Although a very exciting time, moving house can also involve a lot of stress.
There are so many things that need to come together in order to actually buy the house (not to mention the fees!) that by the time you get to your moving day, you just want everything to run as smoothly as possible.
Thankfully, ensuring your moving day goes off without a hitch is straight-forward enough if you put in the time to create a plan now.
We recommend you start getting ready for your moving day at least 6 weeks in advance so that when the removals team arrive, all that’s left to do is sit back and look forward to arriving in your new home.
Here, we’ve created a moving house checklist with all the things you’ll want to organise (and when) to make your house move as seamless as possible:
6 Weeks Before Moving
1. Organise your Moving House Checklist into a folder or board so it’s easy to manage.
2. Obtain quotes for your selected removals companies and book your moving day.
(Remember: the cheapest price isn’t necessarily the best price, so read the reviews and what each company will provide on your moving day before making your selection!)
3. Arrange Contents and Home insurance for your new home. You may be able to contact your current provider to discuss your existing policy – but do not cancel your existing policy before you have moved home!
4. Change of Address – Notify all necessary companies of your change of address.
This may include:
– Doctors
– Dentist
– Insurance providers (car, home, life, travel etc)
– DVLA
– Bank
– Council Tax
– Local Council
– Magazine subscriptions
4 Weeks Before Moving
1. Cancel Utilities – Be sure to notify your utility providers of your moving date so you that the power, water bills etc are no longer charged to your account once you have moved
2. Find new utility providers – You will also need to ensure you have arrangements for utility providers in your new home for the day you move in – the last thing you want is to arrive in your new home and find you have no access to water!
3. Schools – If you have children, you will need to notify the school if your child is leaving, and make arrangements for them to join a new school in your new neighbourhood
4. Make an Inventory – make an inventory of all the items you will be taking with you, and what will be moving into what room in your new home. This will make it far easier to keep track of what has been packed and what hasn’t, and what needs unpacking when you’re in your new home!
2 Weeks Before Moving
1. Start Packing – You may be able to obtain packing materials from your moving company, and some companies even offer a packing service themselves. However, if you are packing up your home yourself, starting now is a good way to stay prepared in the run-up to moving day.
2. Start by dismantling larger items of furniture and boxing up items you will not need before the move. Remember to label your boxes with what’s inside and what room they are to be moved into to prevent any confusion!
3. Put all important documents in a secure, clearly labelled box. You will want to keep this box separate from this rest and travel with it on your moving day to make sure you have everything you need.
4. Review your Moving House Checklist to make sure all the items from the previous weeks have been completed.
1 Week Before Moving
1. Confirm – Call your removals company, utility providers, broadband and phone providers and confirm your moving dates with them. This will make sure there are no unexpected surprises on the moving day itself!
2. Finish Packing – By this point, you should have most of your house packed up and ready to go. Remember to pack an essentials box for you and your family with a spare change of clothes each, snacks and water, pyjamas and bedding so you don’t have to rifle through your boxes to get ready for your first night in your new home.
3. Label Your Boxes – If you haven’t already, make sure you
4. Clean – It’s also a good idea to give your home a good clean before moving out – give yourself plenty of time by starting to clear out the house at least a week before the moving day itself.
Moving Day
On moving day, your hard work should have paid off and you shouldn’t have many last-minute tasks to do! Be on hand to help the removals team with what boxes need to go where make sure you have all your important documents and your essentials box on hand.
Before leaving, give your house a final once-over to make sure nothing has been forgotten or left behind, and then try to get to your new home to help to removals staff with where boxes need to be left.
Most importantly, enjoy your new home!
Download this checklist for later:
