4 useful tips for moving house this year

Moving house can be an exciting but stressful period in your life. Organisation is key to an efficient and successful move, as with most significant life events. Here are four tips to ensure your house move goes as smoothly as possible.

Make a checklist

It is only when people move that they tend to realise just how many possessions they actually have. This can be an even greater surprise with larger families and bigger homes – things can just accumulate!

Work systematically through each room and make a checklist of everything you are taking to your new home. If there are items that you are hesitant to bring, this could be a great time to declutter. As you go around, put items you no longer want into a box, ready to go to the charity shop.

Organising transport

Many movers find it easier to hire a removal company to do the physical moving. There are plenty of removal companies out there, so make sure you do your research. Obtain some quotes so you can compare, but also look at previous reviews as you want to make sure your things are kept safe in transit.

If you decide to do the transporting yourself, hiring a van is probably the easiest way. Again, compare quotes and the length of time the rental is yours for. One important thing to remember is temporary van insurance to ensure you drive legally and safely.

Clean everything thoroughly

Moving can be messy, with shoes and trolleys going in and out of your home; therefore, giving it a good clean leaves it in a welcoming state for the new owners. A thorough cleaning also makes sure that you don’t leave anything important behind. For example, small things can get pushed to the back of tall cupboards or roll under wardrobes.

If you are renting, this step is especially important as landlords will take money out of your deposit if the property is not clean when they do their inspection. Renters should always take pictures of their homes before they leave so that they can dispute any issues they feel are unfair or exaggerated.

Keep essentials separate

With all of your possessions in boxes, it can be hard to find essentials such as medication, chargers and remote controls.

Similar to when you are travelling, keep your essentials in a separate box or bag that everyone can identify easily. You could do this per person to make sure everyone has their important things. There could be a delay in your items arriving due to traffic, so also keep a spare change of clothes in the bag too in case you need them.

Important documents such as birth certificates, passports and moving documents should be kept on your person during the move to make sure they don’t get lost along the way.