Printable Guide · Updated 2026

The Northeast Florida Move-Day Checklist (2026)

A printable, week-by-week move checklist built for St. Augustine, Jacksonville, and the rest of Northeast Florida — hurricane-window timing, HOA gate paperwork, NAS Jax PCS coordination, and homestead exemption portability included.

call (904) 209-9277

Most generic move-day checklists were written for an apartment swap in a non-coastal city with no hurricane risk, no HOA gate houses, no homestead exemption, and no 95°F load conditions. This one is built specifically for Northeast Florida — St. Johns County, Duval County, the First Coast, and the surrounding region — by an owner-operated mover who runs these jobs every week. Print it, tape it to the fridge, and work down the list.

Below: the 4-weeks-out checklist, what to handle 2 weeks before, the final week, the day before, move-day morning, arrival at the new home, and the first week after. Five common questions are answered at the bottom — book a free walkthrough with Happy 2 Help when you're ready.

4 Weeks Before Move Day

Four weeks out is when an organized Northeast Florida move actually begins. The big-ticket items handled now save the panic later — booking the mover, locking in school transfer paperwork, and verifying that your dates don't collide with a hurricane forecast cone or a homestead deadline.

Book your mover. Call (904) 209-9277 or request a free walkthrough from Happy 2 Help. Lock the date in writing.
Check the hurricane window if moving June through November. Watch the National Hurricane Center seven-day outlook and ask your mover about reschedule policy. See our hurricane-season moving guide for the full timeline.
Request HOA gate-house COI paperwork if moving in or out of Nocatee, Palencia, Murabella, World Golf Village, or any Ponte Vedra Beach gated community. The HOA needs a 7–10 day window.
Submit school district transfer. St. Johns County School District and Duval County Public Schools each have specific transfer windows — start the paperwork now if children are changing zones.
Gather homestead exemption portability paperwork if moving within Florida. You can carry up to $500,000 of Save Our Homes assessed-value benefit to a new primary residence. Get the closing statement from the old home and Form DR-501T ready.
Take photos of every room at the current home. These become your "this is how it was" record for security-deposit returns, insurance claims, and any damage disputes.
Order packing supplies. Small, medium, large, dish-pack, wardrobe boxes — plus paper, bubble wrap, tape, markers. Or schedule full-service packing services.
Start the purge. Closet by closet — donate, sell, or trash. Florida heat and humidity ruin some materials in storage, so this is the move to actually let things go.
Coordinate military DPS appointment if PCSing in or out of NAS Jacksonville or NS Mayport. Your installation Personal Property Office handles the timeline. See military relocations for the PPM/HHG decision tree.
Inventory specialty items — pianos, gun safes, antiques, climate-sensitive electronics. Tell your mover now, not on move day.
Set up mail forwarding with USPS — choose the start date so it takes effect the morning of move day.
Notify HOA / property manager of both old and new addresses about the move date. Open communication prevents same-day surprises.

2 Weeks Before

Two weeks out, the move starts to feel real. Utilities, the final inventory walkthrough, and any military or HOA paperwork happen here. Anything you put off into the final week is going to land at a worse time.

Final inventory walkthrough with H2H. The estimator confirms volume, access, and any specialty handling needs. This is the moment to flag the piano you forgot to mention.
Schedule utility transfers. FPL (Florida Power & Light) for most of Northeast Florida south of Jacksonville. JEA for Jacksonville and most of Duval County. Comcast / Xfinity, AT&T Fiber, or T-Mobile Home Internet — schedule disconnect for move-day evening and connect at the new home for the morning after.
Transfer water and trash. St. Johns County Utilities, JEA, or your municipal provider. Trash pickup days change — confirm with the new city.
NAS Jacksonville or NS Mayport DPS coordination. If you've selected an HHG (full government-arranged) move, your TSP has been assigned and the pre-move survey is on the calendar. If you're doing a PPM (DITY), confirm your booking with H2H and your installation TMO/PPSO. See military relocations.
HOA gate COI submission. Your mover provides the COI naming the HOA as additionally insured. Nocatee Town Center, Palencia, and Murabella all require 7–10 days lead time. Submit through the gate office or the community portal.
Confirm freight elevator or loading dock reservation if moving to or from a Jacksonville high-rise (Townsend, San Marco Place, downtown towers). Property management books elevators — they don't appear on move day by accident.
Start packing non-essentials. Holiday decorations, off-season clothes, books, art. Label boxes by room of destination, not by room of origin.
Confirm pet boarding or kid care for move day. Florida summer move days are not the day to add toddlers and dogs to the load process.
Update insurance. Notify auto, home, and renters insurers of the new address and effective date. Florida wind/hail coverage is separate — check it.
Set up auto-pay for the new utility accounts so nothing surprises you in the chaos of week one.

1 Week Before

One week out, the move is locked in and the only remaining risk is weather. Watch the forecast, finish packing everything that isn't essential to the final week, and confirm crew arrival.

