Inspiration

After relocating for a new job last year, I missed critical utility transfer steps and faced costly service disruptions—frustrating, avoidable mistakes. I realized how fragmented moving checklists are, so I set out to build a one-stop tool that covers every essential task, from pre-move inspections to community integration.

What it does

MoveIn Checklist is a free web tool that organizes moving tasks into intuitive tabs: pre-move inspections, address changes, utility transfers, community guidance, and renovation timelines. It tracks task completion in real time, offers print-friendly checklists, and works seamlessly on phones or desktops—no logins, just instant access.

How we built it

I started by mapping out core moving pain points (from personal experience and peer interviews) to define 5 key modules. I designed the UI in Figma using a calm, mobile-first color palette, then built the single-page app with HTML/CSS/JavaScript and React for tab navigation. Bootstrap handled responsiveness, and custom JS logic powered progress tracking and checkbox interactions.

Challenges we ran into

The biggest hurdle was syncing module-specific progress with the overall dashboard percentage—ensuring real-time updates without lag, especially on mobile. I also struggled to balance visual simplicity with comprehensive task coverage, iterating multiple times to trim clutter while keeping all critical tasks intact.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Creating a tool that’s truly user-centric: touch-optimized checkboxes, print-ready layout, and no barrier to entry (no accounts). Seeing friends test it and say it would have saved them time/money during their moves was incredibly rewarding—validation that it solves real problems.

What we learned

I deepened my understanding of responsive design for cross-device usability and learned to prioritize core functionality over "nice-to-have" features. Most importantly, I realized how impactful small, focused tools are—solving one specific pain point (moving chaos) better than a jack-of-all-trades app.

What's next for this project

I plan to add editable task lists so users can tailor checklists to their move, integrate local utility provider links for major cities, and add a PDF export feature. Long-term, I want to include a budget tracker module to help users manage moving costs alongside task tracking.