10 Tips On Preparing To Move Home

The last time I moved I swore I would never do it again lol. What a TON of work! Isn’t it just so true that none of us have any idea how much crap we have until we have to move it? The last time we moved it was just down the street but we made what turned out to be an awesome decision and rented a large Uhaul truck anyway. What was going to be countless trips in trucks and cars turned into only TWO trips. Totally worth it when we moved!

(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)

There’s plenty on your to-do list when you’re preparing to move home, and it’s essential to get organized if you want to avoid getting stressed out. For a real smooth move, simply follow these ten simple tips.

1. Have a clear-out

Moving home is the perfect time to have a clear out, there will likely be plenty of items that you can throw out, recycle, or sell on. You won’t want to take unwanted clutter to your new property, so take this time to reflect on which items you actually use and need. According to Prevagen, ‘studies have shown that cortisol (the stress hormone) levels are higher in people who have a cluttered home.’ Now there’s a great reason to ditch the clutter!

2. Apps to sell items

Apps can help us with just about everything these days, including selling your unwanted stuff. Facebook Marketplace is a great place to sell things locally, whether it’s furniture, electronics, garden supplies, or clothing. Apps like Vinted and Depop are perfect for selling clothing items.

The Shpock app allows you to sell pretty much everything, from books to cars. A little bit of extra money is a great help when planning out your budget to move home. If you’d rather give your items to a good cause, take them to a charity store instead.

3. Apps to get organized

Organizing your home can be challenging, and so it can be helpful to have an application to plan your chores. Tody is an app that makes it simple to get your home nice and organized. It’s essentially a smart to-do-list to manage your jobs around the home. You can also sync your cleaning chores with other members of your household if appropriate. 

Clean My House is an application that can help you to create a schedule of your cleaning tasks. When you’re getting prepared to move house, this application is ideal. Our Home is another popular app for cleaning the home, it’s particularly good for helping kids to get involved with cleaning chores. Whether you’re preparing to move or creating your summer home maintenance to-do list, these apps are just what you need.

4. Pack up early

When you are preparing to move house, it’s wise to start packing your belongings well in advance. There’s nothing worse than rushing around at the last minute, and it’s far less stressful to spread the process over several months. Once you’ve packed, it’s easier to get an accurate quote from a removal company. When you are packing up your boxes, don’t forget to label everything. Your labels should include what’s inside the box and which room the box should be put in at your new property.

5. Pick the right removal company

Choosing the right removal company is a crucial step when moving home. You’ll want to find yourself an experienced and reputable service who can meet your needs. In many cases, professional movers can also help you out with packing your belongings and taking away your clutter. A full service like this takes the stress out of the moving process; it’s also helpful if you’re pushed for time.

6. Review your providers

Moving home is a great time to review your providers, including your energy provider, water supplier, and internet service. You may like to look for cheaper deals elsewhere, or take the opportunity to find greener-companies.

Either way, inform your companies of your address change, along with your bank and any other appropriate parties. It’s tempting to stay with the same providers for the sake of convenience, but you could be missing out on savings if you don’t shop around when you move.

7. Pre-order 

Now it’s time to figure out what you need for your new property. Do you need to have new carpets fitted? New curtains or perhaps furniture? It’s advisable to pre-order everything in advance. Doing so will allow you to get settled into your new space as quickly as possible.

Perhaps you’re looking to do some interior design work on your new property? If so, applications like Havenly can be useful to plan out your rooms. First, you upload a picture of a room that you want to decorate, and next, you chat with a designer about your ideas. A professional designer can help you to keep up with the latest interior design trends.

8. Create a budget

It’s a good idea to set up a moving home budget; the budget should cover your expenses for a removal company, and your insurance. You’ll also want to include items that you need for packing, such as large boxes and wrapping materials. It might also be the case that you need to use a storage unit.

Storing your belongings may be necessary, if you need to leave before your new property is available. Start planning your budget several months before you move so you can easily work your budget around your monthly bills. Moving home can be expensive, so it’s advisable to start saving money in advance.

9. Write up an inventory

It’s useful to create an inventory of all of your possessions; this will help your communication with your removal company. It will also help you when you come to insure your items, and ensure that nothing gets lost in the move. When you talk to your removal company, remember to ask what their insurance options are. Check if you’ll need to take out insurance separately.

If you choose to have your company handle your packing, they will create an inventory so that you don’t have to worry.

10. Deep cleaning

Once you’ve packed up everything, you’ll need to give your home a deep clean or hire a professional to do so. If you’re looking to clean your home using natural ingredients, consider using vinegar, baking soda, and lemons.

Alternatively, you could try using green cleaning brands such as Seventh Generation, Puracy, or ECO. Each of these brands use plant-based ingredients to make their products, as well as earth-friendly packaging.

Moving home doesn’t have to be stressful; the sooner you start your preparations, the better!

(This is a contributed post, for more information about my compensation please read my disclosure policy)