Moving House Checklist Singapore: Complete 8-Week Guide to Move Day
An eight-week timeline for HDB, condo and rental moves, covering utilities, handover and cleaning. Updated October 2026.
Last updated: 10 October 2026 · By the Sureclean cleaning team
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Key takeaways
- Start eight weeks out by confirming your completion, key collection or lease end date in writing, because the rest of the plan depends on it.
- Use weeks 4 to 1 for admin: SP Group utilities, internet relocation, condo lift booking and your ICA address change, which is required within 28 days of moving.
- Clean the old home once it is empty, and clean the new one before your furniture arrives. Cleaning a home with furniture still in it leaves dust inside wardrobes and behind cabinets.
- Professional move-in and move-out cleaning starts from $370*, with most jobs at $475*–$525*, and first-time customers get 10% off.
Short answer: Start eight weeks out. In weeks 8 to 5, confirm dates, book movers and declutter. In weeks 4 to 1, sort out utilities with SP Group, move your internet, update your address and book cleaning for both homes. On moving day, clean the old home once it is empty and clean the new home before the furniture arrives. Professional move-out cleaning in Singapore starts from $370*, and most HDB jobs cost $475*–$525*.
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What does a moving house checklist in Singapore need to cover?
A move in Singapore has four parts, and each runs on its own timetable: the property paperwork (HDB, condo management or your landlord), the movers, your utilities and accounts, and the condition of both homes. The last part causes most of the last-minute stress, because cleaning can only start once a home is empty. Often you get just one day to do it.
This checklist counts back eight weeks from move day. It assumes you are in one of these common situations:
- BTO or new condo: you collect keys, renovate, then move in.
- HDB resale or private sale: you hand over vacant possession on the completion date.
- Rental: you return the flat to the landlord under the tenancy agreement, often with your deposit at stake.
Wherever the checklist mentions cleaning, it means an empty-home clean of the kind covered by move-in and move-out cleaning. That includes kitchen cabinets inside and out, bathrooms, windows and tracks, floors and fixtures. Shift the timings to match your own completion or lease date.
What should you do 8 to 5 weeks before moving day?
The early weeks are for fixing your dates and cutting down what you will move. Work through this list in order:
- Confirm your key date. Get the completion, key collection or lease end date in writing. Everything else depends on it.
- Get mover quotes. Ask two or three companies to view the home in person or by video. Weekends and month-ends book up first.
- Plan for any gap between homes. If the new home needs renovating, decide where you will stay and whether you need storage.
- Declutter. Sell, donate or arrange removal of bulky items now. In HDB estates, your town council can tell you how to dispose of them.
- Check your agreements. Tenants should reread the handover clause. Some leases require professional cleaning or curtain cleaning before the deposit is returned.
- Measure the new home. Door widths, lift size and room sizes decide which furniture will fit.
If you are renovating, schedule the works around your key date. Pencil in post-renovation cleaning for the week the contractor expects to finish.
What should you do 4 to 1 weeks before moving day?
This stretch is mostly admin. Each task takes a few minutes online, but they go wrong if you leave them to the last day.
- Electricity and water: open an SP Group account for the new address and close the old one. Allow a few working days, and check whether a deposit is needed.
- Gas: if the new home has piped gas, arrange the connection with your gas provider.
- Internet: ask your telco to relocate your line early, because installation slots fill up.
- Address change: update your NRIC address with ICA, which you must do within 28 days of moving. Then tell your bank, insurer and employer, and update online shops.
- Condo lift booking: book the service lift and confirm any deposit with the management office.
- Book cleaning: schedule the move-out clean for the day after the movers leave. Book the move-in clean for before the furniture arrives.
- Pack: start with the rooms you use least, and label each box with the room it is going to.
In the final week, defrost the fridge 24 hours before the move and photograph your meter readings on the last day.
How does handover work for HDB, condo and rental homes?
Handover rules depend on the type of home, and they set how clean the property needs to be.
