Moving House Checklist: What to Do Before, During and After

Moving house is exciting right up until the boxes show up. Between the removalist, the bond clean, the utilities and the long list of people who need your new address, it’s easy to forget something important — usually the driver’s licence, the oven clean, or the fridge on the morning of the move.

This checklist walks you through the whole move in the order you actually need it: what to book first, what to sort in the weeks before, what to do on the day itself, and what to tick off once you’re in the new place. Work through it from top to bottom and the whole move is covered.

The short version: what goes on a moving house checklist

If you only skim one part of this guide, make it this list:

• Book a removalist as soon as your moving dates are locked in — and get the quote in writing.
• Declutter early. Everything you don’t move is money and time you save.
• Sort your utilities: disconnect at the old place, connect at the new one, and don’t forget the NBN.
• Set up mail redirection with Australia Post so nothing important lands at your old doorstep.
• Update your address with your bank, insurance, Medicare, the electoral roll and your driver’s licence.
• Pack room by room, label every box, and keep one first-night box aside.
• Renters: book a bond clean for after the furniture is out.
• On moving day: read the meters at both properties, photograph everything, and lock up.

6–8 weeks before moving

This is the planning window. Getting the big bookings done now is what makes everything else easier.

• Lock in your moving date and book any time off work you’ll need around it.
• Get removalist quotes. Aim for at least three, check they have transit insurance, and confirm exactly what the quote includes — stairs, heavy items, packing help. Get it in writing.
• Start decluttering. Go room by room and make three piles: keep, sell or donate, and throw out. Furniture you don’t want in the new place is easiest to sell while you’re not under time pressure.
• Collect packing supplies: sturdy boxes, packing tape, markers, bubble wrap and old newspaper. Supermarkets and bottle shops often have free boxes if you ask.
• Check the NBN connection at your new address. Some places are already connected, others need an appointment, so allow time. If you work from home, this one matters.
• Compare energy plans for the new place. Moving is one of the best times to check you’re on a decent deal — and it’s cheaper to switch before you’re paying two sets of bills.
• Notify schools and childcare if the kids are changing schools, and request records or transfer papers.
• Sort out pets: boarding, transport, or just a quiet room to keep them out of the way on the day.

3–4 weeks before moving

The admin phase. This is the stuff people leave too late.

• Book your utility disconnection and reconnection. Tell your current electricity and gas retailers your move-out date, and arrange connection at the new address for move-in day. Check for exit fees on your current plans.
• Book your internet move or new connection at the new address.
• Set up mail redirection so any mail still going to the old address follows you.
• Start packing non-essentials: books, decorations, out-of-season clothes, spare rooms. Label every box with the room it belongs in and a rough note of what’s inside.
• Use up the pantry and freezer. Plan meals around what’s already in the cupboards so you’re not transporting half-empty jars.
• Confirm lift, parking and access at both properties — especially apartments. Book the goods lift if your building has one.
• Arrange contents insurance for the new place so cover starts on moving day.
• Make a moving folder — physical or digital — for the lease, condition report, removalist booking, utility confirmations and receipts.

1–2 weeks before moving

• Confirm your removalist booking and run through the timing, addresses, parking and anything heavy or awkward.
• Finish the address changes you can do early: bank, credit cards, insurance, super fund, employer, GP and dentist, subscriptions, gym, loyalty programs.
• Book the bond clean (if renting) for after the furniture is out and before your final inspection — and ask what’s included.
• Defrost the fridge and freezer a day or two before the move, and clean them out.
• Pack your first-night box: toilet paper, phone chargers, basic tools, kettle and coffee, snacks, toiletries, bedding, a change of clothes, any medications, and the remote controls. This box goes in your car, not the truck.
• Back up important devices and keep passports, IDs, the lease and valuables in one bag you carry yourself.
• Return borrowed items and collect anything of yours that’s out on loan.
• Settle outstanding accounts tied to the old address.

The day before

• Charge your phone and put the removalist’s number somewhere you’ll find it.
• Clear paths through the house so movers can get in and out without tripping over boxes.
• Empty the bins and do a last load of laundry.
• Keep one set of clean clothes, towels and sheets aside for the first night — separate from the truck.
• Write down your meter readings so you have a starting point for the morning.

