After the stresses of negotiating offers, running around on behalf of the mortgage broker, viewing countless homes and having breakdowns in a quiet corner of the room when no one is looking – it’s finally time to move home.

Even if you have had the toughest of property transactions and everyone involved has been a complete pain in the backside, that has just been a training process – for you are now about to enter “The Moving Zone”.

This isn’t like going on a two week holiday, when you spend the night before going through the suit cases just to make sure you have sun tan lotion, enough swimming costumes for 6 months, your phone charger, a spare phone charger and winter warm clothing for when you return back to the UK, even though it’s July ! Then in the morning it’s check you have the passports 26 times, the same with the holiday tickets and on the way to the airport keep on asking yourself if you turned the tap off …. and in “Home Alone” they managed to forget a child …. twice ! Who knows what will happen when you move house !

Let’s remove the stress of what is supposed to be a really exciting time and deal with it in an efficient manner.

TIP #1 – Declutter:

When you first started marketing your home, the chances are you will have already decluttered it, but this time you are moving off and maybe, just maybe it’s time to (dare I say it) bid a fond farewell to those items that have moved with you many times and never seen the light of day!

TIP #2 – Hire A Skip:

Take a look around your hoe and if you have a garage, shed and loft in there too. You might be surprised at just how much is in there and do you really need want to take it with you? At least this way you can fill it and someone else will take it away for you.

TIP #3 – Storage:

For those items that you are not sure what you can do with, maybe you are down sizing or the sofa wont fit through the door (it happens), at least you will have somewhere to put these items whilst you decide what you can do with them.

TIP #4 – Only Take What You Are Supposed To:

When you instructed your Solicitor, you will have filled in a “Fixtures & Fittings” form, these include a list of everything that will be staying at the property. Check that everything on that list is still in the house – you would be surprised at the amount of grief a toilet roll holder can cause!

TIP #5 – Take What You Need:

The home you are leaving may have had fitted wardrobes and in the interim you will need somewhere to hang your clothes, consider a hanging rail until your new wardrobes arrive – maybe you need to get a shower curtain or actual curtains for your windows, be prepared it all serves to take away the stress and lets face a little retail therapy never hurt anyone.

TIP #6 – Electric Cables:

We all have a box of spare cables, in fact I have three, no idea what any of them do but always wise to have a spare. Everything it seems has a cable that detaches nowadays, three for your computer, two for the Wi-Fi and about 20 behind the T.V. – Label them up, that way if they do get separated from the gadget they power its easy to match – or I can send you a box of cables if you wish.

TIP #7 – Essentials Box:

You are never sure what you will need when you arrive at your next home and the boxes either never come out in the order you want and if they do they are hidden behind other boxes. So pack your car with a kettle, cups, coffee, tea sugar, spoons, milk and snacks for a well deserved break and for those just in case moments a torch, batteries, screwdrivers and a corkscrew!

TIP #8 – Removal Company:

Speak with your removal company before booking and you may find that they will do a packing service too, leaving you to relax that little bit more Be warned though, if you leave a cotton wool bud in a draw, when you arrive at your new home it will be wrapped in tissue paper waiting for you to unpack it.

TIP #9 – Bedding Box:

Although most transactions are completed around midday, there can be the odd occasion that it gets delayed, giving you less time to unpack and you may not have time to do anything until the next day – so if you can, pack your bedding, maybe an inflatable bed, change of clothes and toiletries into your car for ease.

TIP #10 – Name Your Boxes:

If you have labelled up your boxes for each room in your new home then there is a fair chance each box will find its new place – to