Moving Abroad Checklist: The Final Month Before You Go

TL;DR: The final month before moving abroad is busy! You will focus on about 5 key areas: getting your new home ready, closing down your old home, sorting out your money, packing everything, and preparing for your first moments in the new country. Break down your tasks week by week, tackling 1-2 big items at a time, to make your international relocation as smooth as possible.

Imagine arriving in a new country after a long flight, only to realize you have nowhere to sleep, no way to call for help, and nothing to drink. This nightmare scenario is what a good pre-move checklist helps you avoid. Moving overseas can feel overwhelming, especially in the last few weeks. But with a detailed moving abroad checklist, you can manage the chaos and look forward to your new adventure. This guide will help you prepare for your international move in the final month.

What should you do with 4 weeks left before moving abroad?

With four weeks left, you should finalize your housing plans, inform local authorities, sort out utilities, check your insurance coverage, and keep packing your belongings. This period focuses on wrapping up commitments in your current location and preparing for the new one.

Find Your New Home (If You Haven’t Already!)

If you plan to settle in and then find a permanent place, now is the time to secure a short-term rental. Look for sublets through apartment rental websites or use a specialized real estate agency. This gives you a base while you explore your new city.

Tell Your Local Council You’re Leaving

Call your local council or government office to let them know you’re moving house abroad. This is also a good chance to see if they owe you any money back from local taxes you’ve paid, like council tax.

Arrange Utility Shutdowns and New Connections

Contact your phone, internet, electricity, and water companies. Tell them the exact date you will leave your property. You will need to take meter readings on your final day. This step ensures that your services are turned off correctly.

Top Tip: Schedule the utilities to switch off one day after your actual moving day. You don’t want the power to go out when you’re desperate for a final cup of tea!

While handling this, start learning about how utility companies work in your new country. Find out what services are usually included in rental contracts and what you’ll need to set up yourself. If you already have a new home, begin arranging your internet connection and other essential services there.

Review Your Insurance Policies

Inform your home insurance company that you are moving. Also, check with your contents insurer exactly what they cover during your move, especially for items in transit. If your current policy doesn’t cover you once you’re abroad, or while you’re getting settled, search for an international or local insurance company in your new country.

Keep Up With Your Packing for International Move

Packing will be an ongoing job during this final month. Get used to living among boxes. You’re likely to pack something important that you’ll need two days later, so don’t worry about it too much. Also, it’s a good idea to clean your rugs and curtains before you pack them or put them into storage.

What should be on your moving abroad checklist with 3 weeks to go?

Three weeks before moving abroad, your checklist should include handling mail, making arrangements for children or pets, and selling or giving away items you won’t take with you. This phase focuses on practical logistics and reducing clutter.

Update Your Address at the Post Office

Visit your local post office. Get change of address forms for important documents like your car registration. You might also want to set up mail forwarding to your new address or a trusted friend’s home.

Arrange Care for Kids and Pets

You don’t need to get rid of them for good! But now is a good time to ask friends or family if they can look after your children or pets during the very busy last 48 hours before you leave. This will ease stress on moving day.

Sell or Give Away Unneeded Items

Start selling large items you’re leaving behind. Let friends know if there’s a piece of furniture they’ve always admired that needs a new home. You can also sell items quickly on websites like eBay to get some extra cash. If you want to give items away for free, join a local Freecycle group. It’s amazing what people are willing to take off your hands!

What should you do 2 weeks before moving overseas?

With two weeks left before moving overseas, you should focus on deep cleaning your home, getting your car serviced for travel, and completing a final financial check. These steps ensure your current home is ready for handover and your money is prepared for your new life.

Get Your Home Ready for Handover

Whether you’re moving out of a rental and want your deposit back, or selling your home and aiming for a smooth handover, now is the time for a thorough cleaning. Take down pictures and check the walls for any damage that might need patching or painting. Start writing down useful notes for the new residents, such as where the main water shut-off valve is or when the rubbish is collected.

Have Your Car Checked

If you plan to drive a long distance to your new location or a port, make sure to get your car fully serviced now. This will help prevent any unexpected issues during your journey.

Complete Your Financial Checklist Moving Abroad

Make sure you have enough cash in the local currency for your new country. This will cover tips for removal staff and your spending for the first week. Change your address with your bank, credit card provider, and any other financial services you use. This is part of your crucial financial checklist for moving abroad.

For those moving to a new country, understanding how your phone number will work is key. You might want to keep your current number or get a new one. For example, if you’re wondering what happens to your number when you move abroad, it’s wise to check the rules. Or if you’re specifically moving to Australia, you’ll need to know how to keep an Australian number abroad.

What’s included in your moving day checklist for the final week?

Your moving day checklist for the final week involves settling small payments, emptying your fridge and freezer, preparing an essential paperwork folder, putting together a welcome box for arrival, and charging your mobile phone. This ensures you’re ready for the last few days and arrival.

Handle Any Small Payments

Make sure all small, regular payments are up to date. Do you get a newspaper delivered? Do you have any overdue library fines? Clear these up before you go.

Empty Your Kitchen

Start working through all the food in your fridge and freezer. Once the freezer is empty, defrost it. This helps avoid waste and makes cleaning easier.

Prepare an “Essential Moving Paperwork” Folder

Gather all the important documents you’ll need. This folder should include telephone numbers and addresses, insurance papers, flight tickets, train tickets, passports, and visa documents. Keep this folder with you at all times during the move in a very safe place.

Assemble a Welcome Box

This box should contain immediate necessities for when you arrive at your new place. Think about items like teabags, instant coffee, mugs, a travel kettle, candles, a torch, batteries, some local currency, and a spare phone charger. This will be a lifesaaver for your first hour or two.

Fully Charge Your Mobile Phone

The day before you move, make sure your mobile phone is fully charged. You absolutely do not want your phone to run out of battery on moving day! Keeping your number active or knowing your options like an eSIM vs physical SIM can also be a smart move for international travelers.

What should you do on moving day itself?

On moving day itself, your main tasks are taking final meter readings, securely locking up your property, and safely storing the keys. These steps formally complete your departure from your old home.

Take Final Meter Readings

Take readings for your gas, electricity, and water meters. It’s a good idea to take photos of these readings as well, for your records.

Lock Up and Secure Your Keys

Make sure all doors and windows are locked. Keep all the keys together in one place for when you hand them over to the new residents or your landlord.

What should you do when you arrive at your new home?

When you arrive at your new home, you should immediately put on the kettle, check your belongings for any damage during transit, read the utility meters, and verify that all lights are working. These actions help you settle in and identify any issues right away.

Get the Kettle On

Remember that welcome box with the teabags and coffee? Now is the time to open it! You’ll be very thankful for a hot drink after your journey.

Check Your Belongings

As the moving company unloads your items, carefully check everything for damage. Make notes and take photos of any items that appear broken or damaged during transit. Your removal team should have a special form for you to list these issues.

Read Meters and Check Lights

You’ll do this twice in one day! Just like when you left your old home, take meter readings at your new place and photograph them. Also, check that all the lights in your new home are working before it gets dark.

Hopefully, your entire international relocation goes smoothly! This comprehensive moving abroad checklist should prevent you from forgetting anything crucial during your final month. Good luck with your move!

This guide comes from Wise, a company that helps people manage money across borders. To learn more about the company, including potential career paths, you can visit their website.

Related reading

• Moving to Thailand from the UK: Your Complete Relocation Guide
• Moving to China from the UK: Complete Guide for British Citizens