About this template
The post office is the one everyone remembers. Then the bank statement goes to the old house. The car insurance renews at the old ZIP — and auto rates are priced by ZIP code. The voter registration, the DMV, the IRS, the pet's microchip: each one waits quietly until it becomes a problem. This one-page checklist is the whole invisible move, written down: all 26 notifications, who to tell, how to reach them, and by when.
What's inside
- Government & Official (8) — USPS mail forwarding, IRS Form 8822, driver's license, vehicle registration & title, voter registration, Social Security, USCIS Form AR-11 (non-citizens: required within 10 days), state & local tax agencies.
- Money & Insurance (8) — banks & credit unions, credit & debit cards, employer payroll / HR, investments & retirement accounts, auto insurance, homeowners / renters insurance, health insurance billing, loan servicers.
- Home & Everyday Life (10) — utilities, internet & mobile, doctors and dentist, the vet and the pet microchip registry, schools & childcare, subscriptions & magazines, online shopping default addresses, toll accounts & parking permits, TSA PreCheck / Global Entry, loyalty programs & pharmacy.
How it works — 3 steps
- Print the PDF (US Letter) or open the spreadsheet version.
- Work top to bottom: government first (forwarding takes days to start), then money and insurance, then everyday life. Check the box or mark Status = Done as each one lands.
- Keep the page with your moving papers until the score reads 26 of 26 — then file it with the new home's documents. Missed one? Most senders keep the old address until you tell them; a forwarded envelope is your reminder.
You never build or fix a formula. Type only in the pale-yellow cells — the formula cells are protected (no password) so the math can't be broken by accident. Fictional SAMPLE rows, clearly marked, show you the format; delete them and the file is yours.
What you need
For the PDF: any PDF reader, and a printer if you want the paper copy. For the spreadsheet: Microsoft Excel, or Google Sheets (free with a Google account). The same .xlsx file works in both — upload it to Google Drive, open it, File → Make a copy, and work in your copy. The spreadsheet version is the only part that needs Excel or Sheets; the printable PDF works anywhere.
Instant download
This is a digital download — no physical item will be shipped. After purchase, go to Etsy → Purchases and reviews → Download files, save the file to your computer first, then open it in Excel (click “Enable Editing”) or upload it to Google Drive for Sheets (then File → Make a copy, and always work in your copy).
License
Personal use only — for your own household. Please do not share, resell or redistribute the file.
Questions
What exactly do I receive?
Two files: a one-page printable PDF (US Letter) listing all 26 notifications with checkboxes, and the same list as an Excel spreadsheet with Status and Notes columns and an automatic progress score at the top.
Do I need Excel or Google Sheets?
Only for the spreadsheet version. The PDF prints and works with any PDF reader — if you only want the paper checklist, you're all set.
Does this file my USPS change of address for me?
No — no file can. It tells you exactly where (usps.com/move or any post office) and when (a week before the move, so forwarding starts in time), and it warns you about the look-alike sites that charge $20+ for what the post office sells for about a dollar.
I'm only moving across town. Do I really need all 26?
Almost — your ZIP may stay the same, but your address of record changes everywhere it is stored, and insurers, banks and the DMV all need the new one. The state-change items (license deadlines, voter re-registration) may not apply; leave those boxes empty and finish the rest.
What's the difference between this and the Moving Dashboard?
This is the address list alone, as a printable one-pager. The $5 Moving & Change-of-Address Dashboard contains this same list plus the 8-week move timeline, the utilities transfer tracker, a live countdown to moving day and progress scores. Buy the checklist for the notifications; buy the dashboard to run the whole move.