House shifting checklist: 15 days to moving day in Patna

A calm move is a planned move. After 30+ years of house shifting in Patna, we have noticed that the families who have the easiest moving days are not the ones with the smallest homes. They are the ones who started early and did things in the right order.

This house shifting checklist is the day-by-day plan we give our own customers. Think of it as a complete home shifting checklist and moving checklist in one, with the shifting tips and packing tips our crews use every day. It works for a move from Kankarbagh to Danapur as well as a move from Patna to Bangalore. Print it, tick it off, and moving day becomes just another busy day.

The plan at a glance

Day 15 to 12: plan and book

• Book a free survey and get written quotes from two or three movers. Compare what is included, not just the total. Our charges guide shows what a complete quote should list.
• Check the mover before you pay: GSTIN on the government portal, an office you can visit, recent reviews. Our guide on spotting fake packers and movers has the full list.
• Fix your moving date and confirm it with your new landlord or society. Ask whether the society needs a move-in permission or has fixed shifting hours.
• Decide what goes and what does not. Sell, donate or discard furniture and appliances you will not use. Old mattresses, broken chairs and ten-year-old coolers cost money to move.
• Measure doorways, staircases and lifts at the new home for large items like sofas, wardrobes and double-door fridges.
• Tell your landlord if you are renting, and check the notice period and the deposit return date.

Day 11 to 8: documents and address changes

This is the stage most people leave too late. Offices and service providers need time, so start now.

Address changes

• Update your address with your bank, insurance policies and employer.
• Update Aadhaar online through the myAadhaar portal with a valid proof of your new address, or at an Aadhaar centre.
• Change the delivery address with online shopping apps, courier services and any subscriptions so nothing is delivered to the old home.

Gas, electricity and internet

• LPG connection: if you are moving within Patna, tell your gas distributor and change the address or distributor. If you are moving to another city, ask your distributor about transferring the connection; you will receive a transfer voucher to take to a distributor in the new city.
• Electricity: in Patna, request a final meter reading and bill from the distribution company for the old home, and note the reading on moving day.
• Broadband and DTH: book a shift or a disconnection, and return any rented routers or set-top boxes.

Family and work papers

• Request school transfer certificates and collect report cards if children are changing schools.
• Collect medical records and prescriptions if you are changing cities, and find a doctor near the new home.
• Bank and PSU employees: check what your employer needs for relocation reimbursement. We issue IBA approved bills with a GST invoice for eligible moves.
• Vehicles: keep copies of RC, insurance and PUC ready if a car or bike is moving with you. For a permanent move to another state, find out about re-registration later.
• Make one folder for every important paper, and keep it with you on moving day, not in the truck.

Day 7 to 5: start packing what you use least

What to pack first

• Books, magazines and files
• Off-season clothes, blankets and spare bedding
• Decor, photo frames, showpieces and wall hangings
• Spare kitchenware, the good dinner set and the pressure cookers you rarely use
• Suitcases of things stored in lofts and under beds

Room-by-room packing tips

Kitchen. Stand plates on their edge in a paper-lined carton, not in a flat stack. Wrap glasses one by one and put them rim-down with paper stuffed inside. Seal masala boxes and oil bottles with tape and put them in a plastic bag inside the carton. Keep one set of plates, cups and a pan for the last days.

Bedrooms. Clothes can stay folded in suitcases and cartons; hanging clothes can go in wardrobe cartons if your mover provides them. Pack jewellery and important papers separately and keep them with you.

Living room. Photograph the back of the TV, set-top box and Wi-Fi router before unplugging. Put remotes, cables and screws in labelled zip bags and tape them to the device they belong to.

Pooja room. Wrap idols individually in soft cloth, then bubble wrap. Brass and marble items are heavy, so use small cartons. Many families prefer to carry the most important idols themselves.

Bathroom. Keep only what you need for the last two days. Seal liquids and put them in plastic bags.

Labels that save hours later

• Write the room name and a short list of contents on at least two sides of every carton.
• Mark cartons with glass, crockery or electronics as fragile and this side up.
• Number your cartons. At unloading, it is much easier to check "42 of 42 cartons" than to count a pile.

Day 4 to 2: appliances and essentials

• Fridge: switch it off and defrost at least 24 hours before moving, wipe it completely dry and keep the door slightly open so it does not smell.
• Washing machine: drain all water and fit the transit bolts if you still have them, or ask the crew to secure the drum.
• AC: book a technician to uninstall it and to install it at the new home. Split ACs need the gas handled properly.
• RO purifier, geyser and chimney: book uninstallation and reinstallation with a technician, or check whether your mover can arrange it.
• Inverter and batteries: disconnect them; batteries are heavy and need to travel upright.
• Plants: water them two days before, not on moving day, so pots are not wet and muddy.
• Essentials bag for the first two days: medicines, chargers, toiletries, a change of clothes, bedsheets, snacks, water, a torch, basic tools, scissors and a few garbage bags.
• Confirm the timing and the crew with your mover, and share landmarks and parking details for both homes.

