Top tips for a smooth house move

Moving house is a time of huge excitement as well as being a time that’s fraught with nervous energy and anxiety. We are often told that moving house is one of life’s most stressful experiences. But, with research, preparation and organisation, this needn’t be the case. Moving house should be a time of new beginnings and great joy. Below we share some of our top tips for when you’re moving house.

Declutter your home

Before you even begin packing, it is a good idea to declutter your home. This means going through every room and deciding what you need to keep, what is rubbish, and what can be donated to charity. If you haven’t used something for six months, then you need to let it go. You’ll be surprised at the amount of stuff you don’t need and you’ll have less to pack.

Moving house checklist

Packing and organising that house move is so much easier when you have a moving house checklist, so you need to create one. When writing your list think about everything you need to pack and write it down. Then as each item is packed away you can cross it off the list.

Pack unused rooms early on

To kick start your packing always tackle the most unused rooms first. So, a spare bedroom or occasional room is a good place to start. This will not only make you feel as if you are making progress and give you that much-needed boost of confidence, but you can then use this room as a base for storing boxes and packing materials.

Label boxes

The last thing you want is to arrive at your new home with a stack of boxes that are unmarked, as you’ll have no idea what’s in each box. Mark each box clearly with the room it belongs in with a short description of its contents. Spending a little extra time writing on each box will make a huge difference when you arrive at your new home.

Create a survival box

The last thing you want to do when you arrive at your new home is to start rummaging through them to find cups, tea and a kettle for a well-earned brew. This is why you need to have a survival box. In this, you should put cups, tea bags, coffee, a kettle, snacks and phone chargers.

Sort those utilities

You will have to notify utility companies that you will be moving house. So, this means contacting gas, electric, phone, internet and water companies. Be warned that if you are ending a contract that cannot be continued in your new property, then you may face a penalty charge. Most providers are happy to continue their services following a house move, but do be prepared.

Redirect post

You will need to notify everyone that you are changing your address. This means not only friends but companies that you use, any mailing lists you are on and any other correspondence that you would still like to receive via post. It can be difficult to remember everyone that you need to contact, so it’s a good idea to use the Post Office redirect mail service. This can be set up for a week, month or longer if needed.

Cleaning the house

If you have sold your home and new buyers will be quickly moving in, or if you rent and keeping the house clean and tidy is part of the lease agreement, then you will need to make time to clean the house prior to removal day. If you are lacking in time, then you could pay a professional cleaner to do a thorough job for you.

Hire a removal company early on

If you have made the decision to use a removal company for your house move, then you need to book them as soon as possible. Removal companies can be booked up as much as six months in advance, so as soon as you know you will be moving, set the date and make a booking with them.

Ants Removals can help with all your removal needs. We offer a full moving service in which we can pack, transport and unpack at your new home. If you prefer to do the move yourself as it’s only a short distance away, then we can offer expert advice and packing materials. To learn more about our removal services, then please do get in touch with us today.