Moving into a new home marks the beginning of a new chapter in your life.
Despite a house move being an exciting milestone, it can also come with a lot of worry. A survey found that 58% of British people feel like moving house is the most stressful life event!
There is a lot to consider when moving house, and a lot of work goes into it. However, there are some things you can do to make your move go more smoothly.
As a professional moving company, we want to make moving house a celebration, rather than something to dread. We recommend splitting your move into four key stages, to stay on top of everything you need to do:
- Planning
- Packing
- Moving
- Unpacking
With this in mind, here are 10 expert tips for a stress-free move.
Planning
1. Start with a list
We always recommend that you start packing at least a month before you move. But before you do that, you need to have a detailed plan that covers the tasks you need to complete.
Create a list of everything you could possibly need to do before you lock your door for the final time and prioritise each job by urgency.
Not only does this keep you organised, but you also get the feeling of accomplishment every time you tick a job off the list!
2. Organise your admin
There is a lot more to moving house than sorting out your belongings. There are administrative tasks that you should sort out in advance for a stress-free move.
Examples of these kinds of tasks could include:
- Contacting your electricity and gas suppliers to inform them you are moving, and to confirm suitable options for your new home
- Organising to move your broadband connection to your new address
- Redirecting post to your new house
- Registering to vote at your new address
- Arranging for a locksmith to change the locks at your new home after you move in
You should also select and book a professional moving company as soon as possible to help moving day run more smoothly. Make sure you contact them with plenty of notice or your chosen company may not be available to help.
3. Clear out as much as possible
One of the top tasks to prioritise for a stress-free move is having a clear out of your belongings.
Work your way around every room in your house and set aside anything you don’t want to bring with you to your new home. Leave plenty of time to tackle your attic and basement too!
Once you have everything set aside, split it into three piles:
- Throw out
- Sell
- Donate
Once you have got rid of the items you don’t want to take with you, you have a much clearer idea of how much you have to pack.
At this point, you should also start thinking about deep cleaning your house and, if you have the keys, cleaning and doing any required work in your new home too. Tasks like painting, for example, should be done before your furniture and belongings are moved into your new home.
4. Make a room plan
Using the floor plans – and perhaps from your measurements too – make a plan for every room in your new home.
Sketch out where you want your furniture to go, and make sure you give a copy of each room plan to your moving company. This means they will know where to put things as your boxes are being unloaded – you can always change your mind, but having a plan will make moving day run much more smoothly.
Packing
5. Pack by area
Once you have created a floor plan and know which pieces of furniture are going into each room, you should pack up your house room by room.
This keeps similar items together and makes sure that boxes are placed in the right spaces, making unpacking a quicker and more efficient process.
If you have time, we recommend creating an inventory for each room – especially if any of your boxes are going into storage – and then a list of what will be going in each box to help you keep track of your belongings.
To find out our expert tips on packing your boxes like a pro, check out our recent blog post.
6. Label your boxes effectively
Once your boxes are packed, you should carefully label them for easy identification. We recommend labelling each box with information on:
- What is inside
- The room it is related to
- Whether it includes fragile items or not
Always label your boxes on more than one side, so they are easily detected even if they are stacked on top of one another.
7. Create an essentials box
One of our best tips for a stress-free move is to create a box of essentials that should be unpacked first.
This way, if it takes you a few days to unpack all of your belongings, you have all of your must-have items in one place.
Here are some of the items we suggest you pack in your essentials box:
- Spare clothes
- Bedsheets
- Towels
- Pyjamas
- Toiletries
- Chargers
- Medications
We also recommend packing your tea, coffee, and kettle last so they’re at the top of this box. You’ll deserve a hot cuppa by the time everything has been unloaded into your new home!
One bonus tip: Don’t put any valuables or important documents in your essentials box. These should be stored separately and, if possible, kept on your person at all times during the moving process.
Moving
8. Collaborate with your movers
Your moving company are there to help you. Working as a team will get the job done much faster!
Make sure you have conversations in advance about how best to move boxes and take their professional guidance on how boxes should be loaded and unloaded into the van.
You should also try to keep hallways, stairs, and doors clear to provide your movers with easy access in and out of your old home.
9. Complete a final check
Before you shut the door for the last time, make sure you complete one final sweep of your old home.
Check that nothing has been forgotten in the excitement of moving day and that each room is clean and clear of furniture. You should also make note if any damage has been caused during the packing and moving process.
We always recommend keeping one box to the side so that items that can’t be packed until the last minute – such as curtains and pillows – are easily dealt with.
Unpacking
10. Prioritise essential areas
When you’re finally in your new home, take your time with unpacking.
Tackle it one room at a time and start with the critical rooms first. The most important thing is making sure you have somewhere to sleep, that the bathroom is usable, and that you have access to at least basic kitchen supplies and equipment.
The finishing touches, like hanging art on the walls, can wait until your key areas are set up.
We hope these tips for a stress-free move have helped you feel more in control of the moving process, and that you’re excited to begin the journey!
Working with a professional moving company is one of the key ways to make your house move a more efficient and enjoyable experience.
At DW Removals & Storage, we can assist with local house moves across Angus, Dundee, North Fife, Perth, Aberdeen, and Aberdeenshire, including a full packing service. We can also help you relocate to any location across the UK.
Get started and find out how much your move could cost with a free quote today.