Quick – get the paper bag! The thought of preparing for your move may just send you into full hyperventilation. Take a few deep breaths and stick with us as we walk you through a step-by-step move-efficient checklist. By the time you’ve checked off these items, you’ll have gone from moving panic to moving pro.
Decide on Professional Movers or DIY Moving
Deciding to hire movers depends a lot on budget. It can be expensive but well worth it if you’re looking for added convenience and low-stress moving options. If you’re in a time crunch, you may have to move it all on your own anyway, but if you do go the professional route, you have a few options:
- Hire full-service movers. Full-service movers will pack, load, transport, and unload everything for you. If you’re hiring movers, get an estimate from a few places since companies charge very different prices based on multiple factors such as distance, number of boxes, types of items being moved, and the number of rooms in the house.
- Hire professionals to do part of the work. Hire packers and then transport your belongings yourself, or you can pack your belongings and then pay for professionals to do the heavy lifting.
- Use a moving container company. Companies like Pods and U-Pack Moving will bring you a moving container to fill with your packed goods and then move it to your new home. Those making a long-distance move to another state or going cross-country might also need to consider vehicle transportation costs.
Estimate Your Moving Costs
Moving can be stressful and expensive when you add up packing materials, truck rentals, professional moving services, insurance, storage unit rentals, security deposits, and other hidden costs. Knowing how much it will cost to move ahead of time will help you estimate how much to budget.
Patch Up Your Current Digs
If you’re currently renting, you want to get as much of your security deposit back as possible. Before you move out, patch up holes in the wall, paint the walls back to their original color, and clean the house until it’s “move-in” ready. If you took pictures during the move-in inspection, you could compare your current rental condition. Avoid trash removal fees by making sure you leave nothing behind. And, if you’re leasing any internet or TV equipment, make sure you return it to your local provider before leaving, or you’re likely to incur a hefty non-return equipment fee.
Declutter Before the Move
Lighten the physical strain of moving boxes by decluttering items you no longer need or want. You can have a garage or yard sale or donate your items to get rid of many items at once and put the extra money towards moving expenses. Free online platforms and apps such as Facebook Marketplace, Mercari, and LetGo also make it easy to sell unwanted goods in your community.
Forward Your Mail
Ensure your mail is forwarded to your new address by completing a change of address form from USPS. All bills, letters, and packages going through USPS will be redirected from your old address to your new one for up to a year. This can be done in person at your local post office or online for a $1 fee. If your move is temporary, you can also request your postal service to temporarily hold your mail for up to 30 days while you get situated.
Set Up Utilities
A few weeks before your move, you’ll want to start thinking about setting up utilities at your new home. If you live in a community, first check if your home utilities are covered by an HOA or lease agreement. Basic utilities every home should have set up before moving include the following:
- Water and sewage
- Electricity
- Gas
- Trash
- Internet and/or cable TV
Instead of searching for utility providers individually, you can enter your ZIP code into a utility search or internet provider search to find your local utilities all in one spot. Most companies will let you transfer services if the same utility or ISP is available at your new home. We recommend setting up your utilities at least two weeks in advance in case you need to schedule an installation appointment at your new home.
Create a Digital Inventory of Your Items
You don’t want to throw an item carelessly into a box and then go through every box looking for it later. An Excel spreadsheet is a good way to stay organized and maintain both a hard and soft copy. You can also use moving apps that allow you to take a photo of every item and catalog it into their app so you know exactly what items are in which box. This process can also help you determine how much coverage you should get for homeowners or renters insurance by going through everything you own.
Notify the DMV of Address Changes
By law, most states require you to register your new address on your state ID, driver’s license, and vehicle with the DMV. Each state’s laws vary depending on if you’re moving within the same state or moving to a new state. Failure to update your address can result in fines.
In some states, you’ll need to apply for a new driver's license immediately, depending on your circumstances. For instance, people moving to Arizona will need to update their address immediately if they’re going to work in Arizona. Other states don’t have a set deadline, but you should still update your information before your next license or registration renewal date in order to receive your bill notice at the correct address.
The chart below will give you an idea of how long you can wait before changing your address with the DMV.
State | Moving Within State | Moving to State | Leaving State — Notify? |
|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
Alaska | License address: ASAP Vehicle address: New address can be written on current registration | License: 90 days Register vehicle: 10 days | Yes |
Arizona | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: ASAP Register vehicle: ASAP | No |
Arkansas | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: No deadline | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
California | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: 10 days Register vehicle: 20 days | No |
Colorado | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 90 days | No |
Connecticut | License address: 2 days Vehicle address: 2 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 60 days | Yes |
Delaware | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 60 days Register vehicle: 60 days | No |
District of Columbia | License address: 60 days Vehicle address: 60 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | Yes |
Florida | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 10 days | No |
Georgia | License address: 60 days Vehicle address: 60 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
Hawaii | License (varies county to county but on average): 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License (varies county to county but on average): 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
Idaho | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 90 days Register vehicle: 90 days | No |
Illinois | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 90 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
Indiana | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 60 days Register vehicle: 60 days | No |
Iowa | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
Kansas | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: 90 days Register vehicle: 90 days | No |
Kentucky | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 15 days | No |
Louisiana | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
Maine | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
Maryland | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 60 days Register vehicle: 60 days | No |
Massachusetts | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: Once you’ve established residency Register vehicle: Once you’ve established residency | No |
Michigan | License address: ASAP Vehicle address: ASAP | License: Once you’ve established residency Register vehicle: Once you’ve established residency | No |
Minnesota | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 60 days Register vehicle: 60 days | No |
Mississippi | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
Missouri | License address: No deadline Vehicle address: No deadline | License: Once you’ve established residency Register vehicle: Once you’ve established residency | No |
Montana | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: 60 days Register vehicle: 60 days | No |
Nebraska | License address: 60 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
Nevada | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | Yes |
New Hampshire | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 60 days Register vehicle: 60 days | Yes |
New Jersey | License address: 7 days Vehicle address: 7 days | License: 60 days Register vehicle: 60 days | No |
New Mexico | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: Once you’ve established residency Register vehicle: 60 days | No |
New York | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | Yes |
North Carolina | License address: 60 days Vehicle address: 60 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
North Dakota | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: 60 days Register vehicle: 60 days | No |
Ohio | License address: No deadline Vehicle address: No deadline | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
Oklahoma | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: 10 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
Oregon | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
Pennsylvania | License address: 15 days Vehicle address: 15 days | License: 60 days Register vehicle: 20 days | No |
Rhode Island | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
South Carolina | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: 45 days Register vehicle: 45 days | No |
South Dakota | License address: No deadline Vehicle address: No deadline | License: 90 days Register vehicle: 90 days | No |
Tennessee | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
Texas | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
Utah | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: 60 days Register vehicle: 60 days | No |
Vermont | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 60 days Register vehicle: 60 days | No |
Virginia | License address: 30 days Vehicle address: 30 days | License: 60 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
Washington | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
West Virginia | License address: 20 days Vehicle address: 20 days | License: 30 days Register vehicle: 30 days | No |
Wisconsin | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: 60 days Register vehicle: 60 days | No |
Wyoming | License address: 10 days Vehicle address: 10 days | License: Up to 1 year (depending on the origin state) Register vehicle: 30 days | Yes |
Register Your Pet When You Move
Regulations vary by state, but most states require dogs, cats, and horses to be registered with the city or county. Also, check if your pets need to be registered with your HOA or leasing center. Individuals with service dogs to assist with their disability are protected under the Fair Housing Act when moving to a new residence. Register your pet sooner than later because failure to do so can result in a fine or penalty.