Moving to a different home is all about new beginnings, whether it means growth of your family, career advancement, or creating a new version of yourself. Even if the circumstances surrounding this event are less than perfect, a relocation to a new place might help you to reorganise and find some inspiration to move forward.
Though moving is an exciting stage in your life, it might be just as stressful. Trying to sell your house and finding a new one is going to be challenging, but that is only the beginning. The move itself might be much worse. With all the things to pack, utility providers to contact, and clutter to throw out, it is easy to become overwhelmed to the point of crying. Lots of people have been there.
The Checklist 
In the situation where the chaos overtakes your life, there is nothing as handy as a checklist to mark each completed action. This way, you will ensure that you have prepared everything and did not forget about anything important. As such, we have prepared a guide that will help you to create your own checklist, so that the moving process goes smoothly. Read on!
Two Months Before the Move
At this point, there is not much that you have to do aside from a few administrative matters. You should start with tasks that will be the most time-consuming.
- It is a good moment to start decluttering. Over time, it is more than likely that you have accumulated a lot of items that you will not need at your new home. As such, they would only be an unnecessary baggage when moving.
- If you are renting, you need to check what is the notice period on your lease and inform your landlord about the move.
- Notify your internet and landline providers about your future change of address.
- You can start collecting packing boxes – the more, the better. You could ask your friends, family members and neighbours or you could check whether large retailers are willing to give away some of their boxes.
One Month Before the Move
The clock is ticking, and you should start fully focusing on your moving process. You need to figure out the logistics and take necessary precautions, to safeguard your belongings.
- Start looking for a moving company and shop around for the best deal. When researching, you need to check customer reviews to learn more about a company’s reputation. Since they will handle your precious belongings, you want to be sure that the company will be careful with it.
- You should also consider purchasing moving insurance. Though your chosen company might have a stellar reputation, there is always a risk of an accident.
- Contact your insurance provider about the transfer of your homeowner/rental insurance to your new house.
- Get in touch with the HMRC and inform the institution about the change of your address.
- Redirect your mail to the new address.
- Make an inventory of your home and decide what furniture you are taking with you. You should also take pictures of those pieces to have proof of the condition they were before the move.
- You can also start cleaning in your garden and shed.
Two Weeks Before the Move
The insanity of packing begins to slowly settle in, and you start worrying whether you will pack everything on time. From this point on, you need to be careful with your food – you should focus on cooking what you have stored in your freezer and buy perishable items only when necessary.
- Excluding the things you will need for the next two weeks, you can begin to pack everything else into boxes, starting with spare and seasonal items. Each box should be meticulously labelled with the room they will go to, so you can avoid confusion when unpacking.
- If you are unsure whether you can fit all the moving boxes into your new house, you could book a storage unit to store some of the boxes until you have space for them.
- Remember to register for the GP in your new area.
- You should have your car serviced and checked, especially if you are moving far away, to ensure it will not break down during your move.
- You could also request time off your work to finish unpacking.
One Week Before the Move
At this point you must be fraught with worry – there is only a week left and so much to do. Luckily, you have already packed the majority of your things and your old home is slowly emptying.
- You need to confirm the exact date and time with your moving company. You should also discuss any difficulties the moving company might have with reaching the destination or finding a place to park.
- Confirm when you will get the keys to your new home, and if needed, schedule a final home inspection of your new property.
- You can start disassembling and preparing furniture, so it is ready for loading on the moving day. You can also start packing any decorative items like frames or lamps.
- Finish packing other items and make sure to prepare a separate box for essentials, such as blankets, toiletries, change of clothes, and some snacks.
- You should also redirect your TV licence.
- Take care of any dirty laundry.
Three Days Before the Move
The last three days are probably the most chaotic as you try to make all the last-minute arrangements. However, you are almost there.
- You need to contact your utility providers at least 48 hours before your move and inform them about the exact date you will be leaving.
- You could prepare a list of contact names and numbers of services, such as electrician, plumber, etc. as you may need them in the first few days after moving in.
- Valuables and documents should be stored in a separate bag or box. It would be best if you took them in your car.
- Between the packing, you should try to clean as much as possible, so you have an easier time on the day of the move.
- Prepare all the appliances you will need in your new home, including the washing machine, the cooker, etc.
- Finally, you need to empty your fridge, freezer, and cupboards. You can throw away any leftover food, while long-lasting foods should be carefully packed, so they do not spill during the journey.
Moving Day Things To Do
Finally, the big day is here. Now you have to load everything into the moving truck and your car, so you can drive to your new home.
- Make sure to add chargers, medication, water and snacks to your box with essentials and put it in your car.
- To avoid confusion, you should instruct movers to pack everything in groups – boxes with the same label should be grouped together.
- After everything is packed, go around your old house for the last check to see whether you have left something in the drawers and cupboards.
- Clean the house for the last time and make a note of all metre readings.
- You need to make sure that all windows and doors are locked.
- In the new place, you have to check if your utilities are working.
- As the last step, you need to return the keys to your old house.
In Conclusion
The moving process can be stressful and time-consuming, but if you plan carefully and prepare everything in advance, the overall experience will be much better for you. The key to a successful move is organising your time and effort, so you do not get stuck in a situation where there is little time, yet too many things to do.
The most important thing is to keep calm and enjoy the new chapter of your life. Welcome to your new home.
