Checklist For Your Move Within

Germany by Simple Germany

This content was created by Simple Germany.

Introduction
The checklist below is just an overview of the things you need to consider when
moving within Germany. By no means, are the items in the list written in stone. Adapt
them to your personal circumstance.

3 Months before the move

Bureaucracy around the old and new apartment
Give the notice for your current apartment. Download our FREE Apartment
cancellation template:
👉 In English
👉 In German
Pay deposit for new apartment

Arrange apartment handover appointments for the new and old flat

2 Months before the move

Plan technicalities of the move
Request a vacation day from work for the day of the move (by law you have the
right for 1 extra vacation day for moving purposes per year)

Declutter your current flat - sell or donate old furniture you don’t want in the new
home

Create list of items & number of boxes that need to be moved

Checklist For Your Move Within Germany by Simple Germany 1

 Buy moving boxes and other packing materials

Mark packed boxes by room and their contents in big print

Start arranging the move

Ask friends for help and rent transporter

OR

Ask for offers from professional moving companies (Umzugsfirma)

Compare offers and services included

Consider whether you need a ‘Halteverbotszone’ - a blocked parking space

for the truck in front of your house

Start to collect all the receipts for moving expenses to reduce your taxable
income with your tax declaration

Check Contracts with Service Providers

Inform providers of new address OR cancel & change providers:

Electricity/gas

Home internet/phone

Gym and other memberships

Public transport if subscription with local public transportation

Deregister & register your kids from school or Kita (if applicable)

How to leave the old apartment

Check your rental contract if you are required to do cosmetic repairs in your old
flat (close holes on walls and paint walls in neutral color)

Arrange for such repairs

2 Weeks Before The Move

Make an appointment for Ummeldung (re-registration)

Set up a mail forwarding service with Deutsche Post.

Inform your old neighbors that you are moving (if you had a relationship with
them)

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 Start consuming possible provisions (so you don’t have to carry them)

Buy light bulbs and sockets for the new apartment (in case needed). Here are
some from Amazon.

Create a plan on where to place your furniture in the new apartment

Finalize packing all boxes

Have the handover of the new flat (Wohnungsübergabe)

Fill in and get a handover protocol

Mark down any issues, scratches, etc.

Take pictures of the flat and the staircase of the house to record its status
quo

Write down the electricity meter reading

Sign up with an electricity provider the same day

Get the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung for re-registration

Get your new apartment keys

Change name on mailbox and ringer (if not done by landlords)

Remind friends or the moving company of the moving date

Prepare a ‘camping kitchen’ in case the new apartment doesn’t have a kitchen
yet

The Day Of the Move

Pick up transporter if you are moving yourself and/or with friends

If friends are helping, provide food and drinks throughout the day

Hang furniture placement plan visibly in new apartment

Brief moving helpers of what goes where

After the Move

Handover of old flat

Make sure the flat is clean

Get a handover protocol with the status quo on the flat

Checklist For Your Move Within Germany by Simple Germany 3

 Mark down electricity meter reading and inform electricity provider about it

Remind the landlord to get the deposit back (add a reminder to your calendar
for latest in 3 months)

Handover all keys

Re-register your new address with the city office (Ummeldung)

Communicate your new address:

Ausländerbehörde - check your case - in our experience this is not

necessary if you stay in the same city/municipality - but if a new
Ausländerbehörde will be responsible, make an appointment to move your case
file

Employer

Insurances

Update the size of your flat with your home contents insurance to have
adequate cover

Banks

Service Providers

Rundfunkbeitrag

Finanzamt (if self-employed)

Friends & Family

Introduce yourself to new neighbors

Dispose of big cardboard (boxes), plastic and other moving trash properly

Street containers for cardboard or

Recyclinghof or Wertstoffhof

Don’t use regular trash - your new neighbors will not like it

Start Settling in Your New Home

Build up all furniture

Buy new furniture

Unpack boxes

Checklist For Your Move Within Germany by Simple Germany 4

 Start decorating walls etc.

Discover your new neighborhood

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