Moving Advice – moving house
Our ‘planning in advance’ tips for making your house move as smooth as can be:
- Start with the places you use to store the things you don’t need, for example the loft and garage. Get rid of things you don’t want – to needy friends and relatives/charity/recycling.
- Organise van or trailer hire or a professional removal firm
- Collect empty boxes and buy any packing and storage materials you need e.g. bubble wrap, packaging tape, paper for padding.
- Start to label things clearly, you may need them when you get to your new home
- What about your pets? Book kennels or cattery in advance. What about your fish?
- Decide what you want to put into storage and use the space you’ve gained by decluttering, to organise your packing.
- If you’re moving a long way, get your car serviced and tyre pressures checked
- Register with local doctors, dentists, etc in your new area
- Confirm your moving arrangements with removal company
- Box up less used items
- Can you reuse your curtains?
- Do you have items left over for long term storage?
- Contact the utility companies to arrange supply for your new home (gas, electric, water, phone / TV / cable).
- Notify everyone of your change of address – not just friends, but also companies and organisations (online shopping websites, banks, insurance and pension providers, mail order, magazine subscriptions, schools and colleges, employers, utility companies, clubs etc.)
- Organise your mail to be re-directed for at least three months
The week before
- Confirm with estate agents and solicitor that the move is on schedule
- Make sure all your packing is done – check under the bed!
- Remind co-opted friends and family they’re helping next week!
The day before
- Put everything practical you’ll need to one side in a clearly marked box: tape measure, extension lead, step ladder etc.
- Put aside the essentials too – loo roll, kettle, tea, coffee, mugs, spoons, biscuits, pens, notepad, address/phone book, mobile, laptop, spare spectacles, light bulbs, curtains and fittings, house keys, toolkit – and any paperwork you may need tomorrow…
- Collect your hire van, or confirm tomorrow’s schedule with your removal firm
- Move all your packed boxes to the ground floor
- Remember that fridges and freezers need special attention after transport. To avoid breakdown, they should be allowed to stand for three hours or so in their new, permanent position before switching on again.
Call us now for further advice on your situation: 01209 822 228