If you are preparing to move home, you may feel like you are planning a military operation. What with decluttering, sorting, packing, notifying utility providers and friends not to mention all the cleaning, it’s no overstatement to say you have a lot on your plate.
Last year the number of home movers increased by 15% according to Space Station. Indeed, the stamp duty holiday and ‘race for space’ meant more people were buying and selling. Moving became big business.
So, whilst the process may seem overwhelming and stressful, there are lots of people and businesses out there to help smooth the way and plenty of advice to make it easier.
As such, we have selected five pieces of advice which will help you plan and execute your house move as easily as possible.
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Make a master list
Moving house isn’t a day-long event – in fact moving day itself is the culmination of weeks of planning and preparation.
You need to think about packing, transport, contacting utility providers, giving notice to landlords and informing your friends and family. With so much to consider, you are bound to forget a thing or two.
Vlatka Lake, storage expert at Space Station therefore, thinks the best place to start is by making a list. “To keep yourself on track, make a master list of everything you need to do to complete your move successfully,” she said.
“We suggest breaking tasks into separate days or even weeks, starting from a month before your moving date. This will help you work around prior engagements and make room for new tasks that may come up.”
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Declutter
Moving house provides a great opportunity for a declutter. There are so many experts and influencers out there who can offer tips on decluttering for those of you who don’t know where to start.
However, a good piece of advice to get you going is to go through each room, one-by-one, and separate everything you don’t want into three piles – recycling, selling and donating.
Can’t decide what you want to keep? A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself whether it’s useful and if you love it.
You can find out some more about decluttering and making some spare cash from the process here.
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Pick up some packing techniques
If you are planning to pack your own belongings, it’s worth doing some research into packing techniques.
It’s important to choose your packing materials carefully – selecting appropriate boxes for items. Label each box to make it easier to unpack.
Vlakta said: “Labelling clearly which items are fragile is incredibly important – you should avoid storing any delicate items at the bottom off or underneath heavy boxes.
“Also, consider whether you’ll need access to any specific items immediately before or after the move date, and place them somewhere they can be easily reached.”
She also suggested considering storage crates, which are an eco-friendly alternative to boxes or carrier bags when it comes to moving smaller household items.
Remember, don’t pack any items which you’ll need during the move. Your kettle and tea/coffee making essentials plus cleaning products should be set aside in an open box. This can be taken at the very end by you and re-opened when you arrive at your new house.
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Get some help with removals
It might be costly, but hiring a professional moving firm can take away a huge amount of the stress. You’ll be surprised how efficiently and quickly they work to pack and move your belongings. Some firms will even dismantle and reassemble beds and other furniture.
Vlatka said: “Removal services have the correct equipment and knowledge to safely move your belonging between properties, so make sure to book them in advance of the big day.”
If you can’t afford this see if you can rope in family and friends to help. Don’t forget to make plans for what do with young children and pets during the day too.
Vlatka also suggests looking into storage units in case of delays or if you need to move in stages.
- Check everything
Things can get pretty chaotic on moving day, so make sure you make an inventory of all your essentials and check it at every stage, Space Station advises.
You should look over it as you pack your belongings up, move them into storage or a removal van and again when you move it into the new property. This will ensure you don’t lose anything along the way
Vlatka Lake added: “Moving to your brand-new home can be one of the most exciting things in life. We know it can be also very tricky, especially if you have several items to store and you don’t know where to start. A few simple changes can really make a difference and by planning and following a simple plan can ensure a smooth transition into your first home.
“The moving process should be as stress free as possible and there are processes in place which will help ensure your move goes off without a hitch. Many families and couples leave the organisational part to the last minute, thinking that moving is just one way street, but that’s not the case”.
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