- New BTO flats: inspect for defects when you collect the keys, and report them through HDB’s defect process within the defects liability period. Construction dust is normal, so plan a light clean before renovation and a thorough one after.
- HDB resale and private sales: the seller hands over vacant possession on completion. The option to purchase or the sale agreement sets the expected condition. Buyers usually expect an empty, clean home, with fixtures left as agreed.
- Rentals: most tenancy agreements require you to return the flat in the condition it was let, apart from fair wear and tear. Landlords often compare it with photos taken at move-in, so take your own photos before you leave.
Singapore’s humidity matters here. A flat left closed for a few weeks between owners can grow mould inside cabinets and wardrobes and around bathroom sealant. Leave windows slightly open where it is safe, and clean soon after the movers leave, so a small job does not turn into a big one.
Where do move-out and move-in cleaning fit in the timeline?
Cleaning should be the last job in the old home and the first job in the new one. This order works best:
- Old home, the day after the movers leave: a move-out clean of the empty flat, covering the inside of cabinets and wardrobes, kitchen and bathroom tiles, window tracks and floors. Finish any repairs or paint touch-ups before this clean, not after it.
- New home, if renovated: post-renovation cleaning once the contractor has finished, to remove fine dust and paint and cement marks. If the grout or vinyl needs scrubbing, deep floor cleaning is a separate add-on.
- New home, if not renovated: a move-in clean before the furniture arrives, so wardrobes and kitchen cabinets are clean before you fill them.
- Once the furniture is in: curtains, mattresses and sofas that travelled in a lorry can be cleaned on site.
If your renovation added new built-in carpentry, you may also want formaldehyde removal before moving in, especially with young children. Leave one or two days between the clean and the furniture delivery in case anything needs redoing.
How much does moving-related cleaning cost in Singapore?
These are Sureclean’s published starting prices, before GST. Your final quote depends on the size of the flat, its condition and whether it is empty.
- Move-in / move-out cleaning: from $370*. Most jobs cost between $475* and $525*.
- Post-renovation cleaning (HDB): 3-room $475*, 4-room $525*, 5-room $580*. Condo and landed homes are quoted by size.
- Deep floor cleaning add-on: 3-room $500*, 4-room $560*, 5-room $600*. It is never included in the post-renovation price, so a 4-room package costs $525* + $560* = $1,085*.
- Curtain cleaning (on-site steam): $35* per panel, or $40* for blackout curtains.
- Mattress cleaning: queen from $140*.
- Formaldehyde removal: $600*–$1,100* for a whole home.
First-time customers get a 10% discount. See the full list on our cleaning prices page. Mover fees are separate. They vary with the volume of belongings, the floor level and condo lift rules, so compare written quotes rather than estimates given over the phone.
When should you call a professional for move-out cleaning?
A professional clean is worth booking when time, standards or money are at stake:
- Your deposit depends on it. If the tenancy agreement asks for professional cleaning, a receipt from an NEA-licensed company is the simplest proof.
- You are handing over a flat you have sold. The completion date is fixed, and you usually have hours rather than days.
- You have lived in the flat for years. Kitchen grease, bathroom scale and mould in wardrobes need proper equipment and time to remove.
- You work full-time or are moving from overseas. Cleaning two homes in the same week is a lot to take on yourself.
Sureclean was founded in 2013 and has cleaned 50,000+ homes using its own trained crews rather than agency staff. It is NEA-licensed, carries S$1,000,000 public liability insurance and has a 4.9-star Google rating from 1,500+ reviews. Crews bring their own equipment, and if anything is missed, we come back to re-clean it. You can book move-out cleaning on WhatsApp at +65 6983 9523.
