How to Prepare One Week Away from Moving Day

So, it’s one week until moving day. This is the week to finalize everything. You will only have time to complete a few tasks other than moving your belongings on moving day. So it is best to finish everything the week before the move. Inevitably, there will be tasks that pop up last minute. Therefore, if you have everything taken care of the week before, you will have the time and energy to deal with last-minute things that pop up. Take a look at this one-week moving checklist to get ahead.

Arrange for payment for movers

Check with your moving company to determine the preferred method of payment. We prefer to pay with a credit card, so there is a paper trail. Also, with our credit card rewards, we get a percentage of cash back when we use our credit card, which is a nice perk. We always have cash on us for the day of the move to tip the movers if we are satisfied with their work. This week it’s essential to ensure you have enough cash.

Confirm your move-out date with current home

If renting, verify your move-out date with your landlord or property management company. This way, you can be sure that a loading zone is appropriately reserved, if necessary. If you have sold your home, confirm the date you agreed to move out. Nothing sounds more awful than mixing up a move-out date when another family wants to move in.

Confirm move-in date for your destination

There are two separate confirmations necessary for the destination. I verify a delivery date range with the moving company. Typically, they cannot promise one specific date for delivery. Therefore, they give a range of days in which they will arrive with your belongings. The other confirmation you need is when you can access your new home.

I have always contacted our new apartment complex to confirm our new place will be ready for us before the range of dates given by the moving company. I prefer access to our new home a couple of days before the movers arrive with our belongings. I complete some tasks before the movers come with our items: deep cleaning, painting, and planning for furniture. I also check that we have a reserved area for the moving truck to unload.

Change locks in your new home and get copies of keys

You never know who has keys to your new home. Previous tenants or owners may have given their keys to a cleaning company or a babysitter. Changing the locks will give you complete control over who enters your home. Also, ensure you get enough copies of the new keys for each person in the house, along with a couple of spares, just in case.

Schedule a Deep Clean for your New Home

One week before having items delivered to your new home, schedule a deep clean, including carpet cleaning. Moving into a newly cleaned home is much more enjoyable than moving in and having dust and trash cluttering your space.

Discuss contingency plan for movers running late

Always have a backup plan if the movers can’t arrive for pick up or delivery when expected. Options include getting a hotel room, reserving a vacation rental home, or staying with acquaintances.

Back up computers to a hard drive

There is always a chance your computer could be damaged or lost during a move. Have your files available on another system.

Place all keys in an envelope to turn in

Keep keys to your current home and office organized and in separate envelopes to make returning them easy. I recommend taking a picture of what is in each envelope to maintain a record.

Empty your office  

Pack up items in a box separate from home boxes. Label the box as “work office” to keep it separate at your destination. Put it in your car and take it for your first week at your new job.

Empty, clean, and defrost the fridge

Use food items or donate them to someone who can use them. I like using our local buy nothing group or nearby friends. Food pantries typically do not allow donations of food that are perishable.

Donate all unsold items

It is essential to find an organization in your town where you can donate things that go directly to those in need. Avoid organizations that require others to purchase your items. Pickup Please is one of my favorite organizations because items go directly to Veterans, and the organization picks up items from our home.

Put together a moving survival kit

The things in this kit are essential and needed during your trip and immediately when arriving at your new home. Things like linens, cooking tools, and bathroom products are great in this kit. Check out tips for packing the moving survival kit here. Load this up last on the truck and unload it first at your new home.

The following seven days may be super chaotic. Remind yourself that you can get through this. Review your checklist to ensure you are getting it all done to keep moving day simple. 

The above list is an abbreviated version of the Move Mama Move Moving Checklists. If you want full access to Move Mama Move’s 90-day, 60-day, 30-day, 14-day, and 7-day checklists, check out the Relocation Planners. With inventory trackers, tasks to prepare your new home, moving day planning sheets, budget trackers, and more, Move Mama Move Relocation Planners were created to help make your move more simple.

⇒ Next Step: Moving Day Checklist