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Moving tips and checklists

House Moving Checklist: What to Do 8 Weeks to Moving Day

KejaPal Moving TeamUpdated 6 min read

This house moving checklist breaks a move in Kenya into simple tasks, week by week, from eight weeks before the day to the first night in your new home. Follow it in order, tick each item, and moving day becomes a plan rather than a panic.

Movers carrying a wrapped wardrobe along an apartment corridor, following a house moving checklist

Quick answer

Start eight weeks out by giving notice and booking movers. Four weeks out, declutter and start packing rooms you use least. In the last week, confirm the truck, pack a first-night box and defrost the fridge. On the day, check every room before you leave, and at the new home, set up beds and the kitchen first.

Most moving stress comes from doing everything at the last minute. A house moving checklist fixes that by spreading the work over several weeks. Each week has a few clear tasks, so nothing big is left for the final night. This version is written for Kenya, so it covers month-end rent, caretakers, M-Pesa payments, KPLC tokens and water deposits, not foreign removal rules.

You can follow it whether you hire a full house moving service or move yourself with a hired truck. Simply skip the tasks your movers will handle.

Common problems

Eight weeks before: the start of your house moving checklist

  • Read your tenancy agreement and give notice to your landlord in writing. Most leases ask for one month, but some ask for more.
  • Confirm the moving date and the date you get the keys to the new home.
  • Ask two or three movers for written quotes.
  • Start a moving folder, on paper or on your phone, for quotes, receipts and notes.
  • If you have children, tell their school and start looking at schools near the new home.

How it works

Six weeks before: declutter and plan

Decluttering early saves money, because a smaller load needs a smaller truck. So go room by room and sort everything into four groups: keep, sell, donate and remove.

  • Sell good furniture and appliances you will not need.
  • Donate clothes, books, toys and kitchen items in good condition.
  • Book junk removal for broken items.
  • Measure big furniture and the doors and rooms in the new home.
  • Book your movers and pay the deposit to hold the date.

Packing

Four weeks before: packing begins

Now the real packing starts. Begin with rooms and items you use least, such as stores, spare rooms, books and out-of-season clothes.

  • Buy or order moving boxes, tape, paper and bubble wrap.
  • Label each box with the room and a short list of contents.
  • Pack fragile items with plenty of paper, and mark those boxes clearly.
  • Keep screws and fittings from dismantled items in labelled bags.
  • Photograph the old home's condition for your deposit records.

Our guide on how to pack for moving explains the best methods room by room.

Moving house checklist task: packing plates into a moving box with paper
Pack plates on their edges with paper between them, like records in a crate.

Homes

Two weeks before: house moving checklist for utilities

Two weeks out, turn to the paperwork. These tasks are easy to forget, yet they cause the most trouble after the move.

  • Arrange water and electricity at the new home. Check whether the meter is prepaid and buy tokens if needed.
  • Book internet installation for the new address, because providers can take several days.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurer, school and delivery apps.
  • Tell your caretaker or estate management the moving date and ask about lift bookings or moving hours.
  • Confirm parking for the truck at both homes.

Homes

One week before: the final house moving checklist push

  • Confirm the date, time and crew with your movers.
  • Pack everything except daily essentials.
  • Plan meals so the fridge is nearly empty by moving day.
  • Withdraw cash or check your M-Pesa limit for the balance and tips.
  • Book move-out cleaning for the day of the move or the day after.
  • Arrange care for small children and pets on moving day.

House moving checklist for Kenya

Two days before

Defrost and dry the fridge and freezer. Next, disconnect the washing machine and drain it. Then take down curtains, TV brackets and pictures, or leave them for the crew if they are handling it. Finally, pack your first-night box and your essentials bag. If you have plants, water them lightly, and set aside any items that will travel in your own car, such as laptops and jewellery.

Packing

The first-night box

This box travels with you or loads last on the truck. It holds everything you need for the first evening and morning.

  • Sheets, pillows and towels for everyone.
  • A kettle, mugs, tea, coffee and a few snacks.
  • Toilet paper, soap and basic toiletries.
  • Phone chargers, a torch and an extension cable.
  • Children's favourite toys and a change of clothes.
  • Basic tools: a screwdriver, scissors and a box cutter.

