Utilities are one of those things that feel like they can be handled later—until you arrive at a new home with no power and your moving crew waiting on the driveway. Or you get a bill for a month of service at a home you moved out of weeks ago. Getting utilities right during a household move doesn’t take much time, but it does require a little advance thought. Here’s how to keep the lights on at both ends.
Start by Making a Complete List
Before you call a single provider, write down every utility and recurring home service currently in your name. The typical list includes electricity, natural gas, water and sewer, trash collection, internet and cable, and home security. Don’t forget services that often get overlooked: lawn care, pest control, and any local municipal accounts like recycling pickup. Having the full picture in front of you makes the process much more manageable than tracking it down one call at a time.
Include account numbers and provider contact information for each service. You’ll need those when you call to schedule changes, and having them organized upfront saves you from digging through old bills at the worst possible moment.
The Timing That Matters Most
Contact your current utility providers at least two to three weeks before your move. That window gives companies enough time to schedule any necessary technician visits and process your account changes without rushing. According to Updater, two to four weeks of lead time is the sweet spot—early enough to avoid service gaps, but not so far out that things fall through the cracks administratively.
When you call, schedule your shutoff for the day after your official move-out date, not before. You’ll want power, water, and heat available on moving day itself while the crew is working through your home. Cutting off service a day early can make an already long day significantly harder.
Set Up the New Home Before You Arrive
Your new home needs to have utilities active before you move in, not after. Research which companies serve your new address as soon as you have a confirmed move date. In Cheyenne and across Wyoming, utility providers vary by location, and some services require a scheduled technician appointment before activation. If you’re moving during peak summer season, technician availability may be limited—another reason to call early.
For internet service in particular, lead time matters. Installation appointments during summer moving season can book out weeks in advance in some areas. If remote work is part of your life, getting internet scheduled early should be near the top of the list.
Don’t Overlook the Details That Catch People Off Guard
A few items routinely get missed during the utility shuffle. If you have a security monitoring service, contact them separately—most require advance notice to transfer or cancel service, and some are subject to contracts with early-termination terms. If you pay a deposit with any of your current utilities, request that refund when you close the account so you’re not waiting months for a check to show up at your old address.
On moving day itself, do a quick meter reading at your old home before you leave. That gives you a documented baseline if any billing questions come up after the move. Same at the new home when you arrive—record the meter readings on your first day there.
Update Your Address While You’re at It
Changing your address with the U.S. Postal Service is fast and can be done online at usps.com. Do it as soon as your move date is confirmed. Beyond mail forwarding, update your address with your bank, insurance providers, employer, and any subscriptions or recurring deliveries. It takes longer than people expect to work through the full list, so starting early keeps important mail and billing from going to a house you no longer live in.
We Handle the Move. You Handle the Lights.
Let Arrow Moving & Storage take the logistics of moving day off your plate so you can focus on getting your new home in Cheyenne, WY, set up and running. Our experienced residential moving team is ready to help from the first box to the last. Contact us today for a free estimate, and let’s plan your move together.