Moving-related cleaning prices at a glance
Sureclean’s published starting prices, before GST. First-time customers get 10% off.
| Service | Starting price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Move-in / move-out cleaning | From $370* | Most jobs $475*–$525* |
| Post-renovation cleaning, 4-room HDB | $525* | Deep floor cleaning is a separate add-on |
| Deep floor cleaning add-on, 4-room HDB | $560* | 4-room package with post-reno $1,085* |
| Spring / deep cleaning (one-time) | From $600* | Most jobs $700*–$800* |
| Curtain cleaning (on-site steam) | $35* per panel | Blackout $40* per panel |
| Mattress cleaning, queen | $140* dry / $165* wet | Both sides cleaned |
| Washing machine cleaning, top-load | $188* standard | Front-load $288* |
| Formaldehyde removal | $600*–$1,100* | 5-room about $900* |
When you do not need a professional
If you are leaving a small flat that is already well kept and you have a few days before handover, you can usually clean it yourself. Empty and wipe the cabinets inside, degrease the hob, descale the taps, clean the window tracks and mop twice. The same applies to a new home that has not been renovated, where a thorough wipe-down may be enough. Check your tenancy agreement first. If it does not require professional cleaning, a careful clean of your own is a reasonable choice.
Book your move-out clean before your handover date
WhatsApp +65 6983 9523 with your flat type and handover date. Move-in and move-out cleaning starts from $370*, and first-time customers get 10% off.
4.9★ · 1,553 Google reviews · NEA Class 3 licensed · S$1m insured
Or see the full Move-In / Move-Out Cleaning Singapore — from $370* — pricing, coverage and what is included.
Frequently asked questions
How early should I book move-out cleaning in Singapore?
Book two to three weeks before your handover date. Weekends and month-ends fill up first, because many leases and completions fall then. Schedule the clean for the day after the movers leave, when the flat is fully empty, and keep a spare day before handover. Sureclean’s move-in and move-out cleaning starts from $370*, and most jobs cost $475*–$525*.
Is move-out cleaning required to get my rental deposit back?
It depends on your tenancy agreement. Many Singapore leases require you to return the flat in its original condition, apart from fair wear and tear. Some specifically require professional cleaning or curtain cleaning. Read the handover clause and keep your receipts. Move-out cleaning starts from $370*, and on-site curtain steam cleaning costs $35* per panel.
What is the difference between move-in cleaning and post-renovation cleaning?
Move-in cleaning is for an empty home that has not been renovated, and covers cabinets, bathrooms, windows and floors. Post-renovation cleaning removes construction dust and paint and cement marks after works, so it takes longer. Move-in cleaning starts from $370*. Post-renovation cleaning for a 4-room HDB flat costs $525*, and deep floor scrubbing is a separate $560* add-on.
Should I clean before or after the movers come?
Clean the old home after the movers leave, and clean the new home before they arrive. If you clean while the furniture is still in place, you miss the dust behind it and inside wardrobes. Book the old home’s clean once it is empty, and finish the new home before delivery day. Move-out and move-in cleaning starts from $370* per job.
Can I add other cleaning services to a move-in clean?
Yes. Many households add curtain, mattress or washing machine cleaning to a move-in clean so everything is done before they unpack. On-site curtain steam cleaning costs $35* per panel, queen mattress cleaning is $140* (dry), and top-load washing machine cleaning starts at $188*. First-time customers get a 10% discount on their booking.
Related guides
Main service page: Move-In / Move-Out Cleaning Singapore — from $370*
*All prices shown are “from” prices for guidance only and are subject to change without notice. Final pricing depends on unit size, condition and site access — we confirm an exact written quote on WhatsApp (+65 6983 9523) before any booking is confirmed.
Alvin Tan
Founder & Managing Director, Sureclean
Alvin founded Sureclean in 2013 to bring reliable, professional cleaning standards to homes and businesses across Singapore. Today, Sureclean is NEA Class 3-licensed (NEA240120/6509C/C3/N01), rated 4.9★ across 1,553+ Google reviews, and has served over 50,000 homes across Singapore — backed by S$1,000,000 in public liability insurance and a 400-hour training standard for every crew member.
