Our guide accompanies you from the first thought of moving to the apartment handover – with checklists, deadlines and practical tips for Switzerland. It includes our FAQ and the moving calculator.
48 articles in 8 topics · for all of Switzerland
Start here
Three articles most moves begin with.
Printable moving checklistMoving checklist for Switzerland: what to do three months, six weeks and one week before, and after your move.4 min read
How much does a move in Switzerland cost?How much does a move in Switzerland cost? The key price factors, fixed price vs hourly rate, and how to compare quotes properly.3 min read
Apartment handover without stressApartment handover in Switzerland: process, handover report, normal wear and tear and what to watch for with defects.5 min readYour moving timeline
What to do when – with the matching articles for each step.
3 months before
Give notice on your lease, observing the notice period, and check your canton’s official moving dates.
6–8 weeks before
Get quotes, fix your moving date, arrange the apartment handover appointment.
4 weeks before
Declutter, plan a clearance, apply for a parking permit for the van, set up mail forwarding with Swiss Post.
1 week before
Pack and label boxes by room, defrost the freezer, confirm the cleaning.
Moving day
Photograph the meter readings, carry documents and valuables yourself.
Within 14 days
Register with your new municipality, update your address with health insurer, bank and road traffic office.
Planning & organisation
Rent a van or hire movers? The honest comparisonDIY move with a rental van or a moving company? Rental prices, driving licence, parking, insurance and time – plus the middle way4 min readLeaving Switzerland: the moving checklist – flat, deregistration, taxes, pension, customsMoving abroad from Switzerland: notice on the flat, deregistration, permit, taxes, health insurance, pension, customs, car and post – in the right …6 min readSwiss moving terms explained: Zügeltermin, Abnahmeprotokoll, Sperrgut & co.Zügeln, Zügeltermin, Nachmieter, Abnahmeprotokoll, Sperrgut, Einwohnerkontrolle7 min readFinding a moving company: how to check a firm before you commitLooking for movers nearby? How to check the commercial register, UID, address, insurance and quote – and how to spot dubious offers.3 min readPrintable moving checklistEvery task from giving notice to registering.4 min readHow much does a move in Switzerland cost?The price factors – and how to save without risk.3 min readRegistering your moveDeadlines and offices that need your new address.7 min readParking permit for the moving vanWhere and how early to apply for a no-parking zone.5 min readHow to pack moving boxes properlyHow many moving boxes do I need, how heavy may a box be and how do I pack crockery, books and clothes? Practical tips.2 min readMoving in winter: how it works in snow and coldMoving in winter: easier dates, protection from wet and cold, plants, electronics and pianos. Tips for moving in the cold season.2 min readDecluttering before a move: move less, pay lessDeclutter properly before moving: method, selling and donating, disposing of bulky waste and electrical items – and saving moving costs.2 min readShort-notice move: the plan for the last five daysOrganising a move in a few days: priorities, a day-by-day plan for the last five days and how to get help at short notice.3 min readSwiss Post mail forwardingPrices, deadline and what is not forwarded.2 min readLabelling your mailbox and doorbell correctly after movingWhat Swiss Post requires and who is responsible.2 min readMoving between Zurich and AargauTax, car, notice dates and dog when changing canton.4 min readHow long does a move take? Typical prices by flat sizeHours by number of rooms, with and without a lift.2 min read
Tenancy, law & insurance
Official moving dates by cantonWhy the end of March and September is fully booked.4 min readGetting your rent deposit back in SwitzerlandWhen and how to get your rent deposit back in Switzerland: deposit account, release by the landlord and the one-year rule.2 min readMoving out early: proposing a replacement tenantLeaving before the notice date: what a reasonable replacement tenant is, which documents count and how to avoid paying double rent.3 min readInsurance when moving: who pays if something breaks?Household contents insurance, the mover’s liability and extra cover: how to be properly insured when moving – and how to report damage.3 min readMoving helpersWho is liable for damage and accidents – and when professionals pay off.2 min read
Special moves
