Maybe you’re moving house for a new job. Maybe you’ve had kids and are looking for something with a bit more space, maybe you’ve inherited a house that is a good fit for you and your family. No matter the situation, moving is never an easy endeavour.
When you consider the legal obstacles, organisational complications, and cleaning difficulties, it is easy to be overwhelmed. Maybe you’re moving house for a new job. Maybe you’ve had kids and are looking for something with a bit more space, maybe you’ve inherited a house that is a good fit for you and your family. No matter the situation, moving is never an easy endeavour. When you consider the legal obstacles, organisational complications, and cleaning difficulties, it is easy to be overwhelmed.
Here are some quick tips to facilitate your next move:
Plan ahead when moving house
Unless, you’re moving in the immediate future, you’ve got the first step right: planning ahead. Check and recheck your moving date, and give yourself plenty of time. As you’ll soon see, moving entails a lot of eventualities.
Who needs to know?
Think of all the things you use your address for. Post aside, your credit cards, paychecks, government documents, bank and numerous other necessities need an accurate address. It is nearly impossible to remember everyone. Luckily, numerous websites provide easy to use moving checklists. Transferring utilities can also be a hassle; fortunately there’s services for that too, iammoving can notify up to 1,500 businesses of your new address. Remember to also contact movers in advance. In order to get the best price it’s recommended that you get quotes from at least three.
Know your mover
As mentioned above, when moving house it’s recommended that you seek out at least three removers ideally through the personal recommendations of friends. Ensure that they are from the British Association of Removers or National Guild of Removers and Storers. Ask questions about their company; how long have they been open, whose houses have they handled. Inspect their equipment and make sure your possessions both fit in the lorries and are in good hands. Alternatively if you choose to rent a truck and move yourself, inspect the vehicles for wear and tear.
Check the odometer. Ask yourself; “when was the last time the oil was changed?”
Time to clean out the clutter
You know that desk drawer full of old mobile phones? The six bottles of perfume with 1/8 a bottle left? Moving house is a good excuse to get rid of the detritus of years. While we certainly do not condone wastefulness, moving provides us with an opportunity to clean house. Clearing the clutter will save your time and money and you do not need to throw everything away, consider using a house clearance service.
Remember that many of the items in your house (including that drawer full of mobiles) are potentially hazardous waste and recyclable. Be sure to contact your local council for a recycling service. There are many other websites that can provide your with eco-friendly tips during your move.
Organise, organise, organise
During our student years, we commonly moved by piling our possessions into a black bin liner, and tossing them in our parents car boot. There are more efficient ways of doing things! Start saving and buying boxes. Label everything. Remember that the possessions you’ve decided to keep after de-cluttering held value to you, and should be labelled so that they be broken. This side up and fragile stickers will save you heartache and money!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help as moving house is challenging. As illustrated by the numerous services that are provided in this article alone, it is often a task that is too much for one or two people. Moving is a good time to call in favours with friends and family members. Remember to ask them in advance for help (and remember to return the favour if asked yourself!). Also consider ordering a pizza on the day of the move, little gestures of appreciation go a long way!
As with many of life’s transitions, moving can be difficult and has its ups and downs. Through following these simple steps we hope you can make this transition as smooth and fluid as possible.
Good luck!
