What to Do on Moving Day: An Hour-by-Hour Plan

A good moving day plan turns the most stressful day of a house move into a series of small, manageable jobs. Here is the hour-by-hour timeline we give Sussex movers.

Most of the pressure on moving day comes from not knowing what happens next. A written moving day plan fixes that. Below is a realistic timeline for a typical completion-day move within Sussex, from the early start through to handing over the keys. Adjust the clock to your own completion time, but keep the order the same.

The night before

• Charge every phone, and pack chargers in your essentials box, not in a sealed carton.
• Defrost and drain the fridge and freezer, and empty the washing machine hoses.
• Set aside the paperwork you will need: solicitor and estate agent numbers, the removal firm's job reference, and any keys or fobs for the new place.
• Get a proper night's sleep. An early, calm start beats a late, rushed one.

7:00am to 8:00am: the early start

Removals crews in Sussex usually aim to arrive between 8am and 9am, so be up and dressed before they knock. Strip the beds, finish the last few boxes, and take meter readings for gas, electricity and water. Photograph each meter with the date visible so there is no dispute over the final bill. Feed everyone: a hot breakfast now saves a hungry, grumpy afternoon.

8:00am to 11:00am: loading

When the crew arrives, walk them round the house and point out anything fragile, valuable or not going (agents' fixtures and fittings you have agreed to leave). Then stay out of their way. The most useful thing you can do while a professional team loads is manage the small stuff:

• Keep the kettle, mugs, milk and biscuits back for the crew, they work faster when looked after.
• Keep children and pets somewhere safe. Moving day is the classic day for a cat to bolt, so a closed room or a friend's house is ideal. Our guide to moving house with pets has more.
• Do a slow sweep of lofts, sheds, the garage and the back of cupboards. These are where things get left behind.

11:00am to 1:00pm: completion and the drive

Completion usually happens late morning once the money has moved between solicitors. You cannot get the keys to the new house until your solicitor confirms completion, so do not set off expecting to walk straight in. Once you get the call, collect the keys from the estate agent (or as arranged) and head over. If there is a gap, this is a good window for lunch. Keep the removal firm updated on timings.

1:00pm to 4:00pm: unloading

Before anything comes off the van, do a quick check of the new house: take fresh meter readings, note any damage, and decide where the big furniture goes. Label the doors of each room or stick a coloured note up so the crew can place boxes in the right place first time. Direct, do not carry. A good box labelling system earns its keep here.

4:00pm onwards: the essentials

Once the van has gone, resist the urge to unpack everything. Get the beds built, find the kettle and the bathroom box, and sort out anything the household needs to sleep and wash. Test that the heating and hot water work while there is still time to call someone. Everything else can wait until morning.

Before you lock up the old house

If you are leaving an empty property, do a final walk-round: windows shut, taps off, nothing left in the loft, and all sets of keys accounted for to hand over. Redirect your post through Royal Mail's redirection service so nothing important goes to the old address.

Planning the budget as well as the day? See our Sussex removal cost guide, or start at the Move Sussex homepage for the full moving library.