Homes

Moving day checklist for the house

  1. Be ready early. First, be dressed and ready before the crew arrives.
  2. Walk the crew through. Next, show the team leader what goes, what stays and what is fragile.
  3. Check the inventory. Then read the list before loading starts and sign it.
  4. Do a last sweep. After loading, check every cupboard, the store, the balcony and the meter box.
  5. Record meters and hand over keys. Finally, photograph the meter readings and return the keys as agreed.

Homes

At the new home

When the truck arrives, stand at the door and direct each box to its room. Because every box has a room label, this goes quickly. Meanwhile, ask the crew to set up beds first. Then check the inventory again, note any damage on the delivery sheet and pay the balance once you are happy.

Homes

The first week in your new home

  • Unpack the kitchen and bedrooms first, then the living room.
  • Change the locks or confirm who else has keys.
  • Test smoke alarms, if fitted, and find the main water valve and electricity switch.
  • Meet the caretaker and neighbours, and learn the estate rules.
  • Recycle or return boxes, or ask your movers to collect them.

A house moving checklist for long-distance moves

Moving to another town adds a few extra tasks. First, plan the journey for the family, because the truck may arrive after you or the next morning. Second, decide whether the car will be driven or carried on a flatbed. Third, book a night in a hotel if the trip is long. In addition, research schools, hospitals and shops in the new town before you arrive. Finally, keep important documents, such as title deeds, certificates and passports, with you in the car rather than on the truck. Our long-distance movers page explains how these moves run.

A house moving checklist for apartments

Apartments bring their own rules. So ask the caretaker early about moving hours, lift bookings and parking for the truck. Some buildings ask for a clearance letter from the landlord before they let furniture leave. Others charge a refundable deposit for damage to lifts and corridors. Also measure the lift and the stairwell, because large sofas and beds may need to come apart. Then share all of this with your movers, so they arrive with the right tools and a plan.

Deposits and inspections

Your deposit is often a full month's rent, so it is worth protecting. Before you hand back the keys, compare the home with your move-in inventory, if you had one. Clean thoroughly, fix small damage such as loose handles and fill nail holes if your lease allows. Then walk through with the landlord or agent and take dated photos. If you disagree about deductions, ask for an itemised list. The Kenya Law website publishes the laws that apply to tenancies if you need more detail.

Using this house moving checklist with movers

When you hire movers, many tasks on this house moving checklist move to them. For example, packers can handle the kitchen, fitters can take apart beds and the crew can handle loading and unloading. However, the paperwork, decisions and notices stay with you. So share the checklist with your movers, agree who does what and tick off each task together. That way, nothing falls between the gaps.

Common problems

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Leaving packing until the last weekend.
  • Forgetting to book a lift or tell the caretaker.
  • Packing documents, chargers or medicines in random boxes.
  • Not measuring big furniture before moving day.
  • Booking the cheapest truck without checking what it includes.

Printable version of the house moving checklist

Print this page or save it to your phone, then tick each task as you go. Better still, put it on the fridge where the whole family can see it. When everyone knows the plan, moving day runs smoother. If you would rather hand most of the work to a team, request a moving quote, and our coordinator will walk through the checklist with you.

A note on moving prices

We do not publish fixed prices, because every move is different. Instead, we assess each move, send a written quote and agree the final price with you, so the figure you agree reflects your real move. If you are working to a budget, tell us early. Then we can suggest options, such as packing some boxes yourself, moving mid-month or sharing a truck on long routes.

Get started

Get your moving quote

Tell us what you are moving and where, and our move coordinator will call you back within one working day to plan it with you.

  • Clear, itemised written quote
  • Packing, transport and setting up from one team
  • Careful crew, padded and wrapped furniture

Prefer to talk? Call +254 184 379 590

We reply within one working day. Or call +254 184 379 590.

Frequently asked questions

How early should I start planning a house move?

Start about eight weeks before the move. That gives time to give notice, compare quotes, declutter and pack without rushing.

What should I pack first when moving house?

Pack the rooms and items you use least first, such as stores, spare rooms, books and out-of-season clothes.

What goes in a first-night box?

Sheets, towels, a kettle, snacks, toiletries, phone chargers, a torch, basic tools and children's favourite toys.

How do I protect my rent deposit when moving out?

Clean thoroughly, fix small damage, compare the home with your move-in inventory and take dated photos at handover.

Keep reading

More moving guides

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