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Moving checklist for new homeowners

Closing on a home is a big milestone, and the move that follows comes with its own long list. Here is a simple checklist for the weeks before you move, moving day and your first month as a homeowner.

2 min read

Key takeaways

  • Book movers and schedule utilities as soon as you have a firm closing date.
  • Forward your mail and update your address with banks, insurers and your employer.
  • Change or rekey the locks soon after you move in.
  • Find the water shutoff and breaker panel and test your smoke detectors in the first week.

Next step: Estimate your monthly payment

Four to six weeks before

Once your closing date looks firm, start booking the things that fill up fast.

  • Get quotes from movers, or reserve a truck if you're moving yourself
  • Pick a moving date with a little buffer after closing, in case closing shifts
  • Start sorting what to keep, sell, donate or toss
  • Collect boxes, tape and labels
  • If you rent, check how much notice your lease requires

Two to three weeks before

  • Schedule electric, gas, water, trash and internet to start at the new home
  • Schedule service to stop at your old place the day after you move out
  • Set up mail forwarding with the post office
  • Confirm your homeowners insurance starts on your closing date
  • Arrange child care or pet care for moving day if needed

Update your address

Mail forwarding catches a lot, but not everything. Update your address directly with these:

  • Your bank, credit cards and any loan servicers
  • Your employer and payroll
  • Your auto insurance, since your rate is based partly on where the car is kept
  • Your doctor, pharmacy and dentist
  • Subscriptions and online shopping accounts
  • Your state's driver's license and vehicle registration office, if you're moving to a new state, plus voter registration

Moving day

  • Keep an essentials bag with medications, documents, chargers, toiletries and a change of clothes
  • Do a final walk-through of your old home
  • Take photos of the new home before boxes go in, which helps with your home inventory
  • Keep important papers, including your closing documents, with you rather than on the truck

Your first week

  • Change or rekey the exterior locks, since you don't know who has old keys
  • Find the main water shutoff, the electric panel and the gas shutoff
  • Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and replace batteries
  • Check the HVAC filter and note its size
  • Make a list of anything that isn't working

Your first month

  • Make a home inventory with photos or video of each room
  • Find out when your first mortgage payment is due and who services your loan. Your closing documents show it
  • Save your closing documents in a safe place
  • Start a simple home maintenance calendar
  • Meet your neighbors

Frequently asked questions

When should I book movers?

Several weeks ahead, and earlier if you're moving at the end of the month or in summer, when demand tends to be higher.

Should I change the locks?

It's a good idea. You don't know how many keys the previous owners gave out. Rekeying is usually cheaper than replacing the locks.

When is my first mortgage payment?

Your closing documents show when and where your first payment is due and which company services your loan.

Should I move in on closing day?

You can, but closings sometimes shift. A day or two of buffer can make moving day less stressful.

Do I need to tell my insurer I moved?

Yes. Update your auto policy with your new address, and make sure your homeowners policy starts on your closing date.

What should I do with my closing documents?

Keep them somewhere safe, with digital copies. You may need them for taxes, a future refinance or a sale.

For general information only. Program rules and limits vary. Not a commitment to lend. NMLS ID #67717.

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