Moving house is an exciting milestone in our lives but it can also be stressful without the right planning. All the packing, transporting and unpacking can become a nightmare when you don’t have the right planning in place.
The key to a smooth move is organising in advance, especially if you’re going to avoid common moving nightmares like furniture being delivered to the wrong address or arriving damaged. When you keep the following tips in mind you can focus on settling into your new home without getting overwhelmed with all the admin involved.
Start Decluttering Early
Whether you’re moving in three months or one, the earlier you start decluttering your home, the quicker you can tackle other items on your to-do list. You don’t want to bring any items that you no longer use so avoid paying more to move things you don’t need by going through your bits early.
Start small with an easy task like sorting out your wardrobe before working your way up to bigger jobs such as organising your garage or attic. You can make some extra money by selling your unwanted items at a car boot sale or online marketplace.
Hiring Help
Actually moving your possessions is often the hardest part of changing homes, so you might want to arrange transportation in advance. When using a moving company, make sure to check that they have an active license and look up their service records to see whether they have a good reputation.
If you’re considering transporting your items yourself, you might want to consider borrowing a vehicle for the weekend. In this case, you will need day insurance for 24 hours or more. It means you’re covered in the case of an accident or when driving an unfamiliar vehicle.
Let People Know You’re Moving
There are several organisations you need to notify when changing your address. You will need to give your bank and building society time to change the address on your current account or any credit cards you own. The same goes for your local authority so you can receive a final statement of your council tax.
You should also alert your utility suppliers up to 28 days before your moving date. You can do this either online or by phone. Remember to make a note of your metre readings before you close your doors so you can update your supplier about your final energy usage.
Unpack Room By Room
You’ve arrived at your new property and now its time to unpack. If you’ve labelled your boxes correctly, then you can make things even easier for yourself by unpacking room by room. Moving room to room can help you feel in control of the unpacking chaos and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed.
