actually
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---

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# The moving checklist you actually need

Every moving checklist tells you to forward your mail. Almost none of them mention Internet. This one does, and it's organized by when things actually matter.

[Emma Dressler](https://blog.ting.com/author/emma-dressler)

 May 25, 2026

---

There is no shortage of moving checklists on the Internet. They are long. They are thorough. They include things like "confirm new address with your dentist" and "research schools if applicable" and "notify your bank," all presented with the calm authority of someone who has never stood in a half-empty apartment at 11pm wondering where the box with the mugs went.

This is not that checklist. This is the one that acknowledges moving is genuinely hard, that you will not do all of it perfectly, and that some things matter more than others. It's organized by when things actually need to happen, not an idealized timeline, but a realistic one.

## **8 weeks out (or as soon as you know you're moving)**

### **Check Internet availability at your new address**

Not your general neighborhood. Your specific address. ISP coverage maps are optimistic. They show entire zip codes as "available" when the reality is more complicated.

### **Give notice on your current place**

Most leases require 30–60 days. Some require more. Check before you assume.

### **Start collecting boxes**

Liquor stores. Bookstores. Buy Nothing groups on Facebook. Free boxes are everywhere if you look before you need them urgently.

## **6 weeks out**

### **Hire a moving company (or seriously commit to the friends-and-a-truck plan)**

Peak moving season is real. Good movers book up. If you want professional help and you're moving in the spring or summer, this is not the time to procrastinate.

### **Start the paperwork**

USPS mail forwarding takes a few days to set up but needs to be in place before you move. Do it now, not the week you're leaving.

### **Sort aggressively**

Moving is the best possible time to get rid of things you don't need anymore. Not because minimalism is a virtue, but because you will physically carry everything you own to a new place and you should be selective about what earns the trip. Sell it, donate it, or let it go.

## **4 weeks out**

### **Notify the important accounts**

Banks and credit cards, your employer's HR department, health insurance, subscriptions that mail you things, any government agencies relevant to your situation. This is tedious. Do it anyway.

### **Pack the non-essentials**

Books, seasonal items, things you use rarely. Label boxes with room AND contents. You will thank yourself later. "BEDROOM — MISC" is not a label. It is a future argument with yourself.

## **2 weeks out**

### **Defrost and clean the fridge**

If you're taking your fridge, it needs to be defrosted and dry before it moves. This takes longer than you think and is less fun than anything else on this list.

### **Pack a "first night" bag**

This is the single most underrated moving tip in existence. Pack a bag that you will not put in the truck, you'll keep it in your car or carry it yourself. In it: phone chargers, any medications, a change of clothes, a towel, toilet paper, basic toiletries, and something to sleep on if the bed situation gets complicated. You will use everything in this bag.

### **Eat down the perishables**

This is a good two weeks to get creative with what's in the freezer and pantry. Moving is not cheap. Throwing away a full fridge of food makes it worse.

## **Moving week**

### **Confirm everything**

Movers. Internet installation timing. Utility transfers. Anyone who needs to be somewhere on a specific day. Confirm it.

### **Pack the kitchen last**

You will need it longer than you think. Leave out enough to eat for the week and pack the rest a few days before the move.

### **Charge all the things**

Phones, laptops, tablets, earbuds, portable batteries. Moving day has a lot of "we need to look something up right now" moments. Don't arrive with dead devices.

### **Do a final walkthrough**

Check every cabinet, every closet, behind every door. Check the attic if there is one. Check the garage. The thing you leave behind is always the thing you care about most.

## **Move-In day**

### **Unpack in priority order**

Bedroom, bathroom, kitchen. In that order. Everything else can wait. You need to be able to sleep, shower, and eat. The rest is details.

## Moving is hard

It takes longer than expected. It's more expensive than expected. It's more emotionally complicated than expected. The new place will feel like yours. It just takes a little time.

And at least the Internet will be working.

[Tips & Tricks](https://blog.ting.com/tag/tips-tricks)

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