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What This Checklist Covers
The checklist breaks into seven phases: eight weeks out, six weeks out, four weeks out, two weeks out, one week out, moving day, and the days after you arrive. Each phase sets up the next, which is why the order matters as much as the tasks. Chicago adds a few wrinkles you won’t find in a generic guide. A large share of city leases turn over on May 1 and October 1, so demand spikes and crews book out fast around those dates. Many downtown and lakefront buildings won’t let a crew start until the elevator is reserved and the insurance paperwork clears. And the city requires a permit if you want to legally hold curb space for the truck. Each of those has its own lead time, and the checklist spaces them out so they never pile up on the same week.
8 Weeks Out: Research and Book
Two months ahead, lock in your crew and set a budget. Demand peaks around the May 1 and October 1 turnover dates, so booking early gets you both the date you want and a better rate. Get estimates in writing and check them against real numbers in the Chicago moving cost guide so you know whether a quote is fair. Before you sign anything, walk through the questions worth asking any Chicago mover to confirm the company is licensed and insured. This is also the week to start a simple room-by-room inventory. It makes your estimate more accurate and doubles as a record if anything goes missing.
- Book the crew and get the date in writing
- Collect and compare written estimates
- Set your moving budget
- Start a room-by-room inventory
6 Weeks Out: Sort and Reduce
Six weeks out, get rid of what you don’t want to pay to move. Everything you keep adds weight, time, and cost, so this is where you have the most control over the final bill. Go room by room and split things into keep, donate, sell, and toss. The decluttering guide walks through how to do this without losing a weekend to it. While you’re at it, set aside the things a crew legally can’t load: propane tanks, paint, cleaning chemicals, anything flammable, and perishable food. If you have kids changing schools, request their records now, and ask for copies of medical and dental files too. Those offices can take weeks to process a release, so the earlier the better.
- Sort everything into keep, donate, sell, toss
- Pull out hazardous and perishable items the crew can’t take
- Request school, medical, and dental records
4 Weeks Out: Lock in the Logistics
One month out, handle the city paperwork that has real lead time. If your truck will sit on a public street, you need a parking permit from the City of Chicago, and the official no-parking signs have to go up at least 48 hours before the move to be enforceable. Without that, you’re risking a ticket or a long carry from whatever spot the crew can find. If either end of the move is a high-rise, reserve the freight elevator and send your building a Certificate of Insurance (a COI, the document proving the crew carries liability coverage). Buildings often need several business days to approve one, and many only hand out two-hour elevator windows, so don’t leave this to the last minute. This is also the week to schedule your utility transfers, give your landlord notice per your lease, and file a change of address with USPS.
- Reserve the moving-truck parking permit through the city
- Reserve the elevator and send the COI for any high-rise
- Schedule utility transfers (electric, gas, internet)
- Give notice to your landlord and file the USPS address change
2 Weeks Out: Start Packing
Two weeks out, start packing for real. Begin with the rooms you barely use and save the daily stuff for last, so the place still functions while you work. Label every box with the room it’s going to and flag the fragile ones. For the tricky categories, lean on the dedicated guides as your team publishes them: packing fragile items, the kitchen, clothes, a TV, and furniture each have their own approach worth following. One box to set aside no matter what is the essentials box: a single container with what you’ll need the first night, like medications, phone chargers, toiletries, a change of clothes, and a few basic tools.
- Pack the least-used rooms first, daily items last
- Label every box by destination room
- Pack an essentials box for the first night
1 Week Out: Confirm and Finish
The final week is about confirming and finishing. Call the crew to reconfirm the date, the arrival window, and the addresses on both ends. Prep your appliances: defrost and dry the fridge, disconnect the washer and dryer, and drain any water lines. Finish packing everything except the essentials box and the handful of things you’re using daily. Sort out how you’re paying and have any cash or tip ready, since that gets settled before the truck loads.
- Reconfirm the crew, date, and arrival window
- Defrost and disconnect appliances
- Finish packing everything but the essentials
Moving day
On the day itself, the crew loads, drives, and unloads while you direct and double-check. Walk them through the place first and point out anything fragile or valuable. Before they load, they’ll give you a bill of lading (the BOL, which is both the contract and the receipt listing what’s on the truck), so read it before you sign. Once the truck is loaded, do a final walk of every room, closet, and cabinet before you lock up. If you’re moving on or near May 1, brace for heavy traffic and tight building schedules across the city; the May 1 survival guide covers how to time the day so it doesn’t fall apart.
- Walk the crew through and flag fragile items
- Read and sign the bill of lading
- Do a final empty-home walkthrough
After you move in
Once you’re in, settle the loose ends. Check that the utilities are actually on and unpack the essentials box first. If you’ve moved to Illinois from out of state, update your records with the Secretary of State: you have 90 days to get an Illinois driver’s license and 30 days to register an out-of-state vehicle. Check your belongings against your inventory and report any damage to the crew promptly if something didn’t survive the trip. Then unpack room by room in reverse order, starting with the spaces you use most.
- Confirm utilities are on and unpack essentials first
- Update your Illinois license (90 days) and registration (30 days)
- Check for damage and report it promptly
Frequently Asked Questions
How far ahead should I book movers in Chicago?
Aim for at least eight weeks, and earlier if you’re moving near May 1 or October 1. Those lease-turnover dates pack the calendar citywide and the better crews fill up first. Booking early gets you the date you want and usually a better rate.
Do I really need a parking permit for the moving truck?
If the truck will park on a public street, yes. The city requires a permit to reserve curb space, and the no-parking signs have to be posted at least 48 hours ahead to be enforceable. Skip it and you’re looking at a possible ticket or a long carry from a distant spot.
What’s a COI and when do I need one?
A Certificate of Insurance proves the moving crew carries liability coverage. Most Chicago high-rises require one before they’ll allow a move. Send it to building management several business days ahead, since they need time to review and approve it.
What goes in an essentials box?
Whatever you’ll need the first 24 hours before you’ve unpacked anything: medications, chargers, toiletries, a change of clothes, and a few basic tools. You pack it last and open it first, so the first night doesn’t turn into a box-digging expedition.
How do I survive a May 1 move?
Plan around the crowd. Book weeks earlier than you normally would, reserve elevators and permits well ahead, and expect tight building schedules and traffic. The dedicated May 1 guide covers timing the day itself.
Ready to Move?
A checklist turns moving from a scramble into a sequence, where the permits, paperwork, and packing all land in the right week instead of all at once. When you get to the booking step, Advanced Moving & Storage handles the move end to end across Chicago and the suburbs. Get a free moving quote and put a real crew behind your plan.
