Moving house is considered an extremely stressful experience by most people, and is known for being one of the most complicated processes most of us go through in our lives. In fact, on average we move eight times in our lives. Once you’ve done it before, you might pick up a few tricks to make it easier, but the process is still usually a lot to cope with.
That’s why we’ve compiled this straightforward guide to cover all the essential things you can do to make the process easier. Enjoy your (relatively) hassle-free move by following all of these steps…
1) Get professional help from the beginning
Many removal companies will be prepared to assist you when moving between cities, across the UK or even internationally, but it is best to go for a local company if possible because it will be easier to make prior arrangements with them and have your possessions collected from your current home.
Thinking of handling everything yourself? We wouldn’t advise it. The costs of figuring everything out yourself tend to massively outweigh the apparent saving you might expect from not hiring a removal firm. On top of that you have all the added hassle and complication of handling your own logistics. Nobody needs that!
2) De-clutter and de-stress
Once you have had your initial discussions with your chosen removal and storage company, you can get to work on deciding which possessions will end up coming with you you your new home and which won’t make the cut. It’s always a good idea to do this, but if you’re downsizing it will be absolutely essential.
Most of us don’t like having to part with our worldly goods, at least to begin with. That’s why it’s important to start the process with a clear head in a relaxed state. Make a preliminary list of things you can probably afford to get rid of. Give yourself some time to think about it, with a deadline in mind. When the deadline arrives, throw out, give away or sell anything you can live without. You might be surprised how liberated you feel, and how much easier you’ve made your packing.
3) Stay highly organised
An important point to consider throughout this guide is the need for a good, solid working plan. You need to write down the phases of your move, making changes as you go, and always know what’s next on the agenda.
This includes making notes of what you need to arrange before moving. All your utility suppliers will need to be aware that you are moving out, and the same goes for whoever will be sending you bills at your new address.
Whether you enjoy being organised at home or not, you will need to get into the habit if you want to keep track of all your stuff during the move. It’s worth investing in some great quality storage boxes, whether these are simple cardboard ones or a more permanent plastic storage solution.
After that, labels will be extremely important. Never rely on your memory to find everything once it’s been packed away. You will simply have too much on your mind to remember every detail, so why make it hard for yourself? Label everything accurately and you’ll be able to find it again with no trouble
4) Pack items with common sense
We can’t stress this point enough. Even if you have professionals to move your stuff, it needs to be packaged correctly otherwise you risk damaging it. Delicate and unusually shaped items can be difficult to wrap up safely, but there is a technique to get the hang of. For small and fragile items like plates and glasses, layers of paper in between each item will prevent scratches. Stacking them on top of each other is more risky, so try to avoid this.
For larger items that are likely to get damaged or odd-shaped things that won’t fit neatly into a box, you may need to pad them out with specially folded pieces of cardboard before wrapping them up in layers of film or tape to smooth out the edges and create some protective padding.
Remember to never overfill boxes and make them too heavy, or you’ll risk your boxes breaking open at the wrong moment, or even getting somebody injured. It’s better to have lots of small boxes that are easy to move around, as this is safer, more practical and more efficient when it comes to storage space.
If you’re able to complete these four main steps, you are well on your way to a much happier and more manageable move! Congratulations on your new home, and we hope you enjoy it.