Day 1: moving day

1. Be present when the crew arrives, and walk them through every room.
2. Point out fragile and high-value items, and anything that must not be packed.
3. Keep valuables with you: jewellery, cash, documents, medicines, laptops and spare keys.
4. Check the numbered inventory list as goods are loaded, and sign it only when it matches.
5. Collect the bilty (consignment note) and save the tracking ID sent on WhatsApp.
6. Do a final walk-through: cupboards, lofts, balconies, the bathroom, the terrace and under the beds.
7. Note the electricity and water meter readings and take a photo.
8. Hand over the keys only after the house is empty and clean.

Keep children and pets away from the loading path. A busy staircase with heavy furniture is not a place to play, and gates left open are how cats and dogs go missing on moving day.

At the new home

• Check every item against the inventory list at unloading. Photograph any damage immediately and write it on the delivery receipt before signing.
• Tell the crew where each room is. Cartons labelled by room go straight to the right place.
• Reassemble beds first, so everyone can sleep well on the first night.
• Unpack the kitchen and bathroom next, then the rest of the home room by room.
• Keep the GST invoice and bilty safe for any claim or reimbursement.

The first week

• Check that gas, electricity and water are working and in your name.
• Update your address at the nearest post office if you receive important post, and with your employer and bank if you have not already.
• Find the nearest hospital, pharmacy and grocery store.
• Introduce yourself to neighbours and the society office.
• Leave a review for your mover. It helps the next family choose well.

Moving with children, elderly parents or pets

• Children: give them their own box of favourite things, packed last and unpacked first. A familiar bedsheet and toys make the first night easier.
• Elderly parents: keep their medicines, glasses, walking aids and a comfortable chair in the first vehicle, not the truck. Plan for them to stay with relatives on moving day if they can.
• Pets: keep them in one quiet room with the door shut while loading, and carry food, water and their bed with you.

Monsoon moving tips for Patna

Patna's monsoon usually runs from June to September. Moving in the rain is completely possible with a little care:

• Ask for waterproof wrapping on mattresses, sofas and cartons. Upholstery should be fully stretch-wrapped before it leaves the house.
• Make sure the truck is a covered vehicle with a sealed tarpaulin, not an open tempo.
• Keep plastic sheets at both homes for the loading path, and a mop near the door.
• Choose a morning slot; afternoon showers are common.
• Keep cartons off wet floors, on a sheet or a wooden plank, until they are loaded.
• Avoid moving on days with heavy rain warnings. Low-lying lanes in some parts of Patna fill with water quickly, and trucks cannot always reach the gate.

The 10 most important tips (quick summary)

If you only have a minute, these are the ten points from this checklist that matter most:

1. Book a survey 15 days ahead and collect written quotes from two or three movers.
2. Check the mover's GSTIN yourself on the government GST portal.
3. Start address changes 10 days out: bank, Aadhaar, gas and school.
4. Pack what you use least first: books, winter clothes and decor.
5. Label every carton with the room name and contents, and number them.
6. Keep jewellery, cash, documents and medicines in your own bag, not in the truck.
7. Switch off and defrost the fridge 24 hours ahead and dry it fully.
8. Stay at home for loading and sign the inventory list only when it matches.
9. Keep the bilty and the tracking ID safe until delivery.
10. At the new home, match every item to the list and report any damage with photos the same day.

Frequently asked questions

How many days before should I book packers and movers?

For a local move in Patna, 3 to 5 days is usually enough. For interstate moves, month-end dates or the festival season, book 7 to 10 days ahead.

Should I pack myself or let the movers pack?

You can pack books, clothes and soft items yourself to save money. Leave fragile items, the kitchen, electronics and furniture to trained packers.

What should I not give to the movers?

Cash, jewellery, important documents, medicines, laptops and anything flammable, such as gas cylinders with gas, kerosene or paint thinner, should not go in the truck.

How do I transfer my gas connection to another city?

Tell your current gas distributor that you are moving. For a move to another city, they give you a transfer voucher, which you submit to a distributor near your new home to continue the connection.

Can I move during the monsoon in Patna?

Yes. Choose a morning slot, ask for waterproof wrapping on upholstery and cartons, and make sure the truck is fully covered.

Can you help with the whole checklist?

Yes. Our household shifting services in Patna cover the whole plan, and as packers and movers in Patna since 1994 we have done it thousands of times. Call 093344 41901 and our coordinator will plan the move with you, from survey to setup, and tell you what to book separately, such as an AC technician.