Stay Organised to Make Your Home Move as Stress-Free as Possible

Moving home can be a stressful and traumatic event, not to mention a logistical headache. So for the best chance of making your move as smooth as possible, plan ahead, organise well, and heed some useful advice courtesy of Confused.com.

Things to do before you pack

Moving home's not all about packing stuff up and lugging boxes on and off removal vans, before the donkeywork begins, there's plenty of other stuff to do.

NOTE: don't leave any of this to the last minute, your best chance of a stress-free move is to organise things in good time.

Ensure your new property's insured - your new address will need home insurance [link to insurance page] from the point of exchange and not completion.
Inform current utilities suppliers (water, gas & electricity) of your switch-off date (don't forget to take meter readings on the day you leave) and let your new utilities suppliers know when you'll be moving in. Don't forget to shop around for the best utilities supplier [link to gas & electricity page] in your new neighbourhood.
Inform your present council of the date that you're moving home. They'll arrange for a refund of any council tax that is due.
Notify the post office of your impending change of address. There'll be a charge for a redirection of mail service.
Email everyone you can think of with your change in contact details.
Telephone/broadband connection - inform the provider in good time to ensure that you're wired to the world from day 1 in your new home. Don't forget that your existing provider may require a notice period before cut-off.
Car Insurance - don't forget to notify your insurer of a change of address as this may affect the premiums. Click here for the best deals on car insurance for your new postcode.
If renting, notify the landlord of your moving date in good time. Check the rental agreement, your landlord will probably require at least one month's notice.

And don't forget to notify:

TV licensing
Banks/building societies/credit card companies
Inland revenue
DVLA
The Milkman, newspaper delivery or magazine subscriptions
Your children's school
Your employer
If you're having new furniture and carpets in your new home, there'll usually be a delivery wait, so take this into account. However, you don't want them turning up in the middle of decorating or your plush new sofa and luxuriantly soft carpet may receive an unwanted gloss finish. Timing is the key here, so check average delivery waits or, better still, see if you can specify a firm delivery date.

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Get cracking on your packing

The single most important thing to remember when packing up your contents is - Be Ruthless!

You'll doubtless come across a ton of stuff that you'll think you won't be able to live without, but be selective.

Ask yourself whether you really need that 4' diameter sombrero that you brought back from Magaluf? Or does that worn-out, beer-stained reclining chair really add all that much to the home cinema experience? Look upon the packing process as an opportunity to de-clutter your life before starting afresh in your new home.

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Stuff you no longer need may still have value

Consider donating unwanted items to a charity shop, or why not take them along to a car boot sale - there's always a market for old books, records, usable knick-knacks etc. Hey, here's your chance to jettison that Betamax VCR before upgrading to one of those new-fangled DVD thingys! And with a car boot sale you'll probably raise a few quid during a very expensive time to boot.

Stuff you no longer need may still have value? to others! Always shred personal documents to combat dumpster-diving, identity-theft fraudsters. When dumping rubbish, find out where your nearest council tip is and recycle wherever possible. But be warned, if dumping rubbish using a hired van, the council may class you as a commercial refuse remover and levy a charge.

The second most important thing when packing is to find boxes, lots and lots of boxes, and the stronger the better. These can be bought in or sourced for free from supermarkets, shops etc. Also, you'll need some strong tape and marker pens for writing contents on the side of the boxes.

Watch the weight of the boxes - you don't want to spend the first month in your new home in agony with a bad back (note: books and CDs/DVDs are particularly heavy so pack them into lots of smaller boxes rather than into a few larger ones).

To avoid disaster on moving day, wrap breakable items in newspaper or bubble wrap. Blankets and pillows can be used to cushion fragile items on their journey between homes. Don't forget to use your marker pen to write 'Fragile' on these boxes.

Place important documents that you're taking with you (passports, legal paperwork, financial documents, birth certificates etc.) into a separate bag and keep it with you during the move.

If you're lucky enough to possess valuables such as large antiques, fine art, chandeliers and pianos, you may want to employ professional removal experts.

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Removals: Burly Men or DIY?

Handling the removal yourself or going the professional route depends upon the amount of stuff you have to transport, your ability to lug heavy items, and whether you own large, high-value property that will require specialist care.

If you want to save money, raid the favour bank and rope your friends in to give you a hand on moving day. Well in advance of your move, ring around or visit websites for the best deals and reserve an adequately sized van (appropriate to your driving license, of course).

If your friend-count on Facebook is zero, then you may need to call in the professionals. Again, ring around or visit websites for the best deals, and do so well in advance of the move. Remember, weekends are their busiest time so you might get a better deal for a midweek move. Also check whether the removal firm is a member of the British Association of Removers.

Give the removal firm a good estimate of how much furniture and how many boxes will need to be moved, and find out exactly what their insurance covers. Always agree on the condition of your furniture/white goods/electronic equipment beforehand to avoid any later disputes.

Also inform the removal company if any windows will need removing at either address to accommodate large furniture, and ask if they're able to un-plumb and reinstall washing machines/dish washers etc.

So those are your handy house-move tips, and the main points to remember are that sound organisation and careful planning are your best chance to avert a logistical nightmare and a stressful move.

We hope your move goes swimmingly well but there's one last thing? whatever you do, don't forget to pick up your new house keys from the estate agent before turning up on your new doorstep with a fully laden van - it happens!

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