8 Essential Tasks for the Last Week Before Your Move

Are you in the last week before your move and need a bit of practical help?

Seven days to go! The boxes have quietly multiplied, the kettle is still out, and you’re starting to suspect you have forgotten something important. Sound familiar? You are not alone, and you are in exactly the right place.

The final week is where a house move is either made or unmade. 

Most of the big decisions are done, but the small, practical jobs pile up fast, and they all seem to need doing on the same afternoon. 

A clear last week before moving house checklist turns that pile into a calm, day-by-day plan.

This guide is also especially timely if you are one of the many households racing to complete before Christmas. 

With offices closing early, darker afternoons and a diary full of festive plans, your last week has even less room for error. 

At White & Company, we have been helping people move since 1871, so here are the eight tasks that genuinely matter, in the order you will want to tackle them.

Your Last Week at a Glance

Short on time? Here is a quick overview of everything covered in this last-week-before-moving-house checklist. Each point matches a section below, so you can jump straight to what you need.

• Why the Last Week Before Moving House Deserves Its Own Checklist: why the final seven days work differently from the rest of your move, and how to stop small jobs colliding.
• Task 1: Lock In Every Booking, Time and Phone Number: confirm your removals team, completion times, parking, time off, and childcare.
• Task 2: Move Your Life Admin Before You Move Your Furniture: meters, mail redirection, council tax, the DVLA, your GP and the TV licence.
• Task 3: Get Your New Home Ready to Receive You: utilities, broadband, keys, a simple room plan and labels for the removals crew.
• Task 4: Settle Up and Say Your Goodbyes Locally: cancel local services, return borrowed items, and leave on good terms with the neighbours.
• Task 5: Eat Down, Defrost and Disconnect: run down the fridge and freezer, prepare appliances, and clear items movers cannot carry.
• Task 6: Prepare Children and Pets for the Big Day: easing little ones and four-legged family members through the change.
• Task 7: Build Your Grab Bag and Guard the Valuables: packing your essentials, documents and keepsakes to travel with you, not on the lorry.
• Task 8: Leave the Old Place Ready for Handover: cleaning, meter photos, keys, manuals and a final walk-round.
• Moving Before Christmas? A Few Festive Extras for Your Final Week: extra tips for pre-Christmas completions, from early office closures to winter weather.
• Let White & Company Take the Weight Off Your Final Week: how our packing, storage and removals teams can share the load.
• Frequently Asked Questions About Moving Home: seven quick answers to common moving questions.

Work through these eight tasks across the week and moving day itself becomes far more straightforward. Now, let us look at each one in a little more detail.

Why the Last Week Before Moving House Deserves Its Own Checklist

Spreading final jobs across the week, rather than leaving them until the night before, keeps your house move on track.

Earlier stages of a move are about big-picture planning: choosing a removals company, decluttering and starting to pack. 

If you are still at that point, our Planning Your Move page and guide on how far in advance to book a removals company are a great place to start.

The last week is different. It is less about decisions and more about timing. 

Many jobs simply cannot be done any earlier, such as defrosting the freezer or taking final meter readings, yet leaving them until the night before is a recipe for chaos. 

The trick is to spread them out so that each day has a handful of jobs rather than one huge list.

Think of it as a countdown. Below, each task comes with a suggested window, so you always know what to focus on today and what can wait until tomorrow.

Task 1: Lock In Every Booking, Time and Phone Number (Days 7 and 6)

Confirming your removals date, crew size and completion timings early in the week avoids last minute surprises.

Start the week by making sure everyone involved in your move is singing from the same hymn sheet. A five-minute phone call now can save hours of stress later.

Confirm the details with your removals company

Call or email your removals team to confirm the date, arrival time, the size of the crew and whether packing, dismantling or storage are included. Mention anything that has changed since your survey, such as a sofa you have decided to keep or a shed you have just remembered. If you are unsure what to check, our guide to what to ask a removals company covers the key questions.

