Moving checklist

Moving home can be a very busy time and there are so many things to sort out and consider. It is hard enough just keeping on top of the buying process, but there are so many more things to consider and plan for. In this guide we will take a look at how to plan for your move.

Make a list

To make sure that you don’t forget anything, make a detailed list and what you need to do and when. It is really important to put timings down as this will help you prioritise. The hard thing is what this list should contain. Read on and we will help you out with some suggestions.

The first stage is to get an idea of a move date as that is the date you are working towards and you can work back from there.

If you are renting then give your landlord as much notice as you can bearing in mind the required notice period of your tenancy agreement.

Who to notify

There are many people and organisations that you will need to contact about your move, here is a list of the main ones:

• Council tax – your local council and if you are moving to a new area, your new local authority too.
• Driving licence
• TV licence
• Electoral roll
• HMRC
• Work and schools
• Doctor and dentist
• Insurance companies – car, home, life, pet and health to cancel at your current property and set up for your new home
• Banks, store cards, credit cards, pension schemes
• Gas, water and electricity suppliers
• TV Package providers, broadband, phone line and mobile phone providers
• Online payment systems such as PayPal
• Friends and family
• Pet chip service and vets if applicable
• Online accounts such as Amazon, eBay and any other dedicated online service where you have your address

Some of these will require plenty of notice like your TV package provider but some won’t allow notifications too early such as your council tax.

Bookings

If you are moving yourself, make sure that you have booked a suitable van in plenty of time and if you are looking to have people help you make sure that they are available on the day you want to move. If you are looking at using a professional company, get them in as soon as you have had your offer confirmed to quote and get the date booked.

Packing material

Buy or source everything you need as soon as you can. You’ll need plenty of boxes, strong packing tape, bubble wrap and marker pens. Make sure to buy boxes that are of a size you can comfortably lift, especially if you are going to pack heavy items in them. Top tip: you can save some money by approaching local retailers to see if you can have some of their used boxes.

Packing

Before you even start to pack you will need to spend time decluttering. There is no point in moving items that you simply don’t need. Anything that can be re-used can be given to charity, friends or sold. Take some time to get rid of the obvious stuff. You can get rid of more as you pack.

Start packing non-essential items straight away. Anything you know you don’t need can be packed early and put to one side. Yes, it will take up space but will make the final few days before the move a lot more stress free. Make sure each box is clearly labelled with the contents and where it is going in your new home.

Mail re-direct

There is every chance that, despite your best planning, you forgot to tell someone about your move. Setting up a mail re-direct, which needs to be in place on the day you move, is really important. We’d recommend at least 3 months is needed. This way none of your post, which could contain confidential information, will end up at your old property.

Plan your moving day essentials pack

When you move, there will be quite a few things that you will need to hand straight away. Things such as kettles, medicines, documents, cutlery, crockery, toilet paper, wash bags, snacks etc will all be things that you need to hand so make sure you keep these to one side in your moving day essentials pack.

Plan the van

If you are moving yourself, plan how you load the van to make the unload easier. The last thing you need is a place full of boxes when you are bringing in large furniture for example. Load the van in reverse order to your unload plan. So, whatever you want out first gets packed last.

Kids and Pets

If you can, arrange to have children and pets stay with someone else when you move. An excitable dog or a bored child can be a real challenge during the stress of a move.

Moving home is a very complex and stressful time, planning your move ahead will make things a lot simpler, so put together a list of what you need to do and when you need to do it. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time, you’ll be amazed how quickly the move date will creep up on you.