There’s no denying that moving house can be stressful.
You are literally uprooting everything you own and moving it to your new home. There is however a few things you can do before, and on the day of the move, which will help relieve some of the pressure and make it a better experience for all.
Here are our top tips:
1. Arrange your removal
Your needs for the removal from your current property will depend on your circumstances. If you are leaving the family home or furnished accommodation, the chances are you’ll not have big pieces of furniture to move and a few trips in cars may suffice. Otherwise if you are up-sizing with limited furniture, hiring a van is an option and means you can do the move yourself (cheaper). Alternatively, if you are moving with lots of furniture and belongings you may want to hire a Removal Company to do the job for you, with the added benefit of their experience and expertise, as well as the option of them doing the packing for you too.
2. De-clutter before packing
Clutter can easily build up in a house over time and if you have been in your current home for quite a while, it’s very possible you have collected a number of belongings you no longer need nor use. Have a good de-clutter of your things before packing to ensure you are only taking what you really need. If you are using a removal company, the less you have the better. Not only will you save money but you also won’t have the worry of sorting things out when you do get into your new home, nor will you have boxes of things you don’t really need that remain unpacked for years to come.
3. Know what you’re taking
This will be dependent on your current living situation. If you own your current property, it’s likely you own everything within it too. However, if you are a first time buyer leaving a rented property, it’s worth making an inventory of what is yours and what will stay in the property. If you are selling it could be the case that you have agreed with the buyer that certain things will be part of the sale; again, it’s worth listing and even labelling things to ensure nothing is accidentally packed.
4. Start packing early
Once you have your proposed moving date, start packing what you can. Start with the least used rooms and any belongings you know you won’t need between now and the move. Not only will this make you feel more productive and proactive, it’ll take some stress off you in the final days. This also gives you a bit of assurance should anything come up in advance of the move (such as illness, said from experience!) that only the obvious and essentials are left to do.
5. Consider what your new property needs
It’s likely you’ll end up living out of boxes for a few days (at least!) but is there anything worth investing in to have in your new property for those first few days? For example: Are curtains included as part of the sale? If not, you’ll need some sort of curtains/blinds for the bedrooms at least.
6. Pack an essentials box
What are you going to need as soon as you arrive to your new home? It’s good to have a box packed with essentials like tea/coffee, batteries, screw drivers, chargers and torches, basically anything you may need to hand as soon as you are in. If you are moving with children it’s also worth having an essentials box for each child, with their favourite toys, their own torch, books and activities to keep them entertained.
7. Make a list of all the utilities you’ll need to change
Some of these can be done in advance of the move but some will need to be done on the actual day. Have a list of all the companies you will need to call on the day of the move to update your address and have it listed by priority. Also include any relevant information (like account numbers) to hand to prevent any wasted calls for accounts which you cannot remember the details for and which the paper work is packed into one of millions of boxes.
8. Arrange childcare (if possible)
This also applies to pets! If you can arrange for someone to look after your kids/pets on the day of the move, you’ll be saving yourself and them a lot of stress. Of course this isn’t always possible, in which case try to create distractions or ways in which kids can become involved in the process. For more tips on moving with kids see our Moving with Children guides.
9. Know what’s around you
If you are moving within the same area of Edinburgh, this won’t apply so much. But if you are moving into an unfamiliar area, it’s worth doing a little research as to what is around you, including supermarkets, hardware stores and takeaways. It’s also worth noting the opening hours of such places, especially for the first few days of your move.
10. Once you’re in, take your time
The chances are you’ll be in this house for a bit of time. Don’t try and force yourself to unpack everything within a few hours as you’ll end up stressed, resentful and not much fun to be around. Instead prioritise the most important things (clothes, bedding etc) and enjoy your first day and night getting familiar with your new house, without stressing yourself trying to unpack every last thing.
Contact us today for more information