Moving Checklist: 8 Weeks to Moving Day

Moving goes better when it's spread out. Here's the plan we'd hand a friend, week by week, with the East Tennessee parts most checklists skip: mountain drives, utility setup here, and moving in near UT. Use what fits and skip the rest.

8 weeks out: decide and book

• Pick your moving date, and have a backup in mind. Summer and weekends fill up first, so book four to six weeks ahead at the least.
• Get your estimates. A good one is based on what you're actually moving, how far, and what the access is like at both ends. For a long-distance move, ask for an in-home walk-through.
• Walk every room, closet, attic, shed and crawl space. Make three piles in your head: keep, sell or donate, and toss. Every box you don't move is one you don't pack.
• Start a moving folder, paper or on your phone, for estimates, receipts, lease or closing papers, and your new address.
• Moving out of state? Look up your new state's rules for driver's license and vehicle registration now so it isn't a surprise later. See long-distance moving.

Free Quote

6 weeks out: clear out and gather supplies

• Sell, donate or give away what you aren't keeping. Big furniture takes longest to sell, so list it first.
• Book junk haul-away for what nobody wants, like old mattresses, broken furniture, and garage and shed leftovers.
• Collect boxes, packing paper, tape and markers. Small boxes for books and heavy things, medium for most of the house, and wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes.
• Use up the freezer and pantry, and stop buying cleaning chemicals in bulk. Movers can't take flammables, hazardous chemicals, live plants or perishable food.
• Ask your HOA, condo board or apartment office about move rules at both addresses: elevator reservations, loading zones, allowed hours and whether they need a certificate of insurance from your mover.

4 weeks out: start packing and give notice

• Pack the rooms you use least first: guest rooms, storage, out-of-season clothes, books and decor.
• File your change of address with USPS, then update your bank, employer, insurance, doctors and subscriptions.
• Schedule utility stop and start dates (see the utilities section below). Have the new place turned on a day before you arrive.
• Get school and medical records transferred, and refill prescriptions so you aren't out during move week.
• Plants can't ride on the truck, so plan to carry them in your car or give them to a neighbor.
• Confirm your move date, both addresses and anything tricky about access with your mover.

2 weeks out: the hard-to-pack stuff

• Take down wall art, mirrors and TVs mounted on the wall, and keep the hardware in a labeled bag.
• Drain gas from mowers and other gas tools, and empty propane tanks. They can't go on the truck.
• Decide what you'll move yourself: jewelry, important papers, medications, laptops and anything you couldn't replace.
• Make a plan for pets and young kids for moving day.
• Short on time? A move can still come together in a week or two. Call us early and be flexible on the day.

1 week out: finish up

• Pack everything but the essentials. Label each box with the room it goes to and a few words about what's in it.
• Pack an open-first box for each person: medications, chargers, a change of clothes, toiletries, a towel and sheets. Add toilet paper, a box cutter, trash bags, snacks and a phone charger for the house.
• Defrost and dry the fridge and freezer a day ahead.
• Clean as you empty rooms, or book cleaning at the old place. Our move-out cleaning checklist covers it room by room.
• Clear a path. Move rugs, toys and outdoor stuff out of the way, and plan where the truck will park.

Moving day

• Be there when the crew arrives, and walk the house with the crew lead. Point out what's going, what's staying and anything fragile.
• Keep your valuables, papers and medications with you, not on the truck.
• Before the truck leaves, check every room, closet, the attic, shed and garage.
• At the new place, stand where you can point. Tell the crew which room each box and piece of furniture goes to.
• Check off big pieces as they come in. On a long-distance move, the same crew that loaded your truck unloads it.

