Top Tips for Moving House
The excitement of finding and securing your new home also comes with the potential stress of moving in all your furniture and possessions. It can feel like a daunting task, but we’ve got some tips and guidance on what to consider when you’re getting ready to move house.
1. Make a Plan
As soon as you know your dream home is yours and you’re just waiting to get your hands on the keys, start by making a plan. This should include a checklist of things you need to do, such as packing up each room, doing any sorting for charity donations, arranging cleaning and securing a removals company.
Having it all written down on a checklist will help you to feel more in control and you’ll be able to prioritise things and work through it all so you’re ready. It’s also a good idea to give things rough timescales and due dates so you know if you’re making good progress before moving day.
2. Start Packing Early
Don’t leave the actual packing until the last minute. Doing it all in one go is near to impossible, and you’ll be inviting needless extra stress in what already can be a stressful process. Doing it bit by bit in the weeks up to moving day will make it more manageable and less disruptive to daily life.
Another important reason for doing this is the chance to declutter before packing. Sort through things and donate or throw away anything you don’t need or want. It’s not often we get the chance to slim down our whole lives like this, so take the opportunity. It can also mean a cheaper removals bill if you have fewer things to pack and transport.
3. Find a Good Removals Company
A reliable removals company is a must. There are also several options to choose from for the level of service you need, such as a packing service or just the loading and unloading of furniture and boxes at either end.
Do some research and get some recommendations if possible. After all, they’re going to be handling all your worldly goods and possessions and the last thing anyone wants is damaged furniture or a smashed television.
Take a look at our tips on how to choose a moving company.
4. Plan What’s Going to go Where
If you haven’t already been dreaming about where everything is going to go in your new home, now is the time to start. A great thing to do is to print out or draw a plan of your new house and its rooms, and sketch out where furniture is going to go.
You should include things like plug sockets, phone outlets, and radiators in the plan, so you’ll be able to find the best positions for your furniture and devices. This will also make it much easier to pack and label your boxes, so you’ll be able to tell the movers exactly where to unload furniture and boxes.
5. Measure Doorways for Larger Furniture
Don’t forget this crucial step as part of your planning. Finding out your sofa won’t fit through the door of your living room on moving day can be a major headache, so measure large furniture and entryways to make sure things will fit. This will give you plenty of time to make other plans if necessary, such as taking a door off its hinges or even removing a window. Your removals company will be able to help with this, but they’ll need to know in advance so they can be prepared.
6. Pack an Essentials Bag
It’s easy to forget that you’ll still need some everyday essentials when you’re moving, such as clothes and toiletries. You don’t want to be rooting through piles of boxes to find your toothbrush on your first night in your new home.
Pack a bag to last you a couple of nights, including things like your phone charger, medication, wash bag – anything you would need if you were staying at a hotel for a couple of nights. You should also make sure you have any important paperwork to hand.
7. Pace Your Unpacking
Once you’re in and your furniture and boxes have been safely delivered, the process of unpacking can begin. It’s best to begin by getting your bed set up and made – you’ll be very grateful you did this when you’re exhausted at the end of moving day!
Unpacking is an ongoing process, and you won’t get it all done in one go, so don’t try to. Prioritise essential rooms such as the kitchen and bathroom (as well as your bedroom, as we mentioned) and you can work through other rooms as you get the time. Deciding where to put everything can be exciting and very satisfying, so take your time and assume you might want to try a couple of different options before finally settling on a layout.