Along with job loss or relationship breakdown, moving home is one of the most stressful events occurring in anyone's life. This article acts as a tick list designed to show how planning can reduce the pain. The advice applies equally to students, pensioners or anyone else preparing to move.
The path to a stress-free home move is to follow this plan well in advance of a new tenancy start date or private purchase completion.
Here is a suggested timetable for the list:
Up to One Month Before the Move
- Get boxes from shops and supermarkets and collect newspapers for packing
- Assess room by room what to pack and what can be donated or sold as unwanted
- Check that home contents insurance policies cover damages or breakages in the actual move and, if necessary, to check if the insurer offers an extension for such occasions
- Check parking arrangements at the new residence and arrange any permits required to unload delivery vans
- Get quotes from removal companies and ask about other services they might offer; such as help with packing, damages insurance or disconnecting and reconnecting appliances
- Contact banks, creditors and service companies with change of address information
- List and contact other people who need to know about the move
- Arrange any pet care for the removal day
- Pack non-essential items and labelling the boxes (keeping fragile items separate)
- Arrange for an accredited professional to disconnect gas appliances
- Run down freezer contents
A Week Before the Move
- Plan a “survival pack” to get through the one or two days before the new home is fully functioning; kettle, cups, snacks, toilet tissues, light bulbs, candles, matches, fuses, bin liners, screwdrivers, tea, coffee, torch, etc
- Settle all utilities accounts and local services bills
- Return any borrowed or rental items such as library books, videos or rental games
- Confirm the removal date with utilities and telephone companies as well as with the removal people
- Defrost refrigerators and freezers fully
- Dismantle furniture and fitted items that otherwise cannot be moved
- Finalise packing arrangements and cleaning the house
One Day Left and Moving Day
- Finalise all packing and prepare the survival pack (see above)
- Dismantle the TV aerial and any satellite dish
- Disconnect water and power supplies from automatic dishwashers and clothes washers
- Turn off the water at the mains supply inlet
- Take down curtains and blinds if required
- Take final utilities readings
- Get cash from the bank to cover emergencies
- Check over the old home before taking keys to the old landlord or agents
- Collect keys for the new home
Once in the New Home
- Check alarms
- Take utilities readings and arranging to have appliances serviced
- Register with doctors and dentists, etc
- Notify the tax authorities and other public agencies of the move
Less Stress and Maybe Even Some Fun
Following the above timetable should take a lot of the stress out of the moving process.
Friends and family can help and it might be fun to repay them with pizza and beer or soda as a reward after an evening of their help and effort. They might even offer to help decorate and arrange the new home!
