Moving house is often described as one of life's most stressful events. However, there are steps you can take to make moving day smoother and less frenetic.
Here's some handy tips when moving house:
- Declutter your belongings
When you're moving house, the last thing you want to do is pay to move items that you end up throwing away once you’re in the new place. Have a thorough sort out at least two weeks before the move.
Make sure you clear items from everywhere – the loft, under the stairs, spare rooms, outbuildings and the garden. It can come as a big shock to discover just how many hidden items there are and how many things you have accumulated over the years.
- Think about where your furniture will go
Picture your new home and think about how and, indeed, whether you actually will use your current furniture in it.
The home report should provide you with a document detailing the dimensions of each room, so you can work out what will fit and what there isn't room for. If it won't fit, sell it, give it away or take it to the dump straight away.
The sooner you begin this task, the longer you'll have to try to sell unwanted belongings for a fair price, rather than being forced to give valuable items away because you're desperate to get rid of them before moving day.
- Decide whether to use a professional removals company like Huntingtower Removals
If you live in a ground-floor, one-bedroom flat with little clutter, you can hire a van, get a couple of friends to help and move yourself on the day. This could cost as little as £100.
Remember you’ll probably have to make several journeys, including a final one to return the van, so this option is only practical for moves over a fairly short distance.
If you’ve got more than four rooms to empty, there’s probably too much to do. Consider how many possessions you have. Now imagine having to pick up each one of them, carry it across an obstacle course (including stairs) and put it down without breaking your back – and all to a deadline.
A removals firm can ease the mental and physical stress of loading and unloading to a deadline on moving day.
If you decide to use a removals company, call us to book your date as soon as possible
- Identify your valuables and breakables
While most of your belongings can go straight into boxes, you'll want to take extra care over any items that are breakable.
It's worth packing these first, separately from the rest of your belongings. Wrap up anything likely to break in bubble wrap or extra packaging, then label these boxes as fragile.
- Start packing your boxes
There are simple things you can do to make packing – as well as moving and unpacking – easier for yourself:
- buy quality packing materials, including enough boxes, bubble wrap and tissue paper
- put layers of crumpled paper or protective material between each item to prevent scratching
- don’t overpack boxes
- spread heavy items out between boxes
- write on each box what the contents are and indicate which is the right way up.
If this sounds like too much hassle, get us to pack your belongings for you. Not only will it mean your items are insured against breakage, but they'll also be packed by our team of specialists who will do it quickly and carefully.
You can even go the whole hog and ask us to unpack for you, too.
- Notify companies of your move
Before you move house, you'll need to let your utilities providers know that you're changing address - as well as your banks, insurers, doctors and a host of other organisations.
