Here you will find 20 great tips that will help you plan and complete your move more efficiently. With so much to do, it really is never too soon to start planning your move, and our 20 tips below will help ensure you are well-prepared for your moving day! Read on, or view our Slide Share presentation here!
1. Start packing as soon as you can
Packing, even for a modest 3 bedroom house, can take a long time, and unless you have a minimalist zen home, you are likely to have far more belongings than you initially think about or realise.
With this in mind, it’s never to early to start packing for your move, and getting things done in advance is a great way of relieving stress. Start by packing the things you don’t use often or won’t need until after you move, for example, if it’s summer, pack all of your winter clothes first.
2. Label everything
Once you do start packing, it’s easy to forget where you have put things. A simple sticky label on a plastic box telling you what’s inside will really help when it comes to unpacking, and is also useful in case you pack something you end up needing before you move!
3. Mark room locations on boxes
As well as labelling what’s inside boxes, also mark on the outside where the box needs to go. If you have a moving company or friends and family helping, it means that instead of just dumping all of your boxes in the living room, they can be immediately distributed around the house and left in the correct room, ready for when you come to unpack them.
4. Get rid of junk
Before you start packing, make sure that you have a good clearout. Sort out what items you want to keep and those that you no longer want. This helps you cut down on the volume of belongings that you need to take with you when you move, so you’ll end up using less packaging and you’ll need buy or hire fewer crates, boxes and packaging materials.
Find out more about sorting the keepers form the junk here.
5. Use plastic crates
Consider using reusable plastic crates instead of traditional cardboard boxes as they are much sturdier and are quicker and easier to pack than boxes, which typically have to be assembled and taped at both the bottom and top.
Read more about Moving using cardboard boxes versus plastic Crates here.
6. Recognise stress in your pets
Cats and dogs in particular are sensitive to change, and as soon as the boxes are out and you begin packing, they will know that change is afoot. Learn to look out for the warning signs of a stressed-out pet so you can help them cope and keep them stress-free and happy before, during and after the move.
Find out more about moving home with pets.
7. Stay motivated
Stressful or exciting, however you regard moving, you’ll need to maintain motivation to get through everything that needs to be done. A great way of doing this is by creating a mood board which will give you ideas and inspiration on how to decorate and style your new home.
Check out our Pinterest boards featuring sophisticated & classic interior ideas or take a look at our collection of funky home interiors.
8. Sort out your documentation
Ahead of moving, make sure you have all of your relevant documentation together, from the deeds of your current property, through to everyday documents like household bills and receipts. keeping them all together is one safe place will help if anything needs to be quickly and easily found during the move.
9. Plan a celebration
Making sure you have something lovely to look forward to after your move is a great way of staying motivated. Plan a housewarming party, but don’t be over-ambitious and make sure you arrange it for a time when you are more settled, typically several weeks after your move. You don’t want to add to your existing stress, so don’t make the party too soon!
10. Tell people you’ve moved
Make sure that you send close family and friends an email or text with your new address details or send them ‘we’ve moved’ cards through the post. You’ll also need to update your bank, insurance and mobile phone provider, so do this ahead of your move if you can.
11. Sort out services a.s.a.p
Sitting in a new home without a TV aerial or broadband connection is no fun, so as soon as you know your moving date, make sure you book any relevant installations and set up new subscriptions so they are available as soon as you move, or at worst a day or two after.
12. Make lists
There are so many things to do when it comes to moving that it is easy to overlook or forget things altogether. Start off by making a master list of everything that needs to be done, from de-cluttering before you pack through to cancelling your subscriptions and setting up mail forwarding.
13. Make time to move
Don’t assume you can move and get settled in 24 hours or even over a weekend. Whilst it is possible to move over a weekend, it is likely to take days to get round to unpacking and getting yourself properly settled. If you have to go straight to work the day after you move, it’s going to take you even longer to get yourself sorted, so consider booking an extra day or two off. Having a long weekend (Friday to Monday) is ideal for moving.
14. Empty and defrost the freezer
Unless you are only moving down the road, in the time it takes to move, your freezer is likely to defrost en-route which can leads to drips and water damage. Defrost your freezer the day before you are due to move and for a few days before your move, work through using the contents of your freezer so nothing goes to waste. The same logic applies to the contents of your fridge.
15. Pack essentials last
Don’t pack things you will need on moving day until the very last minute. Things like mugs and a kettle are best left until last which means if they are at the top of a box, they are easier to get your hands on when you get to your new property.
16. Consider child care
If you have a baby or very small children, consider having them spend the day with a friend or relative. Moving day is generally a long and stressful day, so taking little ones out of the equation really can help.
17. Don’t over pack
It’s often tempting to pack moving boxes as full as they can possibly be, but as you pack, make sure you are testing the weight of the box as you go. If a cardboard box is over-packed you’ll find the bottom can give way leading to spilled and damaged contents. If you have an awful lot of belongings and prefer to use fewer boxes, consider going for plastic crates instead as they are much stronger and will take more weight.
18. Pack a moving day box
A moving day box might go with you in the car rather than in the back of the van and could include things like bottled water, tea bags, kettle, sandwiches and cleaning materials. A moving day box means you can easily put your hands on whatever you are likely to need most.
19. Buy in advance
When you move there are likely to be new things to purchase, from kitchen appliances through to curtains and lampshades so don’t leave it all until after you move. Try and spread the load (and the cost!) by buying things for your new home before you actually move in.
20. Get some help
Many hands make light work, and that really is true when it comes to moving. The more people you have helping, then the quicker you’ll be able to get packed, loaded and unpacked again at the other end.
Rope in family and friends to help on moving day, to help unpack or to help you decorate your new place. Reward them with a slap-up meal or promise to do the same for them.
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