Moving Tips

Top Tips for moving home

It is often said that moving is one of the most stressful things we do in life. But while it’s an unavoidable necessity for many of us at some point, a good proportion of us make some avoidable mistakes, writes Thomas Firbank

Here are his typical mistakes people make when moving home – and how to avoid them:

Packing late: Leaving it all until the last minute wreaks havoc with your nerves and leads to broken objects and damaged clothes. Always plan to get the packing finished so that you have a good buffer period between the day you finish and the actual removal day.
Book your removals firm: Book your removals firm as soon as you’ve got your moving date. If you don’t, you may find that everyone is booked up, particularly if you plan to move on a Friday, towards the end of the month, or during the summer. You could do it yourself and hire a van; while that may be the cheap way of doing it, it’s time-consuming and often backbreaking work. Remember: time is money, as time wasted is a waste of money.
Back up your important documents: Some people forget how much of their life is computer-based. Back up everything to a portable hard drive so that you can access it even via someone else’s computer if necessary.
Label boxes: Forgetting to label boxes means that your kitchen materials end up in your bedroom and vice versa. Label precisely and in detail. If your removal company is packing for you, good firms will label each box with the name of the room it is destined for, ensuring the boxes end up in the right place.
Use mobile phone Apps: Mobile phone Apps are now part of our everyday life, so why not use them to help you with your move? Check online, as there are a number of cheap or free Apps you can use to help you catalogue your items.
Work out measurements: Work out all of your measurements well in advance. Don’t end up with an item of furniture that doesn’t fit anywhere, and in a worst-case scenario, blocks access into your new home.
Research and get insurance: Don’t disregard insurance. If you break something, it could be a costly mistake. If you are packing yourself, check your household insurance covers damage and breakages in transit. Removal companies will not be able to provide this level of cover unless they have done the packing themselves.
Clean your new home: Try to get your new home cleaned a day or two prior to your arrival. This isn’t always possible if you are moving in just as the previous owners are moving out but if there is some leeway, it will make a huge difference. It is also good form to leave your old house or flat clean and in good order.
De-clutter: Don’t decide to pack up clutter and deal with it at the other end – Declutter before your move and ruthlessly discard things with no thought to sentimentality. It’s much easier than taking it with you.
Take care with valuable items: Take valuables with you rather than packing them up for loading onto a van or lorry. First, you might need them quickly at the other end and secondly, you can relax knowing that your passports and jewellery are not stuffed into a large box, unreachable for days.