An Orlando move comes with a layer of local detail the generic checklists tend to skip. In one stretch you might be waiting on a Certificate of Insurance to clear for a downtown high-rise, holding an elevator in a Lake Eola tower, sorting out the move-in rules at a Lake Nona or Winter Garden gated community, and keeping half an eye on the tropics during hurricane season. Because the HomeTeam crew runs exactly these jobs out of our Kirkman Road office every week, what follows is the straightforward timeline we walk customers through, week by week, with the local pieces built in.
4 to 6 Weeks Before Your Move
Reserve the Date and Put It on Paper
Orlando calendars fill fast, and summer is the toughest stretch of all. Across June, July, and August, apartment turnover near UCF and downtown moves quickly, families relocate before the school year, and Lake Nona Medical City and hospitality relocations stack on top, so the solid crews go early. During that stretch, plan on at least a six-week head start. We put a flat rate in writing, which keeps move day free of surprises. Send your two ZIP codes and the date, and flag a downtown high-rise, a gated community, or a long out-of-state haul so we can plan the access ahead.
Go Through the Lease, HOA, or Building Rules Early
This is the point where an Orlando move stops being one-size-fits-all. What you need to square away comes down to the kind of place you are landing in:
- Downtown high-rise condo or apartment (Thornton Park, Lake Eola, the Hourglass District): the building will likely want a Certificate of Insurance naming it as additional insured, an elevator reserved for you, and a loading window booked ahead.
- Lake Nona, Winter Garden, Windermere, or Horizon West gated community: most HOAs run on move-in rules, gate clearance, posted hours, and a notice filed before a truck can come through.
- Winter Park 1920s bungalow, College Park or Conway ranch: brick streets, tight driveways, and low oak canopies mean we plot the carry and the truck’s staging spot ahead of time.
Watch the Tropics and the Heat Calendar
If your window falls inside hurricane season, check the National Hurricane Center outlook before you lock a date. A tropical system can put Central Florida under a watch on a few days’ notice, and a peak-summer afternoon brings near-daily downpours on top of a triple-digit heat index. An early start, a shoulder-season date, or a window clear of the September-to-October peak runs much easier. Tell us how much flexibility you have and we will steer you to the cleanest staging window.
2 to 3 Weeks Before Your Move
Orlando Utility Transfer Checklist
In Central Florida, your utilities are largely decided by your address rather than by a provider you get to choose, so timing matters far more than comparison-shopping. Here is how it lays out for the Orlando area:
| Utility | Provider | Lead Time | How to Set Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | OUC (Orlando Utilities Commission) or Duke Energy by area | 3–5 days | OUC or Duke Energy website or phone |
| Water/Sewer | OUC, Orange County Utilities, or your city service | 3–5 days | Through OUC or your county/city water office |
| Internet/TV | Spectrum or AT&T Fiber by area | 7–10 days | Check coverage at the new address first |
| Trash/Recycling | City of Orlando or Orange County service | With your move-in date | Through your city or county solid-waste office |
| HOA dues | Your association | Before closing | Through the management company |
Square Away High-Rise and Gated Access
Headed into a downtown tower or a gated community? Handle the access before move day. A high-rise needs the elevator reserved and the loading window set, and a Lake Nona, Winter Garden, or Windermere HOA needs your move added to its calendar with gate clearance arranged. Pin down where the truck can stage, get the dock or gate hours in writing, and for a storm-season date, build in a little slack in case the tropics force a change.
Redirect Your Mail
File your USPS change of address at least 10 days out. Online it carries a small identity-check fee of about $1.10; in person at any post office it is free.
1 Week Before Your Move
Your Last-Week Run-Through
- Reconfirm the date, the arrival window, and any special instructions with our crew
- Hand off elevator reservations, gate or building codes, COIs, and the parking plan
- Put together a move-day essentials box (the list is below)
- Decide where the truck stages, whether that is a downtown loading zone, a tight Winter Park brick street, or an HOA gate
- Let the neighbors know if the truck will need to sit across a shared driveway or a narrow lane
Orlando Essentials Box
- A case of bottled water and electrolyte packets by the door, since a summer move day runs hot and humid
- A phone charger and a portable battery in case a storm cuts power at either address
- A roll of shrink-wrap and a couple of tarps within reach for a mid-load downpour
- Old towels or a mat at every entry to catch tracked-in rain and grit
- Keep your important paperwork, medications, and valuables with you, never loaded on the truck
After You Move
Post-Move Administrative Tasks
| Task | Deadline | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Update your FL driver’s license address | 10 days | FLHSMV, flhsmv.gov | State law gives you 10 days to report a new address |
| Update your vehicle registration | 10 days | FL DMV / tax collector office | New residents: title and register within 10 days of working or enrolling kids in school |
| Register to vote | 29 days before an election | registertovoteflorida.gov | Update your address with the Orange County Supervisor of Elections |
| Update insurance policies | ASAP | Your provider | FL auto plus renters or homeowners (ask about windstorm coverage) |
| Update bank/financial addresses | ASAP | Online banking | Checks, statements, tax documents |
One Florida step that catches newcomers out: if you buy a primary home, file for the Florida homestead exemption with the Orange County Property Appraiser to lock in the property-tax break, then get the AC serviced before the first real heat wave. An older College Park bungalow or a brand-new Lake Nona townhome can blindside a first-year owner the first time a July afternoon hits ninety-five.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you issue a Certificate of Insurance for a downtown high-rise?
Yes. As a licensed and insured Florida mover, we issue COIs for downtown towers and Lake Nona buildings all the time. Send the building’s exact wording a few business days ahead, ideally 3 to 5, and we will file it with the property manager so your elevator and loading slot get cleared.
Do you handle gated communities and HOA move-in rules?
Every week. Lake Nona, Winter Garden, Windermere, and Horizon West communities run on gate clearance and posted move-in hours, and we are in and out of them constantly. Forward the rules and whatever notice the HOA wants, and we will have the entry, hours, and staging handled before move day.
Can you move during hurricane season?
Yes, and we do it right through summer and fall. The June-to-November season means we keep an eye on the tropics around your date, shrink-wrap against sudden downpours, and hold a cushion so we can run ahead of a named storm. If your dates can flex, a shoulder-season or off-peak move goes smoother and easier on the wallet.
Are you an actual mover, or a broker?
A moving company, full stop. Every HomeTeam Moving job across Central Florida runs on our own trucks with our own W-2 crew. Your move is never subcontracted or handed off, and your details are never shared or sold.
Do you take on interstate moves and storm-season moves?
Both. Interstate jobs go out under our US DOT and MC authority, and storm-season moves are weekly work, shrink-wrap and floor protection included. If the dates don’t line up, our climate-controlled storage runs roughly $80 to $240 a month by unit size.