Pin down completion timings

If you are buying or selling, speak to your solicitor or conveyancer about when funds are expected to transfer and when keys are likely to be released. Completion can happen at any point in the day, so it helps to know the plan. The GOV.UK guide to buying and selling a home is a handy refresher on how the process works.

Sort parking, time off and childcare

Removal lorries need space. If you live on a busy street or a road with permit parking, check with your local council whether you need a parking suspension, and ask friendly neighbours to keep a space clear. Confirm your time off work and, if possible, arrange for children and pets to be looked after on the day.

Finally, create one short contact list with every number you might need: your removals team, solicitor, estate agent or letting agent, and anyone collecting children or pets. Save it on your phone and keep a paper copy, in case your battery dies at the worst possible moment.

Task 2: Move Your Life Admin Before You Move Your Furniture (Days 6 and 5)

Updating your address with energy suppliers, Royal Mail, your council and the DVLA stops bills and post following you.

This is the part of the move that nobody posts about on social media, but it is the one that stops bills, fines and lost post from following you to your new address.

Energy and water

Let your gas and electricity suppliers know you are moving. Citizens Advice recommends giving at least 48 hours’ notice and reading your meters on the day you move out, keeping a note of the readings in case your final bill looks wrong. Do the same for your water company, broadband and any phone line.

Post, council tax and voting

If you have not already set up Royal Mail redirection, do it now, as it is not instant and it protects you from missed letters and identity fraud. Tell both your old and new councils about your move so your council tax is billed correctly, and update your details on the electoral register, which also helps your credit file.

Driving, health and the TV licence

Updating your driving licence address with the DVLA is free, and you can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell them when your address changes. Remember your vehicle logbook too. If you are moving to a new area, you can register with a new GP surgery online, and you can update your TV licence up to three months before you move.

Then work through banks, insurers, employers, your dentist, vet and any subscriptions. Our printable moving checklist is a useful way to tick them off as you go.

Task 3: Get Your New Home Ready to Receive You (Days 5 and 4)

A simple room plan with colour coded box labels helps your removals team place furniture in the right room first time.

It is easy to pour all your energy into leaving your current home and forget that the new one needs a little preparation too. A few checks now mean you arrive to lights, heating and a plan, rather than a cold, dark house and a lorry full of boxes with nowhere to go.

Utilities and broadband

Find out who supplies gas, electricity and water at your new address, and plan to take meter readings as soon as you arrive. Broadband installations can take a while to arrange, so book yours now if you have not already, and check whether you will need a mobile hotspot for the first few days.

A simple room plan for the crew

Sketch a basic floor plan of your new home and decide where the big pieces of furniture will go. Give each room a name or colour that matches the labels on your boxes, and plan to stick a matching sign on each door. Your removals team can then place everything in the right room the first time, which saves you hours of shuffling later.

Keys, access and measurements

Confirm how and when you will collect the keys, and check for anything that could slow the unloading, such as narrow stairs, low beams or restricted parking. If you are worried a large wardrobe or sofa will not fit, measure doorways now rather than discovering the problem on the day. If it simply will not work, secure storage is a sensible halfway house while you decide.

Task 4: Settle Up and Say Your Goodbyes Locally (Days 5 and 4)

Every home comes with a little web of local arrangements that are easy to forget until the window cleaner turns up at someone else’s house. Midweek is the perfect time to tie up those loose ends.

Cancel or transfer local services

Think about your milk delivery, window cleaner, gardener, cleaner, local gym, newspaper round and any regular food boxes. Cancel or redirect them and settle any outstanding payments so nothing follows you to your new address.

Return and collect

Return library books, borrowed tools and that casserole dish you have been meaning to give back for months. Pick up any dry cleaning, shoe repairs or items left with friends, and check for parcels you have ordered that might arrive after you have gone.

Leave on good terms

Pop a note through your neighbours’ doors letting them know when the removals lorry will arrive, especially if parking is tight. It is also a lovely chance to say goodbye and swap contact details. Good neighbours are worth keeping in touch with, even from the other side of the country.

