Moving home is a very exciting thing. It’s also incredibly stressful – in fact it ranks up there as one of the 4 most stressful events in an average persons life – along with death, divorce and losing your job. So unsurprisingly tensions run high when it comes time to move, and the headaches and arguments often lead to things being forgotten, which of course means rushing around like mad on the day of the move to gather everything you forgot. So to help ease the stress of your next house move, we bring you an essential checklist:
Two Months Before The Move
- Book time off work either side of the move, so you’ve got enough time to do things at a relaxed pace.
- If you need to, find a new school for your children and start the paperwork for the transfer process.
- Order boxes (most people say cardboard, but we actually prefer those easy to stack crates). If you need to move some things into storage, find yourself a unit.
- Have a clear out of all of your stuff and throw away/sell/give away the things you no longer want. If there are things you come across that you want to keep but won’t need between now and the move, get started on packing with them. Moving house is a fantastic chance for a fresh start!
5 – 6 Weeks Before The Move
- Hire a removal company – honestly, once you get to a critical mass of stuff, it becomes very difficult to move it all yourself without injury or serious stress occurring.
- If your mortgage requires it (which some do) you may need to take out life insurance and home insurance policies. If you already have them, make sure they meet the needs of your new home.
3 – 4 Weeks Before The Move
- To help you stay connected, search online to find the best TV, broadband and phone deals for your address. If you can get everything booked in to be connected, do.
- Do the same with energy tariffs. Now is basically the time to research all of the monthly rates you will be paying and find the best deal.
- Consider a new credit card. If you’re buying things for your new home, 0% interest on purchases might help with the expense of moving and offer your some protection on larger purchases.
1 – 2 Weeks Before The Move
- Keep on packing and do a thorough clean on your home – there isn’t long to go and you don’t want to be doing this the day before the move.
- On the subject of packing, make sure you have a box set aside for the first day/night essentials in your new home. The likelihood that you will get everything unpacked on the moving day are slim to none, so make sure you have what you need (kettle, teabags, mugs, toilet roll etc).
- Start sorting out your bills. Update your addresses with your TV license, bank, credit cards, insurance providers, pensions, investments, and anything else important that relates to your address. Start a list and keep track of those that you’ve changed, and add to it when you remember new things to change.
- Register to pay council tax for your new home.
- Cancel any local deliveries and services, like newspapers and milk (if you still get it delivered to the door, some people do).
The Day Before The Move
- Do a final quick clean of your house, particularly where furniture has been moved or floors have got dirty. If you did your deep clean a few weeks ago, your house will be easier to clean now!
- Strip the beds.
- Walk through your house and make sure everything is accounted for, you’ve not left anything behind and you haven’t packed anything you shouldn’t have.
- Make sure you have the keys to your new home, or have arranged to collect them.
The Day Of The Move
- Make a note of all your meter readings and keep them somewhere safe, or take a photo on your phone.
- Before you leave, take one final look around and make sure you haven’t forgotten anything. Check that all the windows are secure and water, gas and electricity supplies are switched off.
- If you’re using a removal crew, make sure you’re there when they arrive so that you can show them around the house.
You’re In!
And now you’re in! But you’re not quite done yet. You still need to:
- Switch utilities providers.
- Introduce your pets to their new home.
- If the property doesn’t already have new locks (and you can change them), get them changed.
- Update the electoral register, as you won’t be automatically registered at your new address.
- Register with a local doctor and dentist, and find a vet if you have any pets.
- Sample the local area’s delights, such as restaurants, pubs and social activities.
And now you can sit back and relax, or go and say hello to your new neighbours. At Northwood, we help people start their lives in new homes every single day, and we see a lot of the stresses of moving. Whether it’s moving from or to a rental, buying your first house or moving on to something bigger, the pains are often the same. For more information and advice, or to just talk through the moving experience with an expert, get in touch with us today.