Moving day

• Do a final walkthrough of the old place — every cupboard, the shed, the garage, under the house. Open every door and drawer.
• Photograph the meter readings — electricity, gas and water — at both properties. This settles billing arguments before they start.
• Photograph the condition of both properties while they’re empty: walls, floors, oven, bathrooms. Renters, these photos are your bond’s best friend.
• Supervise the loading and check boxes off against your inventory if you made one.
• Hand over keys and remotes — and make sure you know who to, and when.
• At the new place, get the essentials running first: power, hot water, internet. Check smoke alarms while you’re at it.
• Make the beds and set up the bathroom before anything else. You’ll thank yourself at 10pm.

Your first week in the new place

• Update the addresses you couldn’t do early: driver’s licence (through your state’s road authority), the electoral roll, Medicare and Centrelink (through your myGov account), and the ATO.
• Check your first utility bills use the right start dates — compare them against the meter photos you took.
• Note the bin day and look up your local council’s rules for hard rubbish and recycling.
• Change the locks if it gives you peace of mind — you don’t know who has copies of the old keys.
• Unpack one room at a time, starting with the kitchen. Living out of boxes for weeks is how clutter settles in.
• Introduce yourself to the neighbours — and find out which tradies they trust while you’re at it.

Who to notify: the full address-change list

The average household has far more places holding their address than they realise. Run through these groups and update every account that applies to you.

Government and ID

• Electoral roll — update it through the Australian Electoral Commission so you stay enrolled where you live.
• Driver’s licence and vehicle registration — through your state’s road authority (required when you move, and again if you move interstate).
• Medicare and Centrelink — update through your myGov account.
• ATO — update your address so tax notices reach you.
• Local council — for rates, bin collection and pet registration.

Money and insurance

• Bank accounts, credit cards and loan providers.
• Super fund — don’t let it become another lost account.
• Home and contents insurance, car insurance, life and health insurance.
• Employer — for payroll, super and emergency contacts.

Utilities and services

• Electricity and gas retailers (old and new).
• Internet provider and NBN.
• Water provider.
• Mobile phone provider.
• Pay TV and streaming subscriptions tied to the address.

Health, school and everything else

• GP, dentist, specialists and pharmacy — and transfer prescriptions and records.
• Schools, childcare and universities.
• Vet and pet registration.
• Online shopping accounts, delivery apps and parcel lockers.
• Gym, clubs and memberships.
• Friends and family — the one notification people always forget.

Renters: getting the bond clean right

Bond disputes almost always come down to cleaning. A proper end-of-lease clean goes further than most people think:

• Oven and rangehood — the number one thing agents check. Grease inside the oven is the classic bond deduction.
• Shower screens and grout, skirting boards, light switches and internal window tracks.
• Carpets: many leases require professional steam cleaning — check yours, and keep the receipt.
• Walls: remove marks, fill picture-hook holes, touch up paint if your lease expects it.
• Outside: mow, weed and tidy the garden; clean the garage and balcony.

Book the clean for after the furniture is out, and ask the cleaner about a re-clean policy in case the agent flags anything at inspection. Walk through the empty property with your original condition report and your own photos before handing back the keys.

Moving-day mistakes almost everyone makes (once)

• Forgetting the first-night box in the truck. It goes in your car. Always.
• Not photographing the meters. Five minutes of photos saves months of billing arguments.
• Packing the kettle, chargers and toilet paper where you can’t reach them.
• Leaving address updates until “later”. Later becomes six months, and six months becomes a lost super account and missed fines.
• Booking the cheapest removalist without checking insurance. The quote in writing matters more than the discount.
• Moving the fridge and turning it on straight away. Let it stand upright for a few hours first — the coolant needs to settle.

Frequently asked questions

When should I start preparing to move house?

Start 6–8 weeks out if you can. Book the removalist and start decluttering early, do the admin and packing in the middle weeks, and keep the final week for confirmations, the bond clean and your first-night box.

Who do I need to tell when I move house?

At minimum: Australia Post (mail redirection), your electricity, gas, water and internet providers, your bank, your insurance, Medicare, the electoral roll and your driver’s licence. Then work through the full list above — most people have 20 to 30 accounts holding their old address.

How do I redirect my mail when moving?

Set up mail redirection through Australia Post, online or at a post office. Choose your start date and how long you want it to run — it catches the important mail that still goes to your old address while you update everything else.

What should I do on the day I move house?

Read and photograph the meters at both properties, do a final walkthrough of every room and cupboard, hand over the keys, then get power, hot water and internet running at the new place. Set up beds and the bathroom first — the rest can wait.

Do I really need to update my driver’s licence address?

Yes. Your licence needs to show your current address, and the rules and timeframes are set by your state’s road authority. If you’ve moved interstate, you’ll usually need to transfer to a local licence — check the new state’s requirements.