How to make the house moving process easier
Whether you’re looking to get on the property ladder soon or you’ve already exchanged contracts, you know that moving house can be stressful. It can be helpful to create a checklist of things to remember before moving, so we’ve made a list of the most important things to add to make the house buying process easier.
Money Saving Expert’s mortgage calculator is a great way of working out how much you can afford to borrow before taking any major steps, allowing you to budget appropriately and know exactly what kind of properties are in your reach. This is usually the most obvious cost involved in buying a property, but make sure you consider other costs into your budget, including a deposit, stamp duty, home insurance, and council tax. You could also ask the sellers of your new home how much they pay for utilities to give you an idea of what to budget for yourself.
If you have children or pets, do you need to organise childcare or kennels for your moving day? This could also come as a surprise cost, so make sure this has been factored in. It’s important to create a realistic budget for yourself throughout the whole process, and even more important to stick to it.
Once you’ve found your dream home, you’re probable desperate to move in straight away, so remember to finalise the date of your move. This needs to be confirmed by your conveyancers and the house sellers, so make sure you plan for things taking longer than you expect. Make sure you notify your utility suppliers, either to move across to your new property, or to cancel your usage so you can set up with a new supplier. Write a list of everyone else you need to inform of your new address including doctors, dentists, and of course friends and family.
It seems obvious, but starting to pack as early as possible will make the process just that little bit easier. Start with things you use less often, like things in storage, decorations, or gardening tools. It’s also easier to keep on top of things if you pack one room at a time – why not start at the top with your loft or attic and work your way down? An often-overlooked stage in the moving process is purchasing enough boxes, so make sure you have enough large, medium, and small boxes for all of your belongings.
This takes us on to the next important tip – label your moving boxes as you go. Make sure each box is labelled with the room it should be going to, along with a short description of what’s inside. It’s much easier to find “Bedroom – books” than adding to the stress by opening all your boxes in the hope of finding the right thing.
Unless you’re planning on transporting everything from the old house to the new one yourself, make sure you research removal companies and get one booked in early. Compare quotes from different companies to find the best deal for you. If you don’t have that much to move, it can be easier to rent a van and get some family or friends to help, but make sure you weigh up the stress of moving your belongings yourself against the cost of hiring professional help!
This will be incredibly useful on moving day, so make sure you remember it. Don’t pack up everything in the house and be left struggling to unpack later that night. Set aside a box to fill with things like a change of clothes, toiletries for the whole family, chargers, entertainment for the kids, cleaning products, and bedding for the first night. Having this at hand will make your first night in your new home that bit more comfortable and give you a chance to relax.
For more helpful information on the house moving process, take a look at our Buyer's Guide featuring stories like our step-by-step guide on the new build mortgage process or our glossary of house buying terminology.