Make your home move an organised one!
MOVING OUT or IN
Moving to a new home? Whilst it all sounds exciting, there are few things in life which are as stress-inducing as packing up, moving out, moving in and unpacking again – all in a few days!
However well-organised you are, the golden rule is to plan and plan again. Even if you’ve engaged a professional removals company you will still need carefully worked-up lists of things to do. There will also be hundreds of friends, family members, businesses, doctors, dentists and official bodies who will need to be informed of your new contact address and details.
MOVING OUT – TOP 10 TIPS
- If you’re using a removals company, get 2 to 3 quotes and book them 6 weeks in advance.
- Moving out is the perfect time to de-clutter and clear out all unwanted items. Don’t take ‘junk’ to your new home, so have the courage to let go – the tip and charity shops are your friends!
- If you’re doing a DIY move, double the amount of time you think you’ll need and get plenty of strong boxes, bubble-wrap, labels and tape. Enlist help for practical assistance on ‘move day’.
- Work out where larger furniture items are going in your new home – then Just before ‘move day’ stick clear destination labels on each item – a must for the removal men or DIY jobs.
- Reduce perishable food stocks in larders, fridges and freezers – use this as an opportunity lo defrost and clean these appliances.
- Paperwork, files, instruction manuals etc. – keep separate from furniture and use proper document boxes, all clearly labelled. You will not regret this little bit of extra planning!
- If you have pets, book them into a ‘holiday home’ well in advance – they will not appreciate being involved in the move!
- Make arrangements with Royal Mail to have your post redirected to your new address.
- When you have finally cleared out your possessions, you owe it to the new occupant to leave your old home clean, tidy and free from any rubbish.
- On ‘move day’, take meter readings for connected services, so you can notify the utility companies.
MOVING IN – TOP 10 TIPS
- Prior to ‘move day’, confirm key collection arrangements and contacts.
- Organise practical food and refreshments for those helping with the move. Well planned breaks, amidst a hectic day, are a real boost and keep everyone’s spirits up.
- On arrival, don’t start unloading until you have checked for missing/damaged items which are part of your purchase or rental arrangement.
- Familiarise yourself and the removals company with the new home layout first – label the rooms so that items being moved in are taken to the correct location, first time round.
- Where possible, identify a suitable area to put all non-allocated items and boxes.
- Find out where the water stop-cock and gas taps are located in the event of an emergency.
- Introduce yourself to the neighbours, as soon as possible on ‘move day’. This will break the ice and get them ‘onside’, if minor disruption could be an issue.
- If you are moving straight in, prioritise the bedding arrangements. You’ll be thankful you did at the end of an exhausting day. After a good first night’s sleep, work can begin again!
- Take meter readings for all connected services, to verify what the seller/landlord says.
- Change all external locks – you don’t know who else might have a key to your new home.
