The Ultimate Room-by-Room House Shifting Checklist

Most packing problems come from doing things in the wrong order: the kitchen gets packed on day one and the family eats out for a week, or the documents end up in a carton somewhere in the truck. A room-by-room plan fixes both. You pack the rooms you use least first, keep the daily-use rooms running until the end, and every box arrives already sorted for the room it belongs in.

This checklist has two parts. The first is a four-week timeline for everything that is not packing: booking, paperwork, utilities and checking the new home. The second goes through the house one room at a time.

Part 1: The four-week timeline

Four weeks before

• Fix the date. If you have any flexibility, a mid-week, mid-month date is usually easier to book than a weekend at the end of the month.
• Get a survey and a written quote. Ask for an in-person or video survey rather than a figure over the phone. The survey is where stairs, lift size, parking and bulky items get priced, so they do not show up as extras on the day.
• Start decluttering. Sort each room into keep, sell, donate and discard. Every item you do not move is packing material, labour and truck space you do not pay for.
• Give notice. Tell your landlord, your society office or both, and check whether either needs a move-out date in writing.

Three weeks before

• Confirm the booking, the vehicle size and exactly what is included (packing, dismantling, unloading, reassembly).
• Ask both buildings about move rules: permitted hours, service lift booking, where the truck can stand.
• Start packing the least-used rooms (see Part 2).
• Book disconnection or transfer for electricity, broadband, DTH and the gas connection.

One to two weeks before

• Visit the new home. Check locks, switches, taps, fans, geysers and drainage, and measure doorways and the staircase against your largest furniture.
• Start the address-change list: bank, employer, insurance, and the online accounts you order from.
• Use up frozen and perishable food.

The last two days

• Defrost and dry the refrigerator at least a day before.
• Pack the essentials bag and the documents folder (both travel with you, not in the truck).
• Confirm the arrival time, the crew contact number and the destination address with your mover.

Part 2: Room by room, in packing order

1. Store room and loft

Pack this first because nothing in it is needed day to day. It is also where most of the decluttering happens: old cartons, broken appliances, paint tins and things kept "just in case".

• Suitcases (fill them with clothes or linen rather than moving them empty)
• Seasonal decorations and festival items
• Tool kit (keep a small screwdriver set out for the last day)
• Old files: shred or carry, do not leave them loose in a carton

Paint, thinners, kerosene and similar liquids should not go in the truck at all. Our list of items that should never be packed in a moving truck covers what to dispose of or carry separately.

2. Guest room and study

• Extra bedding, pillows and blankets: these make good padding for other boxes
• Books: small cartons only, so no single box becomes too heavy to lift
• Spare furniture: dismantle and bag the screws, taping the bag to the piece it came from

3. Living room

• Photograph the back of the TV, set-top box and router before you unplug anything
• Remotes and small cables go in one labelled pouch
• Photo frames and showpieces: wrap individually and stand them on edge, not flat
• Curtains and rugs: fold, roll and bag them against dust
• Sofa and centre table: leave these for the crew to wrap

4. Children's room

• Let children choose a small bag of favourite toys that travels with them
• School books and uniforms in a clearly marked "open first" carton
• Bicycles and sports equipment: tell the mover in advance so they are included in the volume

5. Bedrooms

• Off-season clothes first, then everyday clothes in the last few days
• Hanging clothes can stay on hangers, grouped and covered
• Jewellery and watches go with you, never in a carton
• Mirrors and dressing-table glass need corner protectors and should be marked fragile
• Label clothing boxes by family member as well as by room

6. Dining area

• Remove glass tabletops and wrap them separately
• Crockery and serving pieces: each piece wrapped, plates packed standing on edge
• Chairs wrapped individually so legs do not scratch each other

7. Kitchen

The kitchen takes the longest and is used until the end, so split it in two. A week out, pack the extra crockery, rarely used appliances and spare utensils. Keep one set of plates, cups, a pressure cooker and a pan out for the final days.

• Glassware wrapped individually; heavy utensils never packed on top of crockery
• Spices and dry goods sealed and taped
• Mixer, microwave and other small appliances in their original boxes if you still have them
• Refrigerator defrosted, dried and left open for a few hours before loading
• Gas cylinder disconnected and handled as your gas distributor advises

8. Bathroom

• Tape the caps of liquid bottles and pack them upright in a plastic bag inside the carton
• Throw out expired medicines and products
• Daily medicines go in the essentials bag

9. Balcony and outdoor area

• Clean and dry garden tools before packing
• Small plants are best carried in your own vehicle
• Outdoor chairs and pots: include them in the survey so they are counted

10. Electronics

• Back up laptops and desktops before the move
• Use original boxes where possible; otherwise wrap with plenty of padding
• Laptops, hard drives and phones travel with you

11. Large furniture

Beds, wardrobes, dining tables and modular units are usually dismantled by the crew. Empty drawers beforehand, take out loose shelves, and keep every screw in a labelled bag. If a piece will not come apart, check it fits the new doorway or staircase. You can't solve that on moving day.

What travels with you, not in the truck

Documents folder: Aadhaar, PAN, passports, property or rent papers, bank and insurance documents, educational certificates, medical records and your copy of the mover's quote and inventory.

Essentials bag: phone chargers, medicines, a change of clothes for everyone, toiletries, towels, snacks and water, cash, keys, and a basic set of utensils for the first meal.

Labelling that saves time at the other end

Write three things on every carton, on at least two sides: the room it is going to, a short description, and a priority. For example, "Kitchen / glassware / fragile" or "Bedroom 2 / school things / open first". Number the boxes and keep the list on your phone, so a missing carton is noticed at unloading and not three weeks later.

Final walk-through before you leave

• Open every cupboard, drawer and loft, and look behind doors
• Check the balcony, terrace and parking area
• Switch off the mains, close taps and lock windows
• Collect all keys and hand them over as agreed
• Count cartons against the inventory and sign only once you agree

Frequently asked questions

Which room should I pack first?

Start with the rooms you use least: the store room, loft, guest room and study. Leave the kitchen, bathroom and your bedroom until the last two or three days so the house stays usable.

How early should I start packing?

For a 2BHK or 3BHK you're packing yourself, start two to three weeks ahead and do a few boxes each day. If professional packers are doing the job, they usually finish a typical home in a day, but you still need the earlier weeks for decluttering, bookings and paperwork.

Should I pack everything myself to save money?

You can pack clothes, books, linen and other non-fragile items yourself. Leave glassware, electronics and large furniture to the crew. Damage to these items usually costs more than the packing labour you would save.

What should never go in the moving truck?

Documents, cash, jewellery, medicines, laptops and anything flammable or hazardous such as fuel, paint thinners and gas canisters. Carry valuables yourself and dispose of hazardous liquids before the move.

Planning a move in or out of Dehradun? See typical prices and what is included on our packers and movers in Dehradun page, or ask for a free survey and written quote.