The Moving Journal / Practical notes
How to move house: a practical plan from booking to keys
A move becomes easier to manage when you separate decisions, packing and handover. Work backwards from the date you can actually enter the next property, rather than filling every day with an equal list of tasks.
Confirm the dates and the access first.
Before booking transport, check when keys are available and when the old property must be handed back. A moving date, a legal completion date and an inventory appointment may not be the same thing. Ask how building entry, lifts and parking are arranged at both addresses.
Make a short inventory of bulky items and anything needing careful handling. Decide what will be kept, donated, recycled or stored before you buy packing materials. If the new home is smaller, measuring the access and furniture can save packing an item that has nowhere to go.
Pack in an order that leaves the home usable.
Start with rarely used contents and leave one working set of daily essentials until the end. Keep documents, medicines, keys, chargers and valuables separate from the main load. Label boxes by destination room and contents category without advertising valuable items on the outside.
Arrange home removals with an accurate description of the load and access. If the dates do not line up, discuss storage before the van is booked, rather than improvising a place for the load on the day.
| Track | Settle before the day |
|---|---|
| Access | Keys, parking, lifts and entry restrictions |
| Contents | What travels, what stays and what needs storage |
| Packing | Boxes, fragile items and an essentials bag |
| Accounts | Provider notifications and meter records |
| Handover | Cleaning, inventory and key return |
Finish with records, not a rushed guess.
Notify relevant providers and organisations using their current change-of-address processes. Record final meter readings where applicable and retain account confirmations. Use official guidance for documents such as your driving licence rather than assuming every document needs the same action.
Once rooms are empty, check cupboards, loft access and outdoor areas for remaining belongings. Plan tenancy cleaning separately from repairs or waste removal. Keep the receipt, inventory notes and key handover confirmation together so the final stage is easy to trace.