Packing by room

• Kitchen. Wrap each dish in paper and pack plates on edge, not flat. Glasses go in cell boxes or wrapped in towels. Pack the heavy pots in small boxes. Keep one box with a pan, a few plates and the coffee maker for the first morning.
• Bedrooms. Leave light clothes in dresser drawers if the dresser is sturdy, and pack the heavy stuff out. Use wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes. Bag and label bed hardware.
• Living room. Wrap TVs and pack them upright in their box if you still have it. Take photos of the cables before you unplug them. Lamps travel best with the shade and bulb packed separately.
• Bathrooms. Tape caps shut and bag liquids. Most bathroom things can go in your open-first box.
• Garage and shed. Drain fuel, clean off tools, and bundle long-handled tools with tape. Paint, pool chemicals and propane stay behind.
• Kids' rooms. Pack them last and unpack them first. A familiar room helps a child settle in.

Rather not do it yourself? We can pack the whole house or just the kitchen and the breakables. Furniture is blanket-wrapped either way.

Utilities in East Tennessee

Set stop and start dates about two weeks out. Start service at the new place a day before you move in.

• Knoxville (KUB). Knoxville Utilities Board handles electric, gas, water and wastewater for much of Knoxville and Knox County. You can start or stop service online at kub.org, and KUB asks for at least one business day of notice.
• Sevier County (SCES). Most of Sevier County gets power from Sevier County Electric System. Call them or visit sces.net to set up service.
• Water, gas, trash. Outside KUB's area, these often come from your city or a local utility district. Your landlord, closing agent or the county can tell you which one.
• Internet. Book the install early. In some mountain areas the choices are limited, so check what's available at the address before you sign.
• Moving out of state? Find the utilities at your new address the same way and set start dates before you leave.

Cabins, mountain roads and steep drives

If you're moving to or from a cabin in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Wears Valley or anywhere up a mountain, the road matters as much as the house. See our Sevierville movers page.

• Tell us about the drive when you ask for a quote: how steep, gravel or paved, how tight the turns, and whether a big truck can turn around at the top. We'll bring our smaller 16-foot truck when a 26-footer won't fit, by itself or with a bigger truck.
• Check access rules. Some cabin communities and resort areas have gates, codes or truck rules. Get the gate code and any rules from the owner, HOA or rental manager.
• Plan around traffic. The Parkway through Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg backs up on weekends, holidays and in October leaf season. Early in the day and midweek are easier.
• Watch the weather. Winter ice and heavy rain can make steep gravel drives unsafe. If weather turns, we'll talk with you about the safest plan.
• Clear the landing. Decks, narrow porches and stairs are common at cabins. Clear a path and measure tight doors ahead of time.

New to the area? Read our guide to Sevier County neighborhoods.

Moving in near UT

August move-in around the University of Tennessee is one of the busiest weeks in Knoxville.

• Dorms: Check UT Housing's move-in schedule for your assigned date and time.
• Apartments near campus and Fort Sanders: parking is tight and many buildings are walk-ups. Reserve the elevator or loading dock if there is one, and ask the leasing office about move-in hours and paperwork.
• Buildings that ask for a COI: many apartment communities want a certificate of insurance from your mover. We can usually send ours the same day.
• Book early. Move-in weeks near campus fill up fast.

We've helped an apartment community near UT with its student move-in. Moving a student? See apartment moving.

Kids, pets and new babies

• Keep pets in a closed room, a crate or with a friend while doors are open. Bring their food, meds and bed in your car.
• For a long drive with a baby or toddler, plan stops every couple of hours and pack a bag you can reach.
• Give kids a job: packing their own open-first box or drawing the plan for their new room.
• For an older parent's move, see senior moving.

After the move

• Unpack the kitchen, bathrooms and beds first. The rest can wait a weekend.
• Check the big furniture and appliances and hook up the washer.
• Break down boxes and recycle them, or pass them along to someone else who's moving.
• Update your driver's license, vehicle registration and voter registration. Tennessee has its own deadlines for new residents, so check them on tn.gov.
• Give yourself a few weeks. New-house tired is real.

Get your free moving quote

Free Quote Call (865) 387-1763

Frequently asked questions