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Moving checklist

A list of jobs to finish before, during and after a move, from checking the mover's registration to forwarding mail, so nothing important is missed.

What It Means

A moving checklist lists the tasks a move involves and when to do them, so the paperwork, the packing and the people who need your new address all get handled. For a move across state lines, the federal rules on hiring a mover belong on it, since the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) registers interstate movers. Most lists run from several weeks before moving day to the first weeks in the new home.

Try It: Tick Off Your Moving Checklist

Tick each job as it's done. The first three come from FMCSA's advice for interstate moves.

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How People Say It

  • "Is the mover's estimate binding or not?"
  • "Don't pack the first-night box on the truck."
  • "I still have to forward the mail."

The Breakdown

Worked example. The Lees move from Ohio to Georgia in six weeks. Buhata's suggestion for spacing the jobs:

WhenJobs
6 weeks outGet written estimates; check each mover's USDOT number in FMCSA's database
4 weeks outBook the mover; confirm whether the estimate is binding; read the FMCSA booklet
2 weeks outFile the USPS change of addressChange of addressTelling the Postal Service, the IRS and everyone else who writes to you that you've moved, so mail is forwarded and official records follow you. See more; book utilities at the new place
Moving weekPhotograph belongings and the old home; pack a first-night box
First weeks afterUpdate the IRS, employer, bank and insurers

What the result means. The mover checks come first because they have to happen before you book, and everything after them hangs on the moving date.

Hiring an interstate mover, per FMCSA

  • Interstate movers and brokers must be registered with the federal government and have a USDOT number.
  • FMCSA's database shows whether a mover is registered, insured, authorized to move household goods, and has complaints.
  • Choosing on lowest price alone can cost you in safe and on-time delivery.
  • A binding estimate means you can't be required to pay more than the estimate at delivery. If you add items or services, you and the mover can keep it, write a new binding estimate, or switch to a non-binding one.
  • Your mover must give you the booklet "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move," which covers what to do if goods are lost or damaged.

Good to Know

FMCSA's Protect Your Move pages are the official place to check an interstate mover and read your rights. Those pages are about moves across state lines; for a move within one state, ask your state's consumer protection office what applies. For mail, USPS forwards for 12 months from an online change of address, which carries a $1.25 identity verification fee (checked October 1, 2026).

FAQ

How do I check if a moving company is legitimate?

For an interstate move, look up its USDOT number in FMCSA's database, which shows whether it's registered, insured, authorized to move household goods and has complaints.

What is a binding moving estimate?

A written estimate that FMCSA says caps what you can be required to pay at delivery. Adding items or services means agreeing on how the estimate changes.

When should I start a moving checklist?

Buhata's suggestion is about six weeks before an out-of-state move, so there's time to compare movers and check their registration.

Do It in Buhata

Tasks, Countdown, Reminders

Turn each line of the checklist into a Task with a date in Buhata, and set a Countdown to moving day.

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Related Terms and Categories

  • Change of address

    Telling the Postal Service, the IRS and everyone else who writes to you that you've moved, so mail is forwarded and official records follow you.

  • Security deposit

    Money a tenant pays a landlord at the start of a lease, held to cover unpaid rent or damage beyond normal wear and tear and returned, minus listed charges, after move-out.

  • Tenant rights

    The legal protections renters have, from federal fair housing and tenant screening rules to state and local laws on matters such as security deposits.

  • Renters insurance

    A policy for tenants that pays to repair or replace their belongings, covers liability for harm they cause others, and pays extra living costs after a covered loss.

  • Home inventory

    A room-by-room record of what you own, with photos, values and receipts, kept to prove a loss to your insurer after a fire, theft or storm.

Planning and life admin

Sources

FMCSA, "Steps to Select a Mover"; FMCSA, "What is a binding move estimate?"; FMCSA, "Movers vs. Brokers"; FMCSA, "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move" (handbook); USPS, "Standard Forward Mail and Change of Address"

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