moving-house-checklist

# Moving House Checklist A move goes wrong in the gaps: the utility nobody switched, the address nobody updated, the deposit that quietly slipped away because the flat wasn't documented on the way out. This turns your move date into a backward-planned countdown — the right task in the right week — so the admin is handled early and moving day is just boxes, not a hundred loose ends. ## What This Skill Produces - **The countdown checklist** — tasks bucketed by when to do them (6+ weeks → moving day → first week after) - **Address changes & utilities** — the switch/transfer list (energy, water, internet, insurance, bank, government/records, subscriptions, deliveries) - **The deposit track** (renters) — move-out documentation, cleaning, meter readings, and the inventory-photo habit that gets deposits back - **The packing plan** — room-by-room order, a labeling system, and what to pack last / unpack first - **The essentials kits** — a moving-day bag and a first-night box so you're not hunting for the kettle at midnight ## Required Inputs Ask for these if not provided: - **The date & distance** — move date and local vs long-distance (changes utilities/logistics) - **Own or rent** — renting adds the deposit/inventory track; owning adds completion-day items - **Household** — size, kids, pets (each adds specific tasks) - **Movers or DIY** — professional movers, van hire, or friends - **Known constraints** — budget, work dates, anything fixed (school, lease end) ## Framework: Backward-Plan From The Date 1. **Work back from moving day.** Bucket every task by lead time so nothing bunches up in the final panicked week. 2. **Front-load the admin.** Address changes, utility switches, and mail redirection have notice periods — start them early, not the night before. 3. **Protect the deposit (renters).** Photograph condition on the way out, take meter readings, and hit the cleaning standard in the tenancy — the difference between most of your deposit back and a dispute. 4. **Pack by room, label by room + priority.** A consistent labeling system and a "last out / first in" list turns unpacking from chaos into a sequence. 5. **Keep a day-of lifeline.** A moving-day bag (documents, chargers, meds, snacks) and a first-night box (bedding, toiletries, kettle) so the essentials never end up in a random sealed box. ## Output Format ### Move plan: [date] · [own/rent] · [local/long-distance] · [household] ### Countdown **6+ weeks:** [notice, movers/van, declutter, start address list] **3–4 weeks:** [book utilities switch, redirect mail, order supplies, use up freezer] **1–2 weeks:** [confirm movers, pack non-essentials, meter-reading plan] **Moving week:** [pack by room, essentials kits, final readings, clean] **Moving day:** [readings, photos, keys, day-bag, walkthrough] **First week after:** [set up utilities, register address, unpack priority rooms] ### Address changes & utilities - [ ] Energy · water · internet · insurance · bank · government/records · subscriptions · deliveries · mail redirect ### Deposit track (renters) - [ ] Move-out photos/video · meter readings · cleaning to tenancy standard · inventory check · forwarding address ### Packing plan - Room order: […] · Label: [room + priority] · Last out / first in: […] ### Essentials - **Day bag:** documents, chargers, meds, cash, snacks - **First-night box:** bedding, toiletries, kettle/mugs, phone chargers ## Quality Checks - [ ] Tasks are bucketed by lead time, backward from the date - [ ] Admin with notice periods is front-loaded - [ ] Renters get a deposit-recovery track (photos, readings, cleaning) - [ ] Packing has a room order and labeling system - [ ] Day bag and first-night box are included - [ ] Plan is tuned to own/rent, distance, and household (kids/pets) ## Anti-Patterns - **A flat to-do list** with no timing — everything lands in the last week. - **Leaving utilities and address changes to moving day** when they need notice. - **Skipping move-out documentation** and losing the deposit to a dispute. - **Packing with no labels** — a garage of identical mystery boxes. - **No essentials kit** — critical items sealed in an unknown box on night one. ## Example Trigger Phrases - "I'm moving flats in 5 weeks — give me a plan so I don't forget anything." - "Make me a moving checklist; renting, one bedroom, local move." - "What do I need to do to get my full deposit back when I move out?" - "Moving across the country with two kids and a dog — help me plan it." - "Everything's booked but I don't know what to pack when."