Moving Day Checklist: Mail Forwarding, Packing and the Last-Minute Details

The rental contract is signed and registration is on the calendar, but the actual move is its own project: leave the mail-forwarding order too late, or realize on moving day itself that nobody labeled the boxes, and you lose time and patience you didn't need to.

The Timeline Before Moving Day

Four to six weeks before the move, it's worth getting quotes from moving companies or, for a DIY move, reserving a van, since both book up fast, especially around the end of the month. Two to three weeks ahead, file your mail-forwarding order with Deutsche Post: it costs €31.90 online for six months, €34.90 in a branch, and forwarding starts at the earliest five business days after you apply. File it too close to the move and you risk a gap where mail still goes to your old address.

What's Still Left in the Final Week

In the last week before the move, notify your electricity and internet providers of the address change so the new place has a working connection from day one. In parallel, it's worth keeping a separate list of everyone else who still needs your new address: your bank, insurers, employer and, if relevant, the tax office. Keeping that list separate from the actual packing prevents individual senders from only surfacing weeks later, once mail has already gone missing at the old address.

A Packing Order That Actually Works

The least stressful approach starts with decluttering: anything you no longer need gets removed before packing, not after. Label every box with its destination room and rough contents, so you don't have to open each one individually while unpacking just to figure out where it goes. For the first few hours in the new place, pack a separate box with things you'll need immediately, like chargers, medication and documents, so they don't end up buried at the bottom of one of the last boxes.

What to Sort Out on Moving Day Itself

Before handing over the keys to the old apartment, it's worth doing one last walkthrough to check that nothing's been left behind and that electricity and water meters have been read, if they're billed individually. If you've hired a moving company, briefly check the condition of your furniture before signing the delivery note: according to R+V's guide to moving damage, visible damage or missing items must be reported by the following day at the latest, while hidden damage leaves you about fourteen days.

Conclusion

The real logistics of a move get much easier with a fixed timeline: book the van and the mail-forwarding order early, keep address changes separate from packing, and have a box ready with the essentials for your first hours in the new home.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance should I file the mail-forwarding order?

Two to three weeks before the move, since forwarding only starts at the earliest five business days after you apply.

What does a Deutsche Post mail-forwarding order cost?

For private customers, €31.90 online or €34.90 at a branch for six months.

When should I book a moving company?

Ideally four to six weeks ahead, since slots book up fast, especially at the end of the month.

What should go in the box for the first hours in the new home?

Things you'll need right away: chargers, important documents, medication and a change of clothes.

Everything you need for the actual rental process in Germany, from your credit check to registering your address, is covered in our first-apartment move checklist. For the notice period on your old apartment and what matters at the handover appointment, see what really counts when you move out.