Moving Checklist: Utilities, Internet and Everything With a Start Date

Week-by-week moving checklist, eight weeks out to move-in: electricity, gas, water, internet, mail forwarding, insurance, address changes, movers vs containers.

Most moving stress comes from services with lead times: movers that are booked out, internet that needs a technician, mail that takes a week and a half to follow you. This checklist puts every start date on a calendar, from eight weeks out to move-in week. Compress the dates for a shorter runway.

8 weeks out: lock in the big decisions

Booking lead times are the first constraint. HireAHelper’s guidance is to book movers 4 to 8 weeks ahead in general: 2 to 4 weeks for a local move under 50 miles, 4 to 6 weeks for a long in-state move, 4 to 8 weeks interstate and 8 to 12 weeks cross-country. In peak season, May through September, it advises booking at least 2 months out (HireAHelper). Containers need less notice: U-Haul recommends reserving a portable container at least 2 to 4 weeks before the move date, especially in summer, with the whole process taking 1 to 2 weeks for local moves and 2 to 3 weeks for long distance (U-Haul).

Choose a method: full-service movers, a moving container, or a rental truck (comparison below).
Get at least three written quotes; confirm whether each is binding and what it excludes.
Verify an interstate mover’s federal registration before paying a deposit.
Set a budget that includes deposits, utility connection fees and overlap days.
Start decluttering: sell, donate or discard before packing.
Give notice per the lease, or confirm the closing date with the agent.

6 weeks out: research the new address

Zillow’s utility guide suggests assessing utility needs 5 to 6 weeks out and starting the overall process at least a month in advance (Zillow).

List every utility at the new home: electricity, natural gas or propane, water and sewer, trash and recycling, internet, TV.
Ask the landlord or seller which utilities are included in rent or HOA dues, and which providers currently serve the address.
Run the new address through each internet provider’s availability checker. Fiber, cable and 5G footprints differ street by street.
Request school, medical, veterinary and prescription records if changing providers.

4 weeks out: book what has a calendar

Confirm the mover or container reservation in writing, with the delivery window.
Order packing supplies, or arrange them through the mover.
If the new home has never had fiber, ask the provider whether a new line to the house is required; that work can add weeks.
Decide whether to transfer or switch internet. A transfer keeps a guaranteed rate; a switch can capture a new-customer price. Check whether any current promotion carries a contract before cancelling.
Begin the address-change list: bank, employer, insurers, subscriptions, pharmacy, voter registration, driver’s license.
Start using up frozen and pantry food.

3 weeks out: schedule every start and stop date

Zillow places the provider calls 2 to 3 weeks out and notes that activation “can take anywhere from a day to two weeks,” with water and sewer taking a few days (Zillow). Individual utilities are often quicker: FirstEnergy, for example, says it may need a minimum of two business days to process an online start-service request (FirstEnergy). Three weeks leaves room for a deposit, a credit check or an inspection.

Electricity: stop at the old address the day after move-out; start at the new address on move-in day or the day before. Ask about deposits.
Natural gas: same dates; ask whether a technician must be present to light pilot lights.
Water and sewer: often municipal; confirm whether the account transfers automatically or needs a new application.
Trash and recycling: confirm pickup days and whether bins come with the home.
Internet and TV: place the order and book installation for move-in day or the day after. Confirm the professional-install fee versus self-install, and whether a gateway ships ahead.
Insurance: notify home, renters and auto insurers of the new address and effective date; landlords often require proof of coverage before handing over keys.
Keep one page with every confirmation number and appointment window.

2 weeks out: redirect the paperwork

The Postal Service says to allow at least 7 to 10 business days for a change of address to take effect after approval. Online requests carry a $1.25 identity-verification charge, standard forwarding lasts 12 months and can be extended to a maximum of 18 months, and temporary forwarding covers stays of 15 days up to 1 year (USPS).

Submit the USPS change of address with a start date one day before the move.
Notify the IRS using Form 8822 or a signed letter; the IRS says a change generally takes 45 days to fully process (IRS).
Update banks, credit cards, payroll and benefits agencies directly; forwarding is a backstop, not a substitute.
Update the driver’s license and voter registration within the state’s deadline.
Transfer or cancel memberships and deliveries tied to the old address.
Confirm all utility start dates by phone or in the provider’s app.

1 week out: confirm and pack the essentials

Reconfirm the mover’s arrival window or the container drop-off and pickup days.
Pack an “open first” box: chargers, the internet gateway and cables, a power strip, basic tools, toiletries, medications, a change of clothes.
Label every rented device that must go back to the old internet or TV provider, and find the nearest drop-off location.
Photograph meter readings at the old home on the last day.
Defrost and dry the freezer; drain hoses; empty fuel from mowers and tools.
Arrange child and pet care for move day.

Move-in week and day one

Walk the new home before the truck arrives: confirm power, water and gas are on, and photograph any damage.
Photograph the meters on day one.
Locate the internet demarcation point (fiber terminal, coax outlet or phone jack); set up the gateway or meet the technician.
Run a wired and a Wi-Fi speed test and save the screenshots as a baseline.
Return old equipment within days, not weeks, and keep the receipt or tracking number.
Check the first utility and internet bills against the quotes; for internet, compare against the broadband label saved at order time.
Put the internet promotion’s end date on the calendar while the paperwork is in hand.

Movers versus containers at a glance

Factor	Full-service movers	Moving container	Rental truck
Lead time	4–8 weeks; 2+ months in peak season (HireAHelper)	2–4 weeks; longer in summer (U-Haul)	Shortest; varies by location
Labor	Included	You load and unload, or hire labor separately	You do everything
Schedule flexibility	Fixed load and delivery dates	Container can sit at either end while you pack or unpack	Tight; rented by the day
Long-distance handling	One crew, one truck in most cases	Container is trucked to a warehouse, then to the new address	You drive
Best fit	Large homes, tight timelines, limited help	Flexible dates, staged moves, storage needs	Small moves, short distances, tight budgets

Whatever the method, every quote should state what happens if the crew or container is late.

After the move

Watch forwarded mail for senders who still have the old address, and update them directly.
Confirm the old utility accounts are closed and final bills paid so deposits are refunded.
Revisit the internet plan at the promotion’s end date; the move-in price rarely stays.