Moving to West Des Moines?
Utilities, city services, schools, moving requirements and the practical stuff worth knowing when you're getting settled.
Your first-week checklist.
Handle the essentials first. The decorative throw pillows will somehow survive another day.
Local help for your move.
A few West Des Moines businesses that can make the before, during, and after parts of moving a little easier.
Gracing My Space
KELLI SIEBENAHLER PROFESSIONAL DECORATOR & CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZERFrom decluttering and packing to unpacking, new-home setup and staging, Gracing My Space helps make the transition from one home to the next feel more organized.
Home organizing, decorating, home staging, move management, decluttering, downsizing, packing and unpacking, relocation guidance, new-home setup, space planning, sorting and donating.
All Junk Solutions
FULL-SERVICE JUNK REMOVAL SERVING WEST DES MOINES + THE DES MOINES METROAll Junk Solutions helps clear out what isn’t coming with you. Their team can remove unwanted furniture, appliances, mattresses, electronics, garage and basement clutter, and other household items before or after moving day.
Full-service junk removal, furniture and appliance removal, property and estate cleanouts, garage and basement cleanouts, dumpster rentals and light demolition. Same-day and next-day appointments may be available.
THEY DO THE WORK. 515.975.2840
Iowa Moving 1
LOCAL MOVING LABOR DES MOINES METRO + COMMUNITIES WITHIN 100 MILESIowa Moving 1 provides the moving crew while you provide the rental truck, trailer or portable storage container. Their team can help load, unload, pack and rearrange furniture, whether you need help with a few heavy pieces or the whole move.
Loading and unloading rental trucks, trailers and portable storage containers, packing help, furniture rearranging, heavy-item moving and moving labor for homes, individuals and businesses.
LOCAL HELP ROTATES AUTOMATICALLY • SELECT A CATEGORY TO HOLD IT
Know someone good? We probably want to know them too.
As PackBetter gets to know businesses serving West Des Moines, we'll add local resources that can make moving a little easier, from organizing and cleaning to junk removal, real estate and moving help.
Local resources are independently owned businesses. PackBetter does not charge businesses to be featured.
Utilities & Home Services
West Des Moines makes this relatively painless. Water Works handles more than its name suggests, which is useful once someone tells you that.
Water Service
West Des Moines Water Works handles water service for the city. Start here when establishing or stopping service at your address.
WATER & UTILITIES →Electric & Gas
MidAmerican Energy provides natural gas and electricity to West Des Moines residents and businesses.
MANAGE ENERGY SERVICE →Garbage & Recycling
West Des Moines Water Works also handles billing for municipal garbage and recycling services, so you don't need to hunt down a separate garbage account.
UTILITY INFORMATION →Trash, Recycling & Getting Rid of Stuff
The part of moving where you discover that apparently your household has been collecting extension cords since 2007.
Residential garbage is part of West Des Moines' municipal service system and billed through Water Works.
SERVICE INFO →Recycling is also included among the municipal services billed through West Des Moines Water Works.
RECYCLING INFO →Public Services maintains current information about yard-waste collection and seasonal disposal events.
PUBLIC SERVICES →The city publishes solid-waste and recycling events throughout the year for materials that need something beyond the ordinary curbside cart.
DISPOSAL RESOURCES →Address, License, Voting & Vehicles
A few forms stand between you and being administratively recognized as a person who has successfully moved.
New Iowa residents must title and register their motor vehicles within 30 days of establishing residency. West Des Moines spans more than one county, so use the county associated with your home address.
New Iowa Residents
Driver's license and ID requirements, documentation, testing and appointment information for people moving into Iowa.
NEW TO IOWA →Vehicle Registration
Iowa DOT explains the registration process and how to work with the county treasurer for your new residence.
VEHICLE REGISTRATION →Change Your Address
Already have an Iowa driver's license or ID? Use Iowa DOT's address-change information after moving.
ADDRESS CHANGE INFO →Update Your Voter Registration
Moved recently? Check that your Iowa voter registration is current, update your address if needed and confirm your polling place before the next election.
Iowa's pre-registration deadline for the November 3, 2026 general election is October 19. If you miss that deadline, eligible Iowa voters can still register or update their registration when voting early in person or on Election Day.
IOWA VOTER REGISTRATION INFO →Schools & Families
School boundaries don't always respect city names nearly as much as humans would prefer, so check your address first.
West Des Moines Community Schools
New WDMCS students can enroll online year-round. The district also provides an address lookup to help families confirm whether a home is inside district boundaries.
NEW FAMILY ENROLLMENT →West Des Moines Public Library
The library offers free library cards and access to books, digital resources, programs, meeting rooms and other community services.
GET A LIBRARY CARD →Parks & Recreation
Find West Des Moines parks, trails, facilities, recreation programs and community activities.
PARKS & RECREATION →Moving With Pets
Your dog or cat also has paperwork. Presumably they delegated this responsibility to you.
West Des Moines requires dogs and cats six months or older to be licensed annually. New residents have 30 days after moving into the city to obtain licenses. Current rabies vaccination information is required.
A little planning goes a long way.
The city paperwork matters. So does not discovering at 9:40 p.m. that your phone charger is buried in Tote 27.
Confirm parking, building access, stairs, elevators or HOA rules before the first load arrives.
Medications, chargers, toiletries, clothes, paperwork and anything you'll want before the rest is unpacked.
Totes handle what you can pack. Mattresses, furniture and awkward pieces need their own moving-day plan.
Totes handle what you can pack.
Move+ helps with what you can't.
Add extra moving equipment for the bigger, awkward parts of the move: mattress protection, lifting straps, extra blankets, furniture sliders, corner protection, stretch wrap, doorstops and organization pouches, plus the extra tote it all comes in.
Getting settled in West Des Moines.
A few reliable starting points for the assorted little questions that appear once you've actually moved in.
Explore another local guide.
Pack better.
Move easier.
PackBetter delivers complete moving kits throughout West Des Moines and the surrounding area, then picks everything back up when you're done. Check your ZIP using the delivery-area tool we've already built.