Plan an intercity move around three different events: collection, your own travel and delivery. They may not happen on consecutive days. A useful checklist keeps those dates separate and gives someone responsibility for both homes and the goods in between.
The order below is adaptable. Begin as soon as your move becomes likely, then work backwards from your tenancy and possession dates rather than treating a fixed four-week calendar as mandatory.
First: establish the inventory and destination readiness
Decide what will move before requesting comparable quotes. Include items in lofts, balconies, storage areas and a second office or property. Sell, donate or dispose of things you have decided not to take before the final inventory is agreed.
Check the new home’s possession date, access and room dimensions. If keys or renovation completion are uncertain, tell the moving team. Do not assume a truck or warehouse can hold your goods indefinitely without an arrangement.
List any vehicle shipment separately. A household consignment, car and bike may need different transport, documents and delivery windows.
Before booking: agree the transport and responsibilities
Compare quotes on the same packing and door-to-door scope. Ask about:
- Shared or dedicated carriage and any planned transfers.
- Packing, furniture dismantling, unloading and reassembly.
- Building entry, lift reservations and carrying distance at both ends.
- Expected collection and delivery windows, plus update arrangements.
- Payment stages, cancellation, rescheduling and possible waiting charges.
- Responsibility for loss or damage and any optional insurance terms.
Use the shared versus dedicated transport guide if you need to understand the trade-off. Do not select a mode from bedroom count alone.
Before collection: prepare the home and essential bag
Confirm the building instructions directly with the relevant office or owner. Ask how vehicle and crew details are supplied, and make sure the person who can authorise the move is available.
Prepare appliances according to their manuals and the accepted transport method. Fridges, washing machines and other appliances do not all have identical preparation requirements. Label any transport bolts, hoses, fittings or dismantled furniture hardware and agree who reinstalls them.
Keep essential documents, medicines, valuables, chargers, keys and enough clothing for a delay with you. Back up important data and decide which work devices you need during transit. Make separate arrangements for people, pets and items the carrier has not accepted.
At collection: turn the inventory into a handover record
Have an authorised adult available to check what is being collected. Match the list to carton labels and furniture. Photograph pre-existing marks on important items and retain a copy of the collection record.
Confirm the contact for transit questions and the destination receiver’s number. If the inventory or handling scope has changed, resolve the updated terms before the additional work is performed. A hurried verbal discussion is difficult to reconstruct later.
At delivery: check before closing the handover
Make sure the receiving building and rooms are ready. Count cartons and furniture against the inventory, inspect visible condition and identify missing items or damage on the handover document. Take clear photographs and keep relevant packaging if an issue needs assessment.
Contact the booking team promptly about any exception. Follow the applicable contract or policy instructions; do not assume a universal claim deadline found online applies to your move.
Once the essentials are unpacked, finish address updates with your employer, banks, utilities and other providers using each provider’s process. Agree the disposal or collection of packing material with the building and moving team. Request an intercity assessment when your inventory and endpoints are ready.