Moving house can be stressful to say the least. There’s so much to coordinate, and you may even find that you just don’t have time to do it all. Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to make the whole thing easier on yourself and others.
Pick a Removal Company Early On
It can be hard to book a date for your removal company if you leave things until the last minute. Most people prefer to move over the weekend, or even over the holidays. This gives them extra time, so removal companies are usually very busy around this time. If you want to get around this then plan as much as you can in advance. You also need to make sure that you choose a professional to handle your move for you. This is especially the case if you want to stop any of your items from getting damaged. To make sure that the company you choose are reliable, look up some reviews from previous customers. It also helps to check to see what your removal quote includes, and to also ask if the firm are happy to do a valuation. When you book this, someone from the company will come to your house and they will assess how many items you have. They will also make sure that you are given the right van, so this can save a ton of time.
Make a List of Everything You Need to Do
It can feel daunting to have so much to remember, this is especially the case if your move is soon. If you want to avoid stress here, make a list of absolutely everything you have to do. You also need to consider your timeline too. There are plenty of checklists that you can download, and this is a great way for you to make sure that you don’t forget anything. You can even sign up for email reminders with some applications, and this will tell you what you need to do and when.
Declutter your Home
Clearing out your home is essential if you want to save time and stress before your move. Consider donating or even recycling the things that you don’t need. The fewer items you have, the cheaper your removal van will be. Sometimes a house clearance service can help you too, so it is really worth contacting them to see if they can assist.
Pack Up Whatever You Can, When You Can
Packing will always take much longer than you think. For this reason, it helps to start as soon as you possibly can. If you want to help yourself here then it is always a good idea for you to start out with the rooms that you use the least. This could include a spare room or even an office. Once you have done that, you can then put boxes from other rooms in there. When you are labelling up your boxes, don’t write “kitchen stuff” because when you really need to find something, you’ll struggle. Instead, make a bullet-point list of all the items that are in there. This will help you to put the items in their intended rooms and it will also make it way easier to unpack. Of course, overpacking boxes is another huge mistake. You risk them falling apart and they may even hurt the person who is carrying it.
What Can’t You Move?
There are so many things that a removal company won’t be able to move. This can include hazardous materials or even plant pots that have soil in. You may even find that paint tins are excluded too. If you absolutely don’t want to leave your plants behind, take the soil out and put the plant in plastic. This will make the plant much easier to transport. If you are moving lawnmowers then that needs to be emptied before being moved, and you also have to make sure that you empty any petrol-powered devices too. If you’re in doubt about absolutely anything, don’t be afraid to chat with your removals team. They will be able to tell you what you can and what you cannot take, and they will also be able to advise you on the best way to package it.
Filling out Paperwork
Any important documents need to be put somewhere safe. This includes house deeds, insurance papers or even passports. If you lose these, you may find yourself in some serious trouble. It might also be a good idea for you to get a copy of your documents too, in case something happens. A lot of mail services will offer you a redirection service too, so if you want to take advantage of this, make sure that you set this up well in advance. You can then easily deal with any important post at the same time.
Broadband and Meter Readings
It can be so easy for you to forget to take a final meter reading. For this reason, you need to make sure that you put it on your priority list. You can even take a photo on your phone so that you don’t have to worry about how much you’ve used or whether you have the right documents to hand. It’s more than possible for you to register with your phone and even your broadband provider well in advance too, and when you do this you can arrange to have everything set up in your new home as soon as you move in. If you are choosing not to stay with the same provider, then it is worth calling to say that the house has been sold and that your account is finished, just in case the new seller is not as organised as you are. If you do this in advance then it means that you are not accountable for any bills that they might need to pay, and it also makes it way easier to deal with any last-minute chaos that you’ll probably face.
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