As you guys know, I bought my house two years ago and – as if by magic – I am STILL finding boxes to unpack and sort through! If you want your house move to go smoothly, you will probably need a checklist to make sure you have not forgotten anything important. There is nothing worse than figuring out that you still pay your bills at your old house, or you forgot to report the water meter reading, as well as the electricity and gas balance. If you are currently busy moving or planning to sell your house and get your hands on your dream home, you need to have a detailed plan and timeline so that you can avoid last minute surprises. Check out the below list of how to cover everything and make your house moving process a lot smoother.
You need to find a company that offers removals in Manchester. Ask your friends and your real estate agent for recommendations, to make sure you are not left hanging when everything is ready to go. Search review sites to make sure the company has a good feedback score, and they are not known for dropping valuable items or breaking windows while moving large objects. Most importantly, you need to make sure that they have adequate insurance, and that they are registered with local authorities.
The first thing you will need to get you going is boxes and labels. You want to be able to find your kitchen essentials and your important paperwork at ease, without having to search every single box. Get your boxes and labels ordered online and make sure they arrive on time, so you can start packing as soon as you get the good news from your estate agent. Set a target every night for how many boxes you want to complete so that you can keep the deadline.
You do not want to take a lot of unwanted and unused stuff with you, so as soon as you know when you are moving, sort out a skip and get rid of anything that you no longer want or need. You will not be using valuable space in the removal lorry, and it is one less load of things to pack and unpack.
Unless you want to live on unhealthy and expensive take aways for a week, you will need to get some food that requires no preparation. Get some easy to prepare meals or leave your microwave out and get some frozen dishes. However, for the day of moving, you will need a lot of drinks and sandwiches, as well as cookies and candy to keep you and your family members going. Do not forget the removal team as well – especially if they are carrying out interstate house removals – a cold drink and a snack would be very well received by most!
It is very, very unlikely that you will have got to the bottom of all of your boxes by the end of the first day. Make sure you have a box or two set aside and clearly labelled for things that you will need that day, that evening and the next morning – some plates and bowls, cutlery, some cups and mugs, supplies such as bread, butter, milk and coffee, nightclothes, a change of clean clothes and underwear, toothbrushes, toilet roll, and soap. That way, you can have something to eat and drink, freshen up and get dressed without too much stress!
You need to find a removal company that will not let you down. Ask your friends and your real estate agent for recommendations, to make sure you are not left hanging when everything is ready to go. Search review sites to make sure the company has a good feedback score, and they are not known for dropping valuable items or breaking windows while moving large objects. Most importantly, you need to make sure that they have adequate insurance, and that they are registered with local authorities.
It is easy to forget about closing your electricity, internet, and TV accounts, and this means that you will be billed months after you move. Most importantly, if your buyers move in and they want to open a new gas and electricity account, they cannot do it, as there is already a provider at the address. Make both their life and yours easier by taking care of the bills and asking for a final statement from all your providers.
Once you have moved into your new home and got your key, you need to start organizing your life. Make a copy for each family member, including the kids, in case they have to come home from school when you are not in. If you want to be extremely thorough, you might change the locks, to make sure that nobody unauthorized can get in the house. The previous owner might have lost their keys before or given people copies of their keys for safekeeping and you do not want people just walking in.
When you move house, you will need to know your home insurance provider straight away. However, if you have car insurance, as well as health and life insurance, where you live and store your car will make a difference. If you fail to notify insurance companies about your move, any future claim might be invalid.
If you have kids, it is essential that as soon as you bought your house, you register your kids at the best local school possible. You will need to show your address, therefore, have your mortgage documents handy. Arrange a meeting with schools and check out their ratings online. Make sure that the school is close enough for your kids to walk to, or on the way for you to work, or that public transport or school buses is running there.
The most important thing about moving into a new house is making sure you get all your official documents and letters, and you do not want to have to go back and forth between your old and new home. Your buyers would possibly not appreciate looking after your mail and holding it for you until you turn up, and you may miss important information and appointments.
Many people have forgotten this step before. When moving house, you might be too busy to say goodbye and leave your new address. It is possible that one of your friends will turn up looking for you, or you have a late delivery that is not yet redirected. No matter what the problem is, leaving your new address with a neighbour can solve it.
As soon as possible, you need to make sure that you and everyone in the house are registered at the appropriate facilities – doctors or healthcare providers and dentists being the two most important. You also need to make sure you are put on the electoral register at your new address. Do not forget places such as libraries, leisure centres, and gyms if they are important to you as well.
There are so many things that you need to take care of when you are moving house. You need to get your accounts and bills in order, sign up for a redirection service, and put the kids in the best local schools. Plan ahead and make sure you give yourself plenty of time to complete each step of the move. Try to get help from relatives and friends, if you have kids and want them to have a great time without seeing you stressed out. Find the right removal service, and you can start planning your life in your new home without any unwelcome surprises.
Full time I'm an ambitious Head of Marketing and Communications in the luxury industry. Part time, I'm an enthusiastic British Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle blogger and YouTuber from Manchester, UK. This blog has been my outlet for the past 7+ years, and as a longstanding, Award-winning blogger I take the most enjoyment from creating content I truly love and believe in. All authentic. Always.