Moving house can be incredibly challenging. In fact, the process can become so frustrating that moving consistently tops polls of the most stressful life events – beating the likes of divorce and bankruptcy.
However, the average person will move five times in their life, so we want to ensure that all of your future moves go as smoothly as possible. Here are our tips for ensuring your house move goes off without a hitch.
Give yourself time
If possible, give yourself plenty of time to get organised and create a moving schedule that you know you can stick to. For a general idea of when certain aspects of your move should be arranged by, take a look at The Balance’s house move timeline.
Beginning the process as early as possible will also give you the opportunity to properly declutter your home, produce an inventory of what you’ll be taking with you and pack all of your belongings away carefully. This way, there will be less chance of your things getting damaged and you’ll be less likely to tire yourself out from having to fit too many tasks into a short space of time. If you do have the luxury of time, pace yourself – don’t leave everything to the last minute.
Budget
Moving house can get very expensive and if you’re moving for the very first time, there’s likely to be some costs you’ve never considered. For example, you’ll be required to pay for the likes of conveyancing and surveying. Check out the Money Advice Service’s guide to homebuyer surveys and costs to get an idea of the charges you are likely to face.
It can also be helpful to use a tool, such as ReallyMoving.com’s cost of moving house calculator, which will help you to estimate the total amount you’ll pay during the process.
Consider using a professional removals company
You might be tempted to do everything yourself to save money, but hiring a removals company to help will take a lot of stress out of moving day. If you do choose to go down this route, ensure you select a professional company with a good reputation. You want to be able to trust someone who is handling your belongings, so it’s important that you opt for workers who are experienced and trustworthy.
A professional moving company like Pickfords offer a packing service and even provide a dedicated Move Coordinator who will deal with any queries or requests you might have. Having this kind of support during your move is sure to help put your mind at rest, and you’ll have an easier experience.
Create an important documents box
At various points during your move, you will be required to produce important documents such as your passport or wage slips. You’ll also acquire paperwork like house deeds and insurance papers along the way, so you want to ensure you remain organised the entire time.
Put aside a box where you can store all of these documents and ensure it is kept in a safe place. It’s also wise to create or obtain electronic copies of all important documents, so you’ll always have back-ups.
Pack a moving day survival kit
It’s a good idea to put together a moving day survival kit for you and your family. This should contain all of the essentials you’ll need during your move, as well as in the few days that follow. Most of your things will be packed away by this point, so keeping vital things to one side will ensure you’re never stuck without something you need. Plus, you won’t have to unpack all of your boxes as soon as you’re in your new place – you’ll have time to get organised at your own pace without having to rummage through all of your belongings to find toilet paper or bin liners. You can find an extensive list of the things you’ll need over at MoneySuperMarket.com.
Packing up your home and moving to somewhere else is never going to be easy, but there are ways to reduce how stressful the process will be. Simply follow our tips and your move is sure to go a lot more smoothly – we guarantee it.