Task 5: Eat Down, Defrost and Disconnect (Days 4 to 2)

Most freezers need 24 to 48 hours to defrost fully, so switch yours off a few days before moving day.

By midweek, the kitchen becomes the focus. This is where a little planning prevents soggy boxes and wasted food.

Run down the fridge and freezer

Plan your meals around what is left in the freezer and cupboards and resist the urge to do a big shop. Most freezers need around 24 to 48 hours to defrost fully, so switch yours off with plenty of time, lay towels down and keep the door propped open. A freezer that is still dripping on moving day is no friend to your removals team or your floors.

Prepare your appliances

Check whether your washing machine needs its transit bolts refitting and drain it if you can. Disconnect the dishwasher, and clean and dry the oven and fridge so they travel well. If you are unsure about gas appliances, use a qualified engineer rather than doing it yourself.

Clear the items movers cannot carry

Removals companies will not transport hazardous items such as paint, solvents, gas canisters and certain cleaning chemicals. Use them up, give them away or take them to your local recycling centre. It is also a final chance to donate anything that did not survive your earlier clear out. If you need a nudge, our guide to decluttering before a house move has plenty of ideas.

Task 6: Prepare Children and Pets for the Big Day (Days 3 and 2)

Giving children a box of favourite toys and pets a quiet room helps the whole family settle on moving day.

Moving can be unsettling for the smallest members of the family, whether they have two legs or four. A little preparation in the last few days goes a long way towards a calmer moving day for everyone.

Helping children feel part of it

Talk to children about what will happen on moving day and let them pack a small box of favourite toys, books and comforters that travels in the car with you. Older children often enjoy being given a job, such as labelling their own boxes or planning where their bed will go. If they are changing schools, let both schools know your moving date.

Keeping pets safe and settled

Confirm arrangements with whoever is looking after your pets on the day, or plan a quiet, closed room where they can stay away from open doors and heavy lifting. Pack a pet bag with food, bowls, bedding, medication and a favourite toy. Update your pet’s microchip details with your new address and let your vet know you are moving.

Plan the first evening

Decide in advance what everyone will eat and where they will sleep on the first night. Setting up children’s bedrooms first helps them feel at home quickly and keeping pets in one room for a day or two helps them adjust to new sights and smells.

Task 7: Build Your Grab Bag and Guard the Valuables (Days 3 and 2)

Some things should never go on the lorry. With two or three days to go, gather the items you will need to keep close to hand.

Your essentials bag

Pack a bag or box for each person with toiletries, medication, chargers, a change of clothes, bedding, snacks, a kettle, mugs and tea bags. Add a basic toolkit, scissors, bin bags, toilet roll and a torch. Our guide to what to pack in a moving day survival kit has a full list.

Documents and valuables

Keep passports, birth certificates, property paperwork, jewellery, laptops and treasured keepsakes together in one clearly labelled bag that travels in your car. Clearly mark it Do Not Pack so it does not disappear into the lorry by mistake.

The final round of packing

Anything you will not use before moving day can now be boxed up. Label every box with its contents and the room it is going to and keep heavy items in smaller boxes. If packing is starting to feel overwhelming, our professional packing service can take the whole job off your hands.

Task 8: Leave the Old Place Ready for Handover (Day 1)

Cleaning as rooms empty and taking date stamped meter photos makes handing over your old home quick and straightforward.

The day before you move is all about leaving your old home in good shape and setting yourself up for an early start.

Clean as you go

As rooms empty, give them a quick clean, paying attention to kitchens, bathrooms and the inside of cupboards. If you are renting, a thorough clean and a photo record of each room will help protect your deposit. The GOV.UK guide to tenancy deposit protection explains your rights at the end of a tenancy.

Gather keys, manuals and codes

Collect every set of keys, including windows, sheds and garages, and label them for the new owner or your agent. Leave appliance manuals, boiler details, alarm codes and bin collection days in a kitchen drawer. It is a thoughtful touch the next occupants will genuinely appreciate.

