At this stage, it is important to take a closer look at current contracts and make an initial plan for the move:

• Search apartment, find, accept
• Sign lease and pay rent deposit
• Give notice on old apartment, look for new tenant in case of premature move
• Set moving date
• Submit moving day to employer
• Calculate budget for the move
• Make sure that the electricity, gas and water connections in the new apartment or house are cancelled and turned off in good time before you move in
• Telephone and Internet connections should also be terminated in good time
• Cancel current subscriptions and contracts, pay attention to the deadlines for cancellations with the post office, energy provider and other service providers
• Decide whether to move with friends or moving company
• Moving with friends: Request helpers, reserve moving vehicle
• Moving with company: Find a suitable moving company and make an appointment for a visit, so the company can get an accurate picture and you get a more accurate quote of the cost
• Decide whether cleaning the old apartment with its own squad or with a cleaning company.
• Clean yourself: Organize helpers
• Involvement of a cleaning company: Obtain offers, award cleaning contract with acceptance guarantee
• With children: Deregister children at daycare center / kindergarten / school and register them at the new location

Now it's time to take a closer look at your belongings, such as furniture, clothes, decorations, books, etc. and declutter. It is also important to think about whether you can move in directly or whether another overnight accommodation is necessary for the time of the move.

• Decluttering apartment, basement and attic
• Give away, sell or dispose of decluttered belongings
• Procure moving boxes and packing materials
• Inform friends, family and acquaintances in time about your upcoming move, so they can arrange accommodation for the duration of the move in time
• With children or pets: Organize herding service for moving day

The beautiful phase begins! Now you can think about how you want to furnish the new home. Due to long delivery times, it makes sense now to look more closely at the new furnishings.

• In case of poor parking conditions: Apply for parking ban for moving day or have moving company apply for it
• If necessary, choose new furniture and order it on the day of the moving date

Now the time is coming soon. Most things can already be packed into boxes and made available. Now a concrete furnishing plan is created, so that you know exactly where which piece of furniture should go on moving day.

• Pack boxes
• Organize toolbox for moving
• Create concrete furnishing plan for the new apartment
• Carefully pack all the things you want to take with you and label the boxes with the contents. This way you can find everything faster and you don't have to unpack every box when you are looking for something specific
• Determine which furniture will be disassembled and assembled by whom
• Rent or buy all the necessary utensils for the move, such as boxes, hand trucks or transport aids
• Arrange forwarding order with the post office
• Communicate change of address to the important contacts

The last things are now being planned. The movers should now be reminded once again and most of the belongings can now be packed into boxes.

• Put up or have put up ordered parking ban
• Allow enough time for packing and wrapping your belongings
• Retrieve lent keys for the old apartment from family and friends
• Moving with friends: Remind helpers of moving and cleaning date
• Moving with a company: Have moving date confirmed again
• Gather all important papers and documents in one place so you don't lose or forget them (ID card, driver's license, health insurance card, rental agreements, etc.).
• Takeover of the new apartment
• Make sure that water and electricity are working in the new apartment/house, and that the bathroom and kitchen are functional
• Deregister with previous municipality (if moving abroad)

The last things are safely stowed and ready, so that you have everything at hand on moving day and do not have to open every box again. If you clean yourself, some cleaning supplies for the final cleaning should better remain directly on site. 

• Pack emergency box (tape, scissors, markers, etc.)
• Buying food for movers
• Tape drawers and cabinet doors of small furniture
• Go to bed as early as possible, because you certainly need the strength the next day!

Now the time has finally come! Now everyone has to be briefed and everything has to be loaded into the vehicle(s).

• Moving with friends: Determine responsibilities among movers
• Moving with a company: Clarify own task [With us you have no tasks and can watch completely relaxed as our removal manager has everything under control and our staff loads your belongings for you with the utmost care].
• When moving truck packed: inspection tour of the old apartment
• Dismantle nameplates

Now you need to update the data on your own paperwork and freshen up the old home for the transfer.

Register at your new place of residence and have the data on the identity card updated (within 14 days)

Check your accounts, insurances, memberships, subscriptions and have the address updated

In the old home:

• Patch holes in the walls or have them patched by a specialist
• Carry out any painting work or have it carried out
• Cleaning the apartment by private: get cleaning materials, supplies, and clean old apartment
• Inclusion cleaning company: handing over the key for cleaning
• Handing over the apartment to the administration and the next tenant (possibly with representation from the cleaning company)

In the new home:

• Possibly help: hang pictures, assemble furniture and lamps
• Unpacking boxes and setting up
• Within 14 days: report subsequently discovered defects in the new home to the administration
• Return borrowed tools
• Organize thank you dinner for the helpers
• Arrive and settle in

• Verify that rental deposit from old apartment has been returned
• Notification of any damage in old apartment to private liability insurance company