Pack everyday items by room. Kitchen first (it always takes longer), then dressers and closets. Leave one functional toolkit, one set of cookware, and one round of clothing accessible.
Confirm crew arrival window with H2H. Florida summer crews start at 6 or 7 AM to beat the humidity. Verify the address, gate code, and parking plan for both ends.
Hurricane forecast check — at one week out, the National Hurricane Center cone is reliable. If a storm is forecast to make landfall in Florida during your window, talk to H2H about a reschedule before the panic-rebook rush.
St. Augustine historic district parking permit if moving in the King Street, Aviles Street, or Anastasia corridor. The City of St. Augustine requires a 24–48 hour lead time. Bring proof of move date.
Defrost the freezer — Florida humidity turns a still-frozen freezer into a leaky mess in transit. Move perishables to a cooler 24 hours before pickup.
Drain gas-powered tools. Lawnmower, weed eater, generator — empty fuel tanks before load day. Most movers cannot transport flammable liquids by federal regulation.
Disassemble what you can — bed frames, table legs, large mirrors. Bag the hardware and tape it to the underside of the matching piece.
Confirm payment method with H2H — credit card, ACH, certified funds. No mover should require large cash deposits.
Take a walk-through video of every room and closet just before final packing. Twenty seconds per room. Saves disputes later.

The Day Before

The day before move day, the goal is calm. Everything important should already be boxed. The remaining tasks are the small ones — the ones that, if skipped, ruin move day morning.

Pack the travel-day supplies bag. Toiletries, prescriptions, phone chargers, two changes of clothes, important documents, a few snacks. This bag rides with you, not on the truck.
Plant + pet planning. Florida summer heat means pets and tropical plants do not ride in a moving truck. Crate the cat. Drop the dog at a boarder or with family. Plants go in the passenger vehicle with the AC on.
Final walkthrough of every room and closet. Open every drawer. Check the attic, the garage, behind doors, in the laundry room cabinet.
Confirm phone numbers + access codes for both ends — gate codes for Nocatee, Palencia, or any Ponte Vedra community, garage codes, lockbox combinations, property manager phone.
Charge every device. Phones, the laptop, the headphones — move day is not the day to discover you forgot.
Cash for tips. If you plan to tip the crew at the end of the day, have cash ready in an envelope. (Percentage-based — see the arrival section below.)
Cooler with water + sports drinks. Florida summer dehydrates a crew fast. Keep cold water available all day.
Confirm tomorrow's weather. If a thunderstorm or named system has moved in, contact H2H tonight, not in the morning.
Set the alarm for 5:30 or 6 AM. Florida summer move days start early. The crew rolls in at 6:30 or 7.
Sleep. No, really. Sleep.

Move Day Morning

Florida summer move days run on humidity math. The dew point at 7 AM in August is already in the mid-70s — by 11 AM, the crew is fighting heat fatigue. Devin Vangel and the Happy 2 Help crew start early on purpose: load the truck before the worst of the heat, drive in air conditioning, unload before the afternoon thunderstorm.

6–7 AM crew arrival — Florida summer best practice. The crew will be at the door before the heat sets in. Have the driveway clear and the front door propped.
Final walkthrough with the H2H crew chief — show every room, the attic, the garage, the laundry area. Confirm what goes and what stays.
Confirm specialty handling — point out the piano, the gun safe, the antique mirror, the saltwater aquarium. Tell the crew chief in person, not just on the estimate.
Sign the inventory sheet as items are loaded. The crew tags every piece and lists pre-existing damage. Read it. Disagree on the spot if you do.
Keep water and ice accessible for the crew. Florida summer load conditions are real — a hydrated crew works faster and damages less.
Stay out of the path. The crew has a load order. Stand by, answer questions, do not try to help carry heavy items unless asked.
Last sweep before the truck pulls away. Every closet, every drawer, every shelf. The kitchen sink cabinet is the most-forgotten spot in any home.
Lock up. Turn off the AC (or set to 78 if the new owner takes possession later in the day). Verify all windows are locked. Drop the key per your closing agreement.
Take the inventory sheet with you — the customer copy, not the crew copy. You'll cross-reference it at delivery.

Move Day Arrival

The unload is faster than the load — boxes know where to go, and the crew has gravity on its side. Use the first hour at the new home to direct the crew, not to start unpacking.

Walk through the new home with the H2H crew chief before any boxes come off the truck. Show every room. Decide where the big furniture goes.
Mark room destinations clearly. Tape a sign on each door — Master, Kids, Office, Kitchen — matching the labels on the boxes.
Identify damage at delivery. As each item comes off the truck, check it against the inventory sheet. Note any new damage on the bill of lading before signing. Once signed, claims are harder.
Beds and essentials first. Ask the crew to assemble beds and reconnect washer/dryer before the rest of the unload. You will be tired tonight — a made bed matters more than an unpacked living room.
Tipping guideline. Tipping is voluntary but appreciated. A common percentage range is 5–10% of the moving service total for a job well done — adjust up for difficult access, long carries, or a heavy load; adjust down (or skip) if service was not what was promised. Cash is preferred and split among the crew.
Reconnect utilities. Confirm power, water, and internet are live. If JEA / FPL has not flipped the switch, call the day-of priority line.
Tape a "do not pack" sign on the kitchen counter for the items you'll need in the first 24 hours — coffee maker, basic dishes, paper towels.
Take photos at delivery. Same room-by-room walkthrough you did at the old home — for insurance and any disputed claims.
Verify the inventory final count matches the load sheet. Items missing? Report before the crew leaves.

First Week After the Move

Florida has a handful of deadlines that follow you home from the closing table. Knock these out in the first week and the rest of the year stays clean.

File Florida homestead exemption. File Form DR-501 with the county property appraiser (St. Johns, Duval, Clay, Nassau, etc.) by March 1 of the year you want the exemption. If porting Save Our Homes savings from a previous Florida home, also file DR-501T. The savings are real — file it.
Update Florida driver license within 30 days of moving. Visit a Florida DMV office (or your county tax collector branch) with proof of new address. Online change-of-address works if you already hold a Florida license.
Update voter registration through the Florida Division of Elections — online with your existing FL driver license, or paper through your county Supervisor of Elections.
Update vehicle registration. Within 10 days of becoming a Florida resident if moving from out of state, or update the address through the FLHSMV portal if already in Florida.
Finalize school enrollment. St. Johns County School District and Duval County Public Schools require proof of residence (closing statement, lease, or two utility bills) — bring these to the new school during the first week.
Confirm trash + recycling pickup days with the new county or city utility. Florida summer trash sitting in the heat for a missed pickup is unpleasant.
Test smoke and CO detectors in the new home. Replace batteries even if they appear to work — you didn't install them.
Locate the main water shutoff and electrical panel. Florida thunderstorm season is real. Knowing where the shutoffs are matters.
Leave a Google review for H2H if the crew earned it. The 128-review 5★ rating is built on customer feedback — yours counts.
Donate your moving boxes on the local Buy Nothing or Facebook Marketplace — they get reused, and you reclaim the garage.

Move-day checklist — frequently asked

How early should I book my Northeast Florida mover? expand_more

Book 4 to 6 weeks ahead for standard local moves in St. Johns or Duval County. During the May–September summer peak and the October–November snowbird inbound window, give yourself 6 to 8 weeks. For long-distance moves into Florida from the Northeast or Midwest, 6 to 8 weeks is the comfortable minimum because van-line capacity tightens in winter. Same-week moves are sometimes possible when a cancellation opens up, but you lose flexibility on crew and truck.

Do I need a permit to move in St. Augustine's historic district? expand_more

Yes. St. Augustine's historic district has narrow brick-paved streets and weight-restricted bridges onto Anastasia Island, so moving trucks need a parking permit issued by the city. Apply 24 to 48 hours ahead through the City of St. Augustine. A local mover that knows King Street, Aviles Street, and the streets around the Castillo can file the paperwork as part of your move booking — saving you a trip to City Hall.

What is the HOA gate-house process at Nocatee or Ponte Vedra? expand_more

Nocatee, Palencia, Murabella, World Golf Village, and most Ponte Vedra Beach gated communities require advance HOA approval for moving trucks. The standard workflow: the resident or mover submits a certificate of insurance (COI) naming the HOA as additionally insured, plus a crew name list and vehicle decal request, 7 to 10 days before move day. Nocatee Town Center is strict on the 7–10 day window. Happy 2 Help handles the gate paperwork as part of the booking process for residents in any of these communities.

Should I avoid moving during hurricane season? expand_more

Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with peak activity August through September. You do not need to avoid the entire season — most days are fine — but you should build a buffer into your schedule. If a named storm is in the cone during your move window, expect a 24 to 72 hour delay for crew and customer safety. Ask your mover about their hurricane reschedule policy in writing before booking, and watch the National Hurricane Center cone in the week leading up to move day.

How do I handle Florida homestead exemption when moving within the state? expand_more

If you are moving from one Florida primary residence to another, you can transfer (port) up to $500,000 of your Save Our Homes assessed-value benefit from the old homestead to the new one. File a homestead exemption application (Form DR-501) plus the portability transfer form (DR-501T) with your new county property appraiser by March 1 of the year you want the exemption. The old homestead must have been abandoned no more than three tax years prior. Save the closing statements from both homes — the appraiser will ask for them.

Ready to book the move behind this checklist?

Free walkthrough quote, no pressure. Owner-operated by Devin Vangel, USDOT 4480679, headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, serving Northeast Florida.

call Call (904) 209-9277

Also useful: our truck size guide, Northeast Florida moving permits guide, St. Augustine movers, Nocatee movers, and military relocations.