How to prepare for moving home - The basics

Moving to a new house is an exciting event - and with a little planning, you can make it a less stressful affair - both for yourself, and your family.  

In this article, we run through our top tips for preparing and organising everything needed so that the day of your move runs smoothly.  
 

Tip #1 – Sort through your belongings

If you’ve been in your present home for a number of years, it’s possible you’ve accumulated a large amount of possessions. Thinking to the future, your move will be made far easier from the start if you have fewer items to move!  

So, starting from a few weeks before moving day, begin sorting through everything in your current home - with a view to throwing out anything you don’t need or want anymore.  

Now’s the time to dig out items from all those storage areas around the house you may have forgotten about. Under the stairs, the cupboard in the spare room… even the garden shed might have some things to sort through which have no business even being there! 

You don’t have to throw those items straight in the bin either. Think about whether you might be able to donate them to charity, pass to a friend to keep using, or whether anything can be sold through a site like eBay for a little cash.  
 

Tip #2 – What do you need to book for moving day?

Think about whether you need to hire a van for moving, or perhaps you need to book the services of a removals company to ensure you have enough assistance on the day?  

A removals firm can help take the strain of moving by taking on some of the physical effort needed. Make sure you shop around for quotes well in advance of your move date, so you have more of a chance to clinch a competitive deal. 

If you’re thinking of just hiring a van, try to book the largest van you can afford, and look for one which includes a let-down tailboard and has a low kerb height, so that loading and unloading your items is made that bit easier. 
 

Tip #3 – Start the packing in advance - and pack well!

As we mentioned earlier, there are several things you can do to make the overall move easier. Another idea is to organise how and what you pack, so that remembering where things are, and the unpacking stage becomes a doddle.  

There will probably be items you can pack up weeks in advance because they’re not being used daily. Getting ahead on this exercise can save you precious time in the days leading up to the move, so take advantage of any free moments you have during the weekends and evenings; doing a little packing each time. 

Any breakable items should be packed separately to other items, packed with extra packaging so they’re secure in their boxes, and perhaps moved in your own car (and not in a van) on the day.  

Label every bag and box clearly and ensure that you’re using quality packing materials to ensure that your belongings are transported safely and with little risk of being damage. 
 

Tip #4 – Notify relevant parties of your move

In the week leading up to your move, make a list of all of the companies and organisations you need to notify about your imminent change of address. This will typically be a mixture of your utility providers, GP surgery, dentists, insurance companies, the DVLA (if you drive a car), bank or building society and your current employer.  

Also, don’t forget to let your local Council know about your change of address, so they can change their records as this can affect how you receive information about how to vote, and how you pay your Council Tax.   
 

Tip #5 - See what you can organise in advance for your new home 

For example, can you get some of your utility and telecoms services such as electricity, gas and broadband organised in advance?  

There may be other things you can set up ahead of time too, such as home insurance, membership to the local gym, and so on. Being organised in this way can save you a lot of stress once you’re moved in, leaving you with more time to settle in and relax in your new residence. 
 

On the day of the move… 

Your solicitor or licensed conveyancer will arrange to electronically transfer monies between the legal firms’ bank accounts - to the seller’s solicitor. 

If everything runs smoothly, the estate agent will be waiting to hand the keys over to you so you can begin moving into your new abode.