First thing’s first – congratulations on securing your new home. This is the start of a brand new adventure, and whether you’ve been waiting for a few weeks, months, or years, the prospect of moving is always met with a mixture of daunting dread (packing, eek!) and excitement and settling into your new home.
With that being said, there are things you can do to make the dreaded task of packing a little easier – and almost all of them revolve around being organised. Of course, if you’re reading this then you’re already halfway there, and this moving home checklist is going to help you make sure that everything is in order as you pack your life up into boxes and bags.
The Checklist
ONE-TWO MONTHS BEFORE MOVING
- If you’re renting at the moment, this is the time to get your affairs in order and make sure that you’ve followed the agreement laid out in your contract in terms of notice and the moving procedure.
- Start the process of changing your address details with HMRC, internet providers, landline, TV providers, gas providers, etc.
- Collect boxes from friends, family, local supermarkets, and other stores.
- Get in touch with your preferred moving company to book a van for your chosen moving day. You wouldn’t believe how far in advance moving vans get booked up!
- Check out the parking situation at your new home and notify any local businesses or neighbours about the need to park a moving van outside for a few hours on the day.
- Register your new home with the council so that you can vote and start paying council tax immediately (you don’t want to be hit with a backdated bill a few months down the line!)
- Notify your home insurance provider of your move.
- Arrange for your post to be redirected with Royal Mail.
- Start arranging boxes in different rooms and labelling them ready for packing. You can also start packing things now – especially those things you don’t use on an everyday basis.
- Declutter. If you have lived without it for the last year, you don’t need to bring it with you to your new home.
- Start the cleaning process both inside and across your outside spaces and buildings.
THE FINAL WEEK BEFORE YOUR MOVE
- Get back in touch with your chosen moving company to confirm the details including your current (soon to be old) address, your new address, the selected date and time of the move.
- Arrange childcare and if relevant pet care for the day of the move if this will help to minimise the stress.
- Request the day off work for moving day if necessary.
- Inform remaining parties of your move – including DLVA for your driving licence, your GP, TV licence, etc.
- Work through any remaining fresh or frozen food you have in the fridge/freezer that you cannot take with you.
- Pack in an organised way – keeping items from the same room in the same boxes, to ensure that when boxes are carried into your new home, they end up in the right room.
- In follow up to the previous point, label every box with the intended room (and what’s inside it).
- Bubble wrap any delicate or fragile items to keep them safe during the move.
- Start dismantling furniture that will need to be taken apart for the move, for example, tables and desks.
- Book any cleaners you need to prior to moving so that your home is left in good condition (especially if you’re renting!)
- Make a list of all the contacts you will need in the first few days at your new home.
- Complete any laundry you have – avoiding the need to move lots of dirty clothes.
MOVING DAY
- Work through the moving process in an organised and strategic way – instructing your moving company on which rooms to empty first and providing them with a floorplan or list of where each box is going in the new home.
- Do a final sweep of the property before you leave.
- Make sure all of the doors and windows are locked and read any electricity meters and water meters in the house so that you have a record of the readings on your last day.
- Pick up the keys to your new home and get ready for your new adventure!
DON’T MISS…
Believe it or not, all of the following are must-haves that we see left behind or missed time and time again during the moving process. Whatever you do, don’t forget to clear out those secret hiding spots around the home and check all the plug sockets for rogue chargers.
- Important documents, including birth and marriage certificates, passports, bank statements, and house documents
- Laptops, phones, chargers, and other plug-ins
- Toolboxes and other tools
- Medication
- Cash or cheques that may be lying around or hidden
- Bin bags, toilet rolls, and other essentials you will need as soon as you arrive at your new home
Moving house is a process made infinitely easier through organisation and strategic planning – and we hope this checklist will give you a good idea of what needs doing and at what stage of the overall process.
For help and support when it comes to packing up your home and moving, our team are always here to help. Get in touch today to let us know about your move and make a booking.