They say that moving house can be one of the most stressful things you can do, and whilst there is much of it that feels out of your control, we believe there are ways in which you can take the pressure off yourself. A lot of it’s to do with preparation and efficiency, so we’re here to share our tips for a successful home move…
Declutter first
Not sorting through your belongings to weed out the things you don’t want or need anymore before you move isn’t just kicking the can down the road; it’s giving yourself more to pack, move, and unpack, meaning more packaging materials, effort and time spent, when you could have just got rid once and for all. Go through cupboards, wardrobes, drawers, even garden sheds, donating unwanted items to charity, selling them on, giving them away, or responsibly recycling them.
Notify utility providers
Notifying both the utility providers at your existing address and at your new one that you’re moving out and in will save a lot of hassle. This includes your gas, electricity, broadband, phone and water providers, remembering to take meter reads at both addresses on moving day for gas, electricity and water.
Don’t forget to let the council know too, which includes the council that covers your new property if it differs from your old one.
Update your address
You should make every effort to update your address with everyone who needs to know, including:
- Banks, building societies and loan providers
- Healthcare providers such as GPs and dentists
- Your mobile phone provider
- Your employer
- School, college or university
- DVLA
- The gym
- Anyone you have an insurance policy with
It’s best to work through a comprehensive list of everyone you may need to update your address with, so that leaving anything out is kept to a minimum. Of course, covering everyone off may not be possible, so you may want to set up mail redirection with Royal Mail, who can, for a fee, send on any post that is addressed to your old home for a set amount of time.
Order your packaging well in advance
So that you can get a head start on packing, and to ensure you don’t have to pop out again because you forgot the packing tape, make sure you obtain your packaging supplies in plenty of time to get everything boxed up. That includes the moving house boxes, bubble wrap, loose fill, van blankets and packing tape – don’t forget a nice bold pen to label your boxes with, too!
Pack efficiently
When it comes to making a moving day smooth sailing, having packed properly can make all the difference. It can make boxes easier to transport, reduce the amount you need by maximising space, and make any breakages during transit less likely. Top tips for packing efficiently include:
- Start with items you don’t need as often, so you won’t have to unbox them again before you go.
- Pack similar items together, so that each box makes sense, such as packing by room or by use.
- Wrap fragile items in bubble wrap or tissue paper.
- Eliminate space within boxes with loose fill around the items – space around items means they’ll move, and potentially break, during transit.
- Put heavier items at the bottom of the boxes, and lighter items at the top.
- Don’t overfill boxes with heavy items so that they’re hard to move.
- Secure the boxes carefully, so they don’t fly open and put your belongings at risk.
Use a reputable removal company
The help of a removals company can be so valuable in making your move stress-free – these experts are strong enough to handle heavy items, and have got moving-day efficiency down to a fine art. What’s more, they come with their own vans, so not only are you saved from the heavy lifting, but you don’t need to worry yourself with hiring big enough transport and doing multiple trips.
Move furniture in before boxes
When you come to move your things into your new place, we’d always recommend moving the furniture first. If you start with boxes, you’ll have to move them from place to place while you try to accommodate your furniture later on, making it harder to position items like sofas and tables where you want them.
