Introduction
Moving house is stressful, but it doesn’t have to be, how to plan a house move. By planning ahead and getting organised, you can make things easier on yourself and your family. This guide will show you how to plan a house move.
Decide on a date for your move
- You’ll need to give yourself plenty of time to plan a house move. It can take weeks, if not months, to get everything ready—from selling the old house and buying a new one to arranging for removals and packing up your belongings.
- The cost of hiring a company or individual to help you with this process will vary depending on where you live (the bigger cities will typically have more expensive removal companies), but be prepared for some significant costs. Hiring a removals firm is one example: according to The Telegraph newspaper, moving house with them can cost upwards of £4 per mile travelled by van – so if your new home is 20 miles away from where you currently live, expect to pay at least £80 extra!
- Similarly, if you opt for professional removal men instead of using professional removal firms (which often include additional charges), these fees may also increase significantly depending on whether they charge by item or hour; so while some firms might charge between £150-£200 per hour – others may ask for more than double that amount!
Choose a removal company
When you’re ready to move, you’ll have a lot of services to consider. House moving companies will be one of them. It can be a good idea to check out reviews online before choosing a company. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Is the removal company licensed and insured? This is important because it means they have the right people and equipment on hand in case anything goes wrong during your move.
- What is their reputation? If they’ve been around for a while (and if they’re reliable), there’s an increased chance that other customers were satisfied by their service and would recommend them as well.
- Are they local? Having someone nearby who knows your area well can help ease any concerns about unfamiliar roads or unfamiliar routes for getting there!
Start clearing out your clutter
- Start clearing out your clutter.
- Get rid of it.
- Broken, get rid of it.
- If you don’t want it, get rid of it.
- Not useful—if getting rid of the item will improve your life or that of someone else—then consider getting rid of said item as soon as possible!
Get rid of anything you don’t need
Moving house is a lot of work. It’s also a great opportunity to declutter, so if you’re looking for ways to lighten the load (literally), here are some ideas:
- Throw away anything you don’t need. This is an obvious one, but it’s something that people often overlook when they’re busy moving house and getting ready for their new life. Don’t worry about giving things away or selling them; just get rid of them!
- Donates unwanted items to charity shops, which will then sell them on with all proceeds going to good causes. You might not get much money back from this option, but it’s still better than throwing your stuff in the bin!
Research your new area
When you plan a house move, it’s important to research the local area. You want to find out as much as possible about what the area has to offer and whether it will be suitable for your needs.
- What is the local school like? Is there a good choice of schools in the area?
- Do you have a few options for primary schools to choose from?
- Are there any secondary schools that are particularly highly rated by those who live in the area (or close by)?
- What about colleges and universities – do these have good reputations for preparing students for life after college?
- How would you rate their sports facilities (gyms, swimming pools) compared with other locations near you? If it’s important to you then make sure they’re up-to-date on new equipment such as treadmills or weights machines at gyms before signing up long-term contracts!
Book time off work
- Book time off work. Make sure you’ve got enough left to cover the move and make sure this includes at least a week of extra time in case of issues with your new home or neighbourhood.
- Get settled into your new home. Try to allow yourself at least a month before starting back up with full-time work commitments.
- Meet other residents of your new neighbourhood so you can get to know them better.
Organise the redirect of your mail
Once you get the green light to move, it’s time to tell those who need to know! You’ll want to start with your post office, internet and phone providers, bank, insurance company and friends and family. Even if you’re happy sticking with the same utility companies, let them know so that they can help you switch over when the time comes. Next up is telling anyone else who needs to know about your new address. This includes:
- The local council (for example if you own a business)
- Any utility providers (water/gas/electricity/fuel oil)
Update your details on government records
You’ll need to contact your current utility provider and notify them of your new address. If you have a fixed-term contract, this may result in early termination fees or a fee for cancelling a contract early.
You should also check that all of the information on government records is correct, including:
- Driver’s licence
- Passport details
- Bank accounts
Better Planning
Organising is important when it comes to moving house. Planning can help you save money, save time and stay organised.
You may be able to move into your new home more quickly if you plan well in advance of the move. This can reduce stress levels and help everyone remain calm throughout the process of moving home.
Conclusion
Moving house can be a stressful experience, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed at the prospect of packing up your whole life and finding somewhere else to live, but if you’re prepared with a plan then things will go much more smoothly. We hope that our tips for planning a house move have given you some ideas on how best to prepare for this big day!