2-week moving checklist

2 weeks out from your interstate move

• Confirm final details with your mover — arrival window, crew size, payment method
• Finish packing everything except daily essentials
• Submit your change of address if you haven't already
• Schedule utility disconnection at the old home and connection at the new one

1 week out from moving day

• Pack a clearly labeled first-day box (toiletries, basic kitchen items, chargers, medications)
• Confirm parking/loading access at both the old and new home if either has restrictions
• Set aside important documents and valuables to transport personally, not on the truck
• Do a final review of your mover's estimate against what you're actually moving

Final 2-3 days before your move

• Finish packing daily-use items you can now do without
• Clean out the refrigerator and use up remaining perishable food
• Do a final walk-through checklist of the old home — see our related checklists below
• Get a full night's sleep before moving day — a tired start makes the day harder to manage

Keep key documents accessible, not packed away

Your mover's binding estimate or contract, inventory list, identification, and payment method should stay easily reachable through the final days. Too many people pack these into a sealed box during a late-night packing session, then spend moving morning tearing through labeled cartons while the crew waits. Keep them in a dedicated folder in your vehicle's glove compartment, a carry-on bag, or whatever you have designated as your personal travel kit. You will need the estimate to confirm charges, the inventory to check items off at delivery, and your ID to verify identity with the driver. The payment method matters just as much — if you are paying with a cashier's check as some movers require, you cannot exactly dig that out of a taped-up kitchen box.

Do a last-minute moving day reality check

A few days out, compare what you are actually moving against your mover's original estimate. Walk through each room with your list and note anything that has changed — maybe you sold the sectional sofa, or your neighbor took the extra bookshelf, or you bought a new dining set that was not in the original quote. If you have added significantly more or less than originally quoted, tell your mover before moving day rather than letting them discover the difference on arrival. Weight and space drive interstate pricing, so a substantial change can affect your final bill or even whether the truck has enough capacity. Catching this early also protects your scheduling; the company may need to adjust crew size, truck assignment, or delivery timing if the shipment profile has shifted meaningfully from what they planned.

Handle appliance prep early, not the morning of moving day

Appliances take real lead time to prep, so build them into the two-week window rather than moving day itself. Refrigerators need to be emptied, defrosted, and dried to prevent mildew and water damage to other goods on the truck. Washers require draining hoses and securing drums to avoid internal damage from vibration during transit. Gas appliances often need a licensed technician to disconnect lines safely and cap them properly. Your mover may move the unit itself, but they typically will not handle the gas or water disconnections. Check your manual for manufacturer-specific moving instructions — some front-load washers need special transit bolts reinstalled, and failing to do so can void your warranty. Getting this wrong on moving day means either delaying the crew or risking damage to expensive equipment you are trying to protect.

• Defrost and dry the refrigerator and freezer at least 24 hours before load-in — a still-frozen freezer is a common reason movers ask for extra time or refuse to load it
• Disconnect washer and dryer hoses, and secure the washer drum so it doesn't shift in transit
• Run the dishwasher empty, then let it air out and dry before the crew arrives
• Drain gas, oil, or propane from grills, mowers, and any other equipment with fuel in it — movers generally won't transport these while full

(Source: Opendoor, United Van Lines)

Close out loose ends before the final week

• Return library books, rental equipment, and anything else borrowed — these are easy to forget until you're unpacking a box in your new home
• Pick up dry cleaning and anything else in for repair
• Cancel or redirect any scheduled deliveries so packages don't pile up at an address you're about to leave
• Pay off remaining local bills tied to the old address

(Source: United Van Lines)

Time the deep clean before you're surrounded by boxes

A full clean is much easier with the home half-empty than after everything's packed and stacked against the walls. Work through it room by room in the final week — kitchen and bathrooms tend to take the longest — and take date-stamped photos once each room is done. That's useful documentation if a landlord disputes your security deposit later, and it's a habit that also pays off on the other end when you do your own new-home walkthrough.

(Source: Opendoor)

Check your moving insurance coverage before, not after, something happens

Two weeks out is a good point to actually call your renters or homeowners insurance provider rather than assuming coverage carries over automatically. Confirm whether your policy covers your belongings while they're in transit or in temporary storage, and get the new address updated in their system before your move-out date rather than after. If you're moving into a rental, some landlords require an active renters insurance policy in place before handing over keys, so it's worth confirming that requirement with your new landlord at the same time. (Source: Lemonade)

Frequently asked questions

Related resources

• All moving checklists
• Moving day checklist
• 8-week moving timeline checklist