7 Practical Tips to Make Moving House Easier

1: Start Early

Begin preparing for your move as early as possible, even before you list your home if possible! A calm, clutter-free space will not only alleviate your stress levels during the moving process, but it will make your home far more attractive to potential buyers. Here's our top tips to stay ahead:

• Create a moving folder with all documents related to your move in one place.
• Begin planning and packing items you don't need every day (such as memorabilia) well in advance of your moving date.
• Create a timeline to help you stay organised and on track.

2: Declutter

There's a good reason that 'decluttering' always appears in these lists - it's without a doubt the MOST important step you can take to ease the stress of the practical side of moving house.

• Book a charity collection with iCollect or Anglo Doorstep Collections ahead of decluttering to ensure that you have an 'exit plan'.
• Take the time to go through your belongings and get rid of anything you no longer need or use. Be really ruthless as moving house is a perfect opportunity to have a real fresh start.
• For larger items such as furniture, list to sell or on local donation pages ahead of time to ensure that you're not moving unwanted furniture unnecessarily.

3. Categorise & Contain

Order some Wham Studio containers in both the small & large sizes for your kitchen/utility room/bathrooms, as well as plenty of large clear boxes (we recommend Really Useful).

• As you declutter your kitchen and utility room, categorise items and place small items into labelled wham studio containers so that when packed, these can be simply lifted out at your new home and placed inside cupboards for instant organisation. You can use the larger containers for things like tea & even table sauces. When you come to unpack this saves so much time compared with each item being individually packed. We do this as standard as part of our pre-move decluttering service.
• Pack your loft and garage into clear, labelled, stackable boxes so these can be simply placed in storage areas at your new home without the need to unpack a thing!

4. Hire a Removals Company and a Cleaning Company

Choose your removals company wisely, asking friends and family for their recommendations. They will pack and move your belongings and some companies will even help to rebuild furniture at your new home. Although it's tempting to cut costs by packing & moving yourself, this is one service which we think is a non-negotiable! Aside from being hugely physical, removals companies protect your belongings with the right materials, and move you swiftly with years of expertise.

You'll also definitely want to ensure that your new home is clean before you move in and start unpacking so consider this as part of your move.

5. Notify Everyone

Inform relevant parties of your change of address. A good way to do this is to start as early as possible by taking note of the mail you receive and notifying each company as and when this arrives. You can also set up a redirection service with Royal Mail to ensure you don't miss anything.

• Your driving license will need to be changed along with any subscriptions.
• As soon as you have a completion date, transfer or set up utilities like electricity, gas, water, and internet in your new home ahead of time to avoid any disruptions or added admin when you move in.
• Don't forget to change your address on shopping apps such as Amazon so you don't get caught out!

6. Electronics

Take a photo of the 'set up' of your electronics to save hassle at your new home. You can also label each cord with the item it corresponds to to fool-proof this even further.

7. Pack Essentials Separately

Pack a separate box or bag with essentials you'll need immediately upon arrival at your new home, such as toiletries, bedding a change of clothes, some cleaning supplies and important documents. If you have booked our unpacking service, we recommend that our team comes the day AFTER your removals company so that we don't get in their way and all boxes are in situ ready to be unpacked! We recommend that clients pack as if they are going on a self-catering break so that they can ignore the boxes for that first night. It's also a good idea to pack any extremely sentimental items such as jewellery and keep them with you to give you peace of mind.

By following these practical tips, you can make your move to a new house much easier and less stressful. Remember to take breaks when needed and stay organised throughout the process. Always ask for help if you need it. Good luck with your move!