Moving Checklists & Interactive Moving Planner

The reason most moving checklists do not help is that they are lists rather than sequences. What matters is not what has to be done but what has to be done first, because some tasks unlock others and some take far longer than anyone expects.

This is ordered by when it has to happen. If your timeline is shorter than two months, start at the top anyway and compress — the order still holds.

Want an accurate quote early?

Getting quotes is the first job on the list. Our visual quote checklist shows exactly what to photograph or film.

Open the Visual Quote Checklist

Folded moving blankets, straps, a hand truck and a four-wheel dolly staged inside an empty truck box

Your Moving Planner

Tick items off as you go — your progress is saved on this device, with no login. Print it for the fridge.

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Your ticks are saved on this device only — no account, nothing sent to us.

1–2 Months Before

Confirm your dates, including any possession or move-in window
Get the new home’s floor plan or room dimensions
Decide, roughly, what is not coming with you
Start sorting the low-emotion rooms — storage, spare room, garage
Get moving quotes from photos, a video walkthrough or an assessment — not a phone guess
Book the mover once you have a written quote you understand
Book the elevator, if either end has one
Arrange time off work for the day and the day after

3–4 Weeks Before

Start packing the things you will not need — books, out-of-season clothes, decorations
Arrange the donation and disposal route for what is not going
Tell family members what they are collecting, and when
Set up mail forwarding and start the change-of-address list
Book any specialist help — piano, safe, appliance disconnection
Confirm building requirements: loading doors, insurance certificates, deposits
Tell us about anything new since your quote — extra rooms, items, stops

1–2 Weeks Before

Pack in earnest, room by room, labelling by destination room and contents
Keep every box sealed, labelled and under 50 lb
Confirm the crew, arrival window and addresses in writing
Run down freezer contents deliberately
Use up or dispose of fuel, paint, propane and chemicals — they cannot go on the truck
Arrange care for children or pets on the day
Update doctors, pharmacy, banks, insurance and subscriptions
Confirm parking at both ends, and any permit needed

2–4 Days Before

Finish packing everything except essentials
Take apart furniture that needs it, unless disassembly is in your quote
Disconnect power recliners and lift chairs; secure washer shipping bolts
Defrost and empty the fridge and freezer; drain the washing machine
Take down curtains, mirrors and wall-mounted items that are going
Set aside documents, medication, jewellery and valuables to travel with you
Label clearly anything that is NOT going
Pack the essentials and first-night box you will keep with you

Moving Day

Be present for the arrival walkthrough, or nominate someone
Point out fragile and valuable items before anything moves
Keep routes clear and children and pets out of the work area
Shovel and salt paths in winter, at both ends
Do a final sweep of every room, closet, cupboard and the attic
Check the basement, garage and shed one more time
Take final meter readings and photograph them
At the new place, decide where the large pieces go before they leave the truck
Walk through with the crew and review the Bill of Lading before signing

After the Move

Unpack the kitchen and one bedroom fully before anything else
Check for damage and report any claim in writing promptly
Break down and recycle cartons, or have them collected
Confirm the address change went through everywhere it mattered
Test smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms in the new home

Ready to Get This Moving?

Tell us what is moving and we will come back with a real plan and a real price — or call and talk it through with someone who does this every day.

GET A QUOTE CALL 519-502-7832

Prefer to talk? Call us.

Need help that is not a move?Explore Seniors Services

Questions Families Ask Us

What if I only have two weeks?

Start at the top of the list anyway and compress. The order matters more than the timing: get the quotes and the elevator booking done immediately, decide what is not going before you pack anything, and be honest with yourself about whether the packing will be finished.

What is the most commonly missed item?

The garage, the shed and the loft, closely followed by the disposal of paint and fuel. All four are the sort of thing that gets discovered on the morning, which is the worst possible moment.

When should I book the mover?

As soon as you have a written quote you understand and a confirmed date. For end-of-month dates, the end of April and end of August in Waterloo Region, and around long weekends, book considerably earlier — those fill up first.

Moving Checklists: Your Moving Planner

Your Moving Planner

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Questions Families Ask Us

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