A useful moving checklist tells you what to do and when to do it. Work backward from your move date, confirm responsibilities with the mover and keep the essentials separate. For a Southwest Florida home, include the property’s loading rules and a fallback for delayed keys or unsafe weather.

Four to six weeks before moving

• Sort what will move, stay, be sold, be donated or go into storage.
• Create a room-by-room inventory including the garage, lanai and storage areas.
• Request written estimates using the same inventory and service dates.
• Point out heavy, fragile or unusually large items for assessment.
• Ask the property manager about elevators, access and required paperwork.

Two weeks before moving

• Confirm pickup and delivery arrangements, contact people and payment terms.
• Arrange utilities, address changes and any services needed at the new home.
• Finish decisions about packing help and materials.
• Plan care for children and pets away from the working path.
• Prepare a destination room plan and labels.

If a closing or renovation may slip, agree on storage and later delivery arrangements before loading. A plan made in advance is easier to budget than an urgent change on moving day.

The day before

• Complete the customer packing agreed in your estimate.
• Set aside medicines, jewelry, documents, chargers and overnight supplies.
• Photograph important furniture and any existing damage.
• Keep keys, access instructions and the mover’s contact details together.
• Clear walkways and confirm legal loading space.

Do not pack fuels, chemicals or other items the mover will not accept. Ask about anything uncertain rather than putting it into a sealed carton.

On moving day

• Walk through with the crew and identify priority or fragile items.
• Confirm which belongings must not be loaded.
• Keep an authorized decision-maker available.
• Check cupboards, closets and storage areas before departure.
• At delivery, direct placement using the room plan and record exceptions.

Before the crew leaves

Check the delivered inventory and agreed reassembly or placement. Note concerns while they can be documented clearly, and ask how follow-up is handled. Keep your estimate, delivery documents and receipts. Inspect unpacked items as soon as practical under the contract’s reporting process.

Keep the budget clear

Use our 2026 national moving cost guide for price context. Your written estimate should state the crew, transport, minimums, packing, travel and any storage or access charges. Preparation helps avoid delays, but the inventory and agreed scope still determine the work.

For a written estimate based on your inventory, access and dates, contact Frank & Sons or call (239) 574-4151.