Moving home is perhaps one of the most stressful times in your life! There is the stress of finding a new home, dealing with all the negotiations and legal administration and then there is all the planning and finally the actual move itself which, if you do it yourself is perhaps the best workout you will ever have. Here we aim to give you some handy hints and tips to make the whole process a lot smoother and hopefully less stressful.
Plan the Move
Perhaps the biggest tip for a successful house move is to plan the move as much and as early as possible. Start a moving folder to store all that paperwork that you will be receiving and for your moving plan. Make a list of everything you need to do and then start putting timelines against them working backwards from your move date. Here is a really handy calendar tool to help you organise those timings.
Decide how you are going to move
There are essentially only two options here. Use a reputable removal firm or do it yourself. If you are opting to use a removal firm, get them in to look around and quote as soon as you possibly can. Whatever you do don’t leave this till the last minute, as the last thing you want is to hit moving day and have no-one to move you. Don’t worry if you don’t know the exact move date, removers are used to this and they will work with you on the booking. If you are moving yourself then book the van as early as possible and, if you are asking friends to help, ensure they know the timings of the move to make sure they are around on that hectic day. Do not underestimate how important it is to get the logistics sorted. If you can, arrange to collect the hire vehicle the night before the move so you have it there ready on the big day(s).
De-Clutter
Moving home is the perfect opportunity to de-clutter your home. Take a good look at all your possessions, especially those that have been stored in the loft or the garage for years and dispose of everything that you don’t need. You can sell, donate to charity or dispose of anything you are unlikely to use or is broken. When it comes to the move, you will be grateful for every item less you have to carry.
Start Packing
Packing is a very time-consuming process and the sooner you start the more chance you will have of completing it all before you need to move. You really want to start packing around 4-6 weeks before you move. One tip here is to buy robust boxes and good packing tape. Flimsy boxes will split, and poor packing tape will simply peel off. There are a myriad of different box types so here is a really handy guide to help you choose the right boxes for your move. When starting to pack, start in a room that you don’t really need to use such as a dining room or spare bedroom. You can then pack items from other rooms and put the boxes in this room to keep the disruption to your daily routine to a minimum.
Packing Hacks
Packing can be a black art at the best of times so here are some handy tips to help with your packing process:
- Take photos of your electrical equipment before you disconnect all those leads, this will make reconnecting a lot simpler
- Pack books and heavy items into roller suitcases, this will make them a lot easier to move
- Group clothes hangers with the clothes left on into groups of up to 10, secure the hangers together with an elastic band and cover with a sturdy, clean black bag and seal the neck. This saves you having to remove the hangers and they will be ready to hang the moment you move in
- Use towels, blankets, duvet covers and other such linens to protect fragile items, like mirrors. This will save you having to buy lots of bubble wrap
- Don’t worry about removing items from drawers, simply take them out of the unit and transport them full. If you are worried about items jumping around – wrap the drawer in shrink wrap
- When dismantling furniture, tape all the parts together as best as you can and put all the fixings into one bag and tape this to the furniture, so you know which item it is for. This will also reduce the risk of the fittings being misplaced
- Put glasses and mugs into socks before loading into boxes to keep them safe and sound
- Use paper plates as separators between each of your dinner plates, much easier and quicker than wrapping each one in news paper
Make sure that you carefully label each box, so you know where to take it when you move in. The last thing you want to do it put a box in one room only to have to move it to another.
Start informing people and organisations
As part of your list for things to do, you’ll need to list out all the people and organisations that you need to notify of the move. Some of these will need notifying weeks in advance to ensure services are switched to your new address in plenty of time. There are too many to mention in this short article but thankfully the folk at removal reviews have a great list already made out for you.
Set up a mail re-direct
An often overlooked and yet an important task is ensuring that your mail is re-directed to your new address. Even if you think you have told everyone you know there is a chance you will have missed someone or that any changes won’t take effect soon enough. Setting up a mail re-direct will ensure you get all your post at your new address and will also minimise the possibility of identity theft. Thankfully this is easy to set up through the Post Office online.
Pack a bag/box of essentials
This is another great tip; you will need a bag or box of essentials for that period when everything is packed. Make sure you have things like spare clothes, toothbrushes and toothpaste and any other personal hygiene items. What about some food and a couple of plates with knives and forks? You’ll want a cuppa at some stage, so you’ll need to keep the kettle out. Money Supermarket have a great list for you to use.
Moving can be stressful at the best of times but with careful planning and following these handy tips, the whole process will run a bit more smoothly and you’ll be enjoying your new home with, hopefully, minimal fuss and bother.
