Most people will find that they have to move house at least once in their adult lives. Studies show that moving home is one of the most stressful events that a person experiences. Having a proper check list of all the things that need to be done when you are moving house can take a good deal of the stress out of the experience. Below are the most important things that you need to remember if you want your move to be as painless as possible.
Who Will Move You?
While hiring professionals to move your possessions to the new address is not the cheapest way of moving house, it is often the best. Shop around and speak to people you know about the best place to go, a professional house moving company will make things easier for you.
You will need lots of boxes for packing things; a professional company will often provide packaging for some items, so it’s worth checking this out. You should book the removal company at least four to six weeks before your actual moving day. If possible you should measure the rooms in your new home so that you know whether and how your furniture will fit in.
Sorting Things Out
One of the hardest things about moving is that you may need to get rid of a lot of the things that you have kept just in case. It is a good idea to deal with this as soon as possible as you may not have as much storage space in your new home, and secondly because you don’t want to pay more for the move.
Start by sorting your belongings into three piles, one to keep, one to throw away and one to give to friends or donate to the charity shop. Do this as early as possible, the last week or so before the move will be much busier than you can ever imagine, so it pays to get as much done as you can at the earliest opportunity.
Don’t buy your normal shop; use whatever is in the freezer or store cupboard first. Make sure that fridge and freezer are properly defrosted before the move. Book a professional to come and disconnect any gas appliances and also your washing machine if it is plumbed in.
Check That You Have Enough Boxes
The removal company may be able to provide you with some chests or boxes and to give you an idea of how much packaging you will actually need. Start by packing all the things that you won’t be using over the next few weeks, some things will have to wait until the night before the actual move.
When you are packing things up make sure that you label what is broadly in the box and what room the things need to go to. It may seem like a lot of work, labelling everything but it makes things easier for both you and the removal company. You are less likely to lose or misplace things if they are labelled and in their right place.
Days Before the Move
Get someone to come out and read the gas and electric metres and make sure that you set up an account for the new address ready for the day you move in. On the day of the move pack a box with a first aid kit and another with some fruit, sandwiches, mugs, kettle, tea and coffee. Make sure that is the last thing to go on the removal van and the first one off – you will need it once you get to the new home.
This article was written by B. Frisby on behalf of Bingham Self Storage.