Do a final walk round

Check every cupboard, loft, garage and garden shed, and take date-stamped photos of your meter readings. Strip the beds except for the one you will sleep in and make sure your essentials bag and valuables are ready to go. For a clear picture of what happens next, take a look at our guide to moving day explained.

Moving Before Christmas? A Few Festive Extras for Your Final Week

Late November and December can be a busy time for completions, as many buyers and sellers are keen to be settled before the holidays. If that is you, add these extras to your last-week-before-moving-house checklist.

• Check opening hours early: solicitors, banks and letting agents often close early or shut completely between Christmas and New Year, so confirm who will be available on your completion day.
• Keep presents separate: wrapped gifts look a lot like packed boxes. Store them in one clearly marked box that travels with you.
• Plan for the weather: keep an eye on the Met Office forecast and allow extra time for frost, rain and shorter daylight hours.
• Be kind to yourself: you do not need a fully decorated home on day one. A string of lights and a takeaway are plenty.

For more seasonal advice, read our guides to how to move house over Christmas and moving house in winter. 

Plus, if your dates have suddenly moved forward, our article on short notice house moves may help too.

Let White & Company Take the Weight Off Your Final Week

A last-week-before-moving-house checklist is a brilliant tool, but you don’t have to tackle every task alone. 

As one of the UK’s longest established family-owned removals companies, White & Company has been moving homes since 1871, with a fleet of over 265 vehicles and our own trained teams rather than subcontractors.

We can handle as much or as little as you need, from full house removals and professional packing to secure storage if your completion dates do not line up. 

If you need flexible access to your belongings, our self-storage option may suit you, and our guide to using storage during a house move explains how it works.

As founder members of the British Association of Removers, we also offer the reassurance of the BAR Advance Payment Guarantee, so your money is protected. You can read more about why a BAR registered removals company matters.

Ready to make your move easier? Get a free removals quote, find your nearest branch or contact our friendly team on 01489 663018.

Frequently Asked Questions About Moving Home

Q: How much does it cost to move house in the UK?

A: The cost depends on the size of your home, the distance, access at both properties and any extras such as packing or storage. The best way to get an accurate figure is a free home or video survey. Our guide to how much it costs to move house in the UK breaks down the main expenses.

Q: What is the best day of the week to move house?

A: Midweek moves, from Monday to Thursday, are often easier to book and can be more flexible than Fridays, which are the most popular day for completions. Moving midweek also means banks, solicitors and utility companies are open if anything needs sorting.

Q: Do I have to clean my house before I move out?

A: If you are selling, it is good manners to leave the property clean and tidy, and your contract may say it must be left in a reasonable condition. If you are renting, a thorough clean is usually expected to get your full deposit back.

Q: Will a removals company take apart and rebuild my furniture?

A: Most professional removals companies, including White & Company, can dismantle and reassemble beds, wardrobes and other large items. Mention them at your survey so they are included in your quote and the team arrives with the right tools.

Q: How can I keep my pets calm on moving day?

A: If possible, ask a friend or a trusted kennel or cattery to look after them for the day. If they stay with you, set up a quiet room with their bed, water and toys, and keep the door firmly closed while the team is working.

Q: What happens if I cannot move into my new home straight away?

A: Delays in a property chain are more common than you might think. Short term storage keeps your belongings safe until you are ready, and using the same company for your move and storage means fewer handovers and less stress.

Q: Is it cheaper to pack my own boxes?

A: Packing yourself can save money, but it takes far longer than most people expect and items you pack may not be covered in the same way if they are damaged. Our article on professional packing vs DIY compares both options so you can decide what suits you.

Max Peterson

Max is a seasoned writer and blogger in the real estate and home moving sectors, as well as a knowledgeable source of information for expatriates living and working abroad. His detailed insights have helped thousands of people move and live abroad with greater simplicity and ease.