Moving with children and petsPlan ahead so the day stays relaxed for everyone.3 min readOffice move checklist for businessesPlanning an office move: checklist with timeline, responsibilities, IT, address change with commercial register and VAT, and communication.3 min readMoving into a care home: a guide for relativesOrganising a move into a retirement or care home: choosing furniture, making the room feel familiar, dissolving the flat and observing deadlines.3 min readStudent move: into a shared flat or first studio on a budgetPlanning a student move in Switzerland on a budget: what a small move needs, five ways to save, what it costs and what to report to the commune …3 min readPlants when movingPreparing, packing and import rules.2 min read
Moving abroad and to Switzerland
Emigrating: customs and household goodsWhich documents you need when moving abroad.4 min readEmigrating to Germany: checklist for your moveMoving from Switzerland to Germany: deregistration, customs for household goods, registration within two weeks and transport tips.2 min readMoving to Switzerland: the key stepsMoving to Switzerland: registering with the municipality, health insurance within three months, customs for household goods, car and driving licence.3 min read
Clearance & disposal
Household clearance: a checklist in eight stepsClearing a whole household step by step: who decides, what to secure first, what happens to the furniture and how cellar and attic get emptied.3 min readClearing a flat after a death: order of steps, deadlines, pitfallsClearing a flat after a death in Switzerland: notice by the heirs, the deadline for renouncing the inheritance, what not to do first – official …6 min readA hoarded home: what relatives can do – and what notWhat relatives can do about a hoarded home in Switzerland: what specialist bodies advise, where to get counselling, the KESB’s role, when a clearance …3 min readBulky waste, appliances, special waste: what goes where?Disposing of bulky waste, appliances, batteries, paint and chemicals in Switzerland4 min read
Cleaning & flat handover
Service life table: what tenants really pay when moving outSwiss joint service life table: lifespans for paint, parquet, carpet, kitchen and bath, the depreciation formula with a calculator, and a 2026 Zurich …5 min readApartment handover without stressWhat landlords check and how the inspection works.5 min readEnd-of-tenancy cleaning: do it yourself or hire a company?End-of-tenancy cleaning in Switzerland: what the landlord may require, a checklist for thorough cleaning and when a company with a handover guarantee …3 min readHandover guarantee for end-of-tenancy cleaning: what it coversWhat a handover guarantee for end-of-tenancy cleaning means, under which conditions it applies, what it does not cover and what to do on handover day.3 min readDo I have to paint when moving out? Normal wear and service lifePainting when moving out in Switzerland: tenants are not liable for normal wear.4 min read
Storage, transport & assembly
Storing furniture: how much space you need and how to prepareStoring furniture in Switzerland: typical prices for volume by flat size, cost per m³, preparing your furniture and what to check with your contents …3 min readDismantling furniture before a move: what, how and whenWhich furniture must be taken apart before a move, how to keep screws and parts in order and why tall furniture belongs on the wall in the new home.3 min readHaving furniture from Tutti or Ricardo picked up: how it worksBought a sofa on Tutti or a wardrobe on Ricardo – and no car? What to clarify before buying, what transport costs and how to combine several pieces.2 min readFurniture lift or stairwell? How to decideWhen a furniture lift is worth it: floor, narrow stairs, bulky furniture, permits and weather – a decision guide with examples.3 min readMoving without a liftWhen the stairwell is enough and when a furniture lift pays off.2 min readMoving a piano: process, costs and what to prepareMoving an upright or grand piano in Switzerland: how the transport works, what it costs, what to prepare and why tuning should wait a few weeks.2 min readMoving a fridge and washing machine without damageWaiting time after transport and transport bolts.2 min read
When time is short
Moving company has cancelled or does not turn up: what to do nowYour movers cancel or do not turn up: the first steps, a template for written confirmation and what Swiss consumer guides say about your rights.5 min readEviction and clearance: the procedure for property managers in Zurich and AargauTenant will not move out: what property managers may not do, how the procedure runs, who clears in the city of Zurich and what an Aargau decision …6 min readEmergency plan: know in two minutes what comes firstChoose your situation and deadline: the emergency plan shows what to do in the first hour, today and by the deadline – with templates and a ready …5 min read