A move goes wrong in the details you forgot, not the boxes you packed. This checklist walks you from eight weeks out through your first week in the new place, in the order things actually need to happen. If you are moving in New York City, we have added the steps that only matter here — elevator reservations, certificates of insurance, and parking.
8 Weeks Before You Move
- Set your budget and your date. Mid-month and mid-week dates are easier to book and usually cheaper than the last weekend of the month.
- Get moving quotes. Collect two or three. Ask whether the price is flat-rate or hourly, and what would make it change on moving day.
- Start a move folder. Quotes, lease documents, building rules, and receipts in one place — paper or a phone folder.
- Declutter room by room. Every item you donate or sell is an item you are not paying to move. Start with closets, the garage, and under beds.
6 Weeks Before
- Book your movers. Good crews fill up, especially at month-end. Confirm in writing.
- Order packing supplies. Boxes in two or three sizes, packing paper, bubble wrap, tape, and a marker. Buy more tape than you think you need.
- Check both buildings’ rules. Many NYC buildings restrict move-in hours, require a freight elevator reservation, and demand a certificate of insurance from your mover. Ask both buildings now, not the week of.
- Start packing what you do not use. Off-season clothes, books, decor, spare linens.
4 Weeks Before
- File your change of address with USPS, and update your bank, employer, insurance, and subscriptions.
- Schedule utilities. Electric, gas, internet. Set the new place to turn on the day before you arrive and the old place to shut off the day after you leave.
- Send your mover the building requirements so any certificate of insurance is issued well ahead of moving day.
- Arrange care for kids and pets on moving day. It makes the day dramatically easier.
- Take photos of valuable items before they are packed — useful if you ever need to make a claim.
2 Weeks Before
- Pack in earnest. Label every box with the room it goes to in the new place, not the room it came from.
- Reserve parking. In much of the city that means clearing space in front of the building and knowing the alternate-side rules for that day.
- Use up the freezer and pantry. Food is heavy and most of it will not survive the trip.
- Service any appliances that are coming with you — drain the washer, defrost the freezer 48 hours ahead.
- Confirm your move with the moving company: date, arrival window, address, and final price.
1 Week Before
- Pack a first-night box and keep it with you: medications, chargers, toiletries, a change of clothes, toilet paper, snacks, basic tools, and bedding.
- Set aside valuables to carry yourself — passports, jewelry, cash, laptops, hard drives.
- Disassemble what you can. Bed frames and table legs. Bag the hardware and tape it to the underside of the furniture it belongs to.
- Empty and clean the fridge.
- Confirm elevator reservations at both buildings.
Moving Day
- Be there when the crew arrives and walk them through what goes and what stays.
- Point out fragile and high-value items before loading starts.
- Keep the first-night box and valuables with you, not on the truck.
- Do a final walkthrough before the truck leaves: closets, cabinets, behind doors, the back of the fridge.
- Have water and cash on hand. Tipping is customary — see our guide on how much to tip movers.
- Check meters and leave keys as your lease requires.
Your First Week in the New Place
- Unpack the kitchen and bedrooms first. Sleeping and eating normally makes everything else easier.
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and change the locks.
- Inspect for damage and report anything to your mover promptly.
- Update your license and registration, and register to vote at the new address.
- Break down boxes as you go so the clutter never builds up.
Moving in New York City? Three Things That Trip People Up
Certificates of insurance. Most managed buildings in Manhattan and many in Brooklyn will not let movers past the lobby without one. It takes a day or two to issue, so ask early.
Freight elevator windows. Buildings often allow moves only during set hours on weekdays. A 9am start that slips to noon can cost you the whole slot.
Walk-ups and stairs. Be honest with your mover about the floor and whether there is an elevator. It is the single biggest factor in how long a move takes, and a crew that knows in advance brings the right people.
Planning a Move in New York?
Moving iker handles small moves, single-item furniture delivery, apartment moves, and last-minute moves across Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island, and Long Island. Tell us what you have and we will give you a flat price with no hidden fees — get a free quote or call 929-660-8599.
Related: How much do movers cost in NYC? · How much should you tip movers?
