Essential checklist for moving home

Moving home’s an exciting time, but it can be pretty stressful, too, so it pays to be organised. To help you make the process go as smoothly as possible, have a look at our handy checklist.

8 weeks before you move

Find a suitable school – If you have school-aged children, you should apply for a place at a good school pronto, unless you’re not moving far and your children will be staying at their current school. Hopefully, you’ll have already researched some of the local schools and may have been for a look around.

Start decluttering – If you’ve got all sorts of items you no longer want or need, now’s the time to start sorting through it. You could sell, recycle or bin items – why not donate some of them? You’ll probably find decluttering quite therapeutic, and will end up with fewer boxes to move – which is good news all round

Get your boxes and packaging materials – From picking up free boxes from your local supermarket, to finding wardrobe boxes and borrowing from your removals company, it’s a good idea to get everything you need to start packing. Aim to pack up a few boxes a week, starting with belongings you rarely use, such as Christmas lights and decorations.

Book your storage – If you’re downsizing, but want to hire a storage unit, now is the time to arrange one.

5 – 6 weeks before you move

Check your insurance – If you’re buying, you may not be able to get a mortgage without buildings insurance, and you’ll want to get your contents covered, too, so you’re fully protected from the get go. If you have a life insurance policy, you may need to inform your insurer of your move, as you may need extra cover if your mortgage amount is going to increase.

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Book your removals company – Most removal companies operate 365 days of the year, but you need to make sure you can get one for your planned moving day. Get a few quotes and compare prices before choosing the one for you. Some will include boxes for free, others will loan you some, and others ask you to pay for any you need –- so this is something to bear in mind.

Inform people of your change of address – From friends and family to your insurance, utilities company and water company, there’s a long list of people and companies you’ll need to tell you’re moving. The last thing you need is your post arriving at your old address once you’ve moved. To make doubly sure, why not sign up for Royal Mail’s redirection service?

Final couple of weeks and on your moving day

Get cleaning – You’ll want to leave your current property looking good for when the new owners move in, so start cleaning the rooms that are already packed up. Cleaning your whole house from top to bottom takes longer than you think, and once everything is in the removal van, you’ll need to have a quick vacuum and final wipe down of all the surfaces.

Leave a moving in note – This is optional, but a nice touch. Welcome the new owners and let them know about any important things they might find useful, such as what day the bins are emptied or what to do if the boiler pilot light blows out. You could leave them a bunch of flowers or a box of chocolates too, if you’re feeling generous.

Read the meters – So you don’t end up paying more than you should, take final meter readings at your property on moving day, and readings at your new property, too. Then you can let the relevant utility companies know, so that you get an accurate bill.

Once you’ve ticked off all this, you’ll be ready to say goodbye to your old home and hello to your new one. Good luck with your move.