Tips for a stress free move
Tip 1: Pick a removals firm early on
Depending on when you’re planning to move, you may find that it’s hard to book in a date. After all, most people try to move at the weekends, over school holidays or bank holidays, giving themselves extra time. Don’t get caught out – plan in advance.
Picking a removals team might seem easy compared to all the other choices you’ve been making, but it’s important to pick professionals. Your items are dependent on the company you choose, and to avoid damage to items or the property, or paying more than you expected, it’s important to do your research.
Look at reviews from previous customers, check what your removals quote includes, and ask if the firm are happy to do a valuation – this means someone will come round to your home to assess how much stuff you have, and make sure you have the right sized van and number of team members on the day of your move. Make sure you shop around to fit your budget and your needs.
Tip 2: Making a list
It can feel like there’s too much to remember on the run up to your move – after all, real life carries on alongside your moving plans.
To avoid stress, make a list of everything you have to do, and consider your timeline. You may have only just had your offer accepted and be months away from completion. But that doesn’t mean you should wait until the week before your move to start preparing.
There is nothing wrong with being to keen. It is exciting times.
Tip 3: Declutter in advance
Clearing your home of any old, unwanted or unnecessary items before your move can save you time and stress, but it can also save you money and make you money!
By donating, recycling, selling or throwing away things you don’t need, you’re cutting down on the amount of stuff you need to move. The less stuff you have, the fewer hours you need your removals team for.
The simple way to save money on your move is to avoid paying to transport things that you’re only going to throw away when you reach your new home!
Think about a car boot sale or selling your items online. This little extra income can go towards your transport cost or brand new items for your brand new house.
Tip 4: Make a packing plan – and start early
Making a packing plan is very simple. Starting with the rooms you least use and then using them rooms as storage as you work through the rest of the property.
Prioritise what you will need first and what you will need last in the home move. Also think about the weight of the items when stacking boxes on boxes and being careful you do not pack heavy loose items with brittle items.
Tip 5: Think about what you can’t move
There are some things removals teams won’t transport. These include things like hazardous materials, plants with soil in, tins of paint or chemicals. Pots of pain can often be donated to charity, so don’t feel like everything has to go to waste.
If you can’t bear to leave your plants behind, you may want to take most of the soil out, pack the plant into the pot with plastic so it can’t move around, and transport it in your car.
Don’t forget to consider the safety of your removals team and yourself – not only with the heaviness of boxes but the things you’re moving. If you’re packing up garden equipment, be sure to clean it and package it safely. Large gardening equipment like lawnmowers or petrol-fuelled tools need to be emptied and clean before being transported. If you’re packing knives, wrap them carefully and note the contents on the box.
If in doubt, ask your removals team who will be able to tell you what they can take, and how it’s best to package it. They may even offer an extra service where they could package more difficult items for you.
Tip 6: Dealing with paperwork
Store all important documents, such as passports, house deeds, wills and insurance papers in one box or file to ensure easy access. This should then be placed somewhere where you will not lose it.
It may also be a good idea to create electronic copies of important documents by scanning and saving them onto a USB so you always have access to it.
When moving from property to property it may help contact the royal mail at https://www.royalmail.com/personal/receiving-mail/redirection to redirect your mail.
Tip 7: Organise utilities
It’s so easy to forget to take final meter readings, but it will make everything so much easier. You could even take photos on your phone so you don’t lose any notes you make. You can register with new broadband providers in advance, and don’t forget gas, electric and water.
If you’re not staying with the same provider in your new home, it’s worth calling to say the house has been sold and that account is finished, just in case your seller wasn’t as organised as you!
Organising this in advance means you can account for any final bills you’ll need to pay.
Also remember to put yourself on the electoral register at your new property, and update any relevant ID, like your driving licence.
Tip 8: Take time to clean
If you can manage to arrange some overlap in when you get the keys to your new home, and leaving your old one, it can make the world of difference to your stress levels. Getting into your new home a little earlier means you can fully assess it, and give it a good clean before you move your furniture in.
Tip 9: Go slowly
Moving day is a big deal – we know you’ll want to get everything done as soon as possible, but it can be exhausting. Have realistic expectations on how much you want to get done – it’s unlikely you’re going to unpack your entire house by the first night!
Be sure to keep your moving day survival kit to hand, make sure you’ve got cold beverages, everything you need for teas and coffees, and snacks to keep your energy up. Be sure to stop (properly stop!) for lunch and dinner so that you don’t wear yourself out.
It will take time to fully unpack and get your new home looking the way you want it, so don’t feel everything has to come together immediately. Take time to relax and unwind – enjoy a night in with a takeaway or go out with friends. Your life does not have to revolve around unpacking!
As long as you have your bed built and set up by the end of moving day, the rest is up to you!
View Our Serviced Accommodation
