Moving house is an endeavour that is filled with challenges, which is why it often gets voted as the most stressful thing a person can do in their life. In a survey conducted by Legal & General, 57% of the respondents voted moving house as the most stressful thing you can do, beating having a child and going through a divorce. Having some tips for moving house can make it a little less stressful. 

We are hoping that, with this article, we will be able to give you some tips for moving house that will help make it a little less stressful. 

Start Planning Early

As soon as you know that you are moving, you need to begin making a plan. You need to make a moving checklist which will have a list of everything you need to do. 

Things such as: 

• Letting utility companies know you are moving and give them your exact date. On the day you move, take a photo of the meters in both your old and new home. 
• Letting government bodies know such as the DVLA and the electoral register. 
• Letting your bank and insurance providers know.
• Registering with a new GP, if you are moving to a new area. 
• Letting your employer know and your children’s schools.
• Redirecting your post.

Once you have your full checklist, you will want to set a timeline for when each item needs to get done. Things such as letting the DVLA know can be done once you are in your new house but utility companies will need to be informed before you are out of your old house. 

The sooner you get your checklist in order, the sooner you will be able to begin working through it which will help to eliminate some of the stress. 

Declutter Before Packing

Before you begin packing, it is a good idea to declutter your home first. Decluttering will help you to find all the items that you no longer want or need and stop you from taking them to your new home. 

When it comes to decluttering, you will want to do it a room at a time and you will want to find a method that works for you. 

A great method is the 4 Box Method. With the Four Box Method, you get four boxes for each room and label them as: Keep, Throw Away, Give Away and Storage. As you go through the items in the room, you place them into the correct box. And then you only keep the things in the Keep box/es. Simple. 

It is very important that you take care of the other boxes because if you keep any of the Throw Away or Give Away boxes hanging around your house, items have a habit of making their way out. Take the Give Away items to a charity shop and everything in the Throw Away box should go straight in the bin. 

Hire a Reputable Moving Company

It can be easy to think that you will just move items yourself but, unless you have a large lorry on hand, this is going to require a lot of trips and you will, most likely, have to spend some money hiring a large van. Using a reputable moving company will mean that you can move all in one go and you will know that your belongings will get to your new home safely. 

When it comes to choosing a reputable moving company, it is a good idea to look at reviews from customers. These will give you a good indication of the level of service the company offers. Before you decide on a company, it is a good idea to get quotes from a few which have good reviews. This could possibly save you some money. 

Gather Quality Packing Supplies

You will next need to gather some essential packing supplies. This will include:

• Cardboard boxes
• Tape
• Bubble wrap and packing peanuts
• Furniture covers 

You will want to get supplies that are high quality as this will make sure your belongings are protected. It is a good idea to choose multi-walled boxes because these will be strong and durable. 

You can get cardboard boxes for free from friends and family, local shops or via websites such as Gumtree. It is important to make sure that, if you are getting boxes for free, that they are in good condition. If you would rather not risk it, there are many places where you can buy top quality packing supplies including our Box Shop. 

Label Your Boxes Efficiently

Once you have your boxes and you have begun packing, it is very important that, as you pack each box, to label it in a detailed manner. 

It is a good idea to put what room the items within it are from and add some detail about the content. With fragile items, make sure to clearly label the box FRAGILE. You can simply write this on the box or you can purchase tape which will make it very clear. 

Take Care of Utilities and Address Changes

We have already mentioned this but it bears repeating as it is a very important part of moving house – make sure to tell your utility companies that you are moving. You will need to let them know the exact date that you are moving. On your move day, take photos of the meters in your old and new home. 

You will also need to let a lot of other place know that you have moved:

DVLA for your driving licence, TV licensing, electoral register, your bank, credit card companies, store loyalty card providers, pension services, employers, schools, colleges or universities, insurance providers, broadband providers, magazine subscriptions, pet microchip database and any charities you support.

You will also want to get your post redirected. The Royal Mail do provide a service for this which will divert all mail to your new address. You can keep this service for three, six or twelve months after moving, to avoid post going astray whilst you work through all the address changes. Prices start from £36 for three months.

Pack an Essentials Box

You will want to keep some essential items separate for your first day and night in your new home. This will be items such as: your toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, a change of clothes, shower gel, kettle, teabags and/or coffee, some food and snacks. Keeping these items on hand will make for a much nicer first day/night.

You will also want to keep important documents and items on you such as your passport, phone and wallet. 

Protect Valuable Items

If you have any valuable or fragile items, it is imperative that you pack them properly when moving house. You will want to wrap each item in bubble wrap and place them correctly into a strong, multi-walled cardboard box. If there is any space within the box, you will want to fill this with packing peanuts. The bubble wrap and packing peanuts will cushion the items, protecting them from damage.

For specific tips on packing fragile items, please check out our article all about this – Essential Packing Tips for Storing Fragile Items. 

Prepare for Moving Day

You will want to have everything packed and ready for the day of your move. You will want to get up nice and early so you can have a good breakfast. Moving days are alway long and tiring so you want to have some good fuel inside you before you start. Make sure you have your phone on you and that it is fully charged so the movers can contact you. 

Once they arrive, show them around the house, clearly describing what you want them to do and then let them get on with it. When they leave, you will want to clean and secure your old home. Check each and every room, making sure it is clean and that all windows are shut and doors are locked. 

And don’t forget to take a photo of your utility meters! 

Utilise Self Storage for a Stress-Free Move

Self storage can be a big help when you are moving house. You could use self storage to allow you to pack nice and early, storing the boxes within a storage unit. The boxes could then be picked up directly from the unit and you could have your old home already clean and secured. 

You could also move all your belongings from your old home into self storage. This will allow you to decorate or renovate your new home, without risking damaging your belongings. It would also allow for a more gradual, organised move, allowing you to unpack at your own pace. 

If you think self storage would be a big help when you are moving house, we have many stores around the UK, each with a unit that will be perfect for your needs.

Follow Our Tips for Moving House For A  Smooth Move 

Moving house can be extremely stressful but, if you follow our tips for moving house, we promise, some of the stress will be alleviated. Just make sure you have a plan and a moving checklist, which includes everything that needs to be done, including letting utility companies know you are moving house and changing your address at the DVLA, bank, your job etc. 

Having a good plan and being organised will help you to have a less stressful move and allow things to run much more smoothly.

We hope you have found our tips for moving house helpful. Have a great move!