5 Things People Forget When Moving House

Published on 2026-04-17 · Moving Guide
5 Things People Forget When Moving House

Here are five things that people often forget when moving house. If you are moving now or planning to move soon, make sure these items are ticked off on your checklist.

If you would like a free digital moving checklist, visit www.movly.uk. The app also offers several useful features that can help make your move smoother and less stressful for you and your family.

Redirect Mail or Update Addresses

One of the most commonly forgotten tasks when moving house is updating your address with different service providers. Many people underestimate how many organisations actually store their address.

According to research by GoCompare, 11% of over 2,000 survey participants forgot to update their address or redirect their mail when moving house. This can lead to missed bills, lost deliveries, or important letters being sent to the wrong address.

You can find a full list of services that require address updates in the Movly app, which will also guide you directly to the relevant websites.

Source: Moving mayhem: new research reveals the 10 things Brits forget when they move | GoCompare News

Labelling Boxes

Many people forget the simple step of labelling their moving boxes, even though it can make unpacking much easier and far less stressful. Without labels, it can be difficult to find essential items when you arrive at your new home. Labelling boxes by room (for example: kitchen, bedroom, bathroom) helps movers place them in the correct areas straight away.

If you are moving soon, it is worth purchasing labels or markers before packing begins. These are inexpensive and easy to find online on platforms such as Amazon.

Utilities and Service Accounts

Another commonly forgotten task is transferring or cancelling utilities and service accounts. If you forget to cancel or transfer these services, you may continue paying for them at your previous property.

For example, if you are using British Gas, it is important to inform them about your move and close or transfer your account. Otherwise, you might end up paying for energy that you are no longer using.

Movly can also help you track which services you or your partner have already updated, making the process more organised.

Meter Readings and Final Proper

Before leaving your old home, make sure to take final meter readings for gas, electricity, and water. It is also a good idea to take photos of the meter readings as proof. This helps prevent disputes and ensures you are only billed for the energy you actually used..

First-Night Essentials

People often focus on packing large items and furniture, but they forget the small essentials needed for the first night in their new home. Survey data suggests that 85% of movers forget at least one essential item for their first night after moving.

Commonly forgotten items include:

Bonus: First Night Essentials:

Preparing a “first-night essentials bag” can make the first evening in your new home much more comfortable.

Source: The essentials people forget to pack on moving day | wilko.com

Final property checks can also include:

  1. Making sure appliances are turned off

  2. Checking cupboards and storage areas

  3. Returning keys if necessary

  4. Locking windows and doors

People often forget important things when moving simply because the process involves high levels of stress, time pressure, and a large number of tasks that need to be completed in a short period of time. When people are focused on packing, organising transport, and settling into a new home, smaller but important details can easily be overlooked. This is why having all important tasks organised in one dashboard can make the moving process much easier and help ensure nothing important is forgotten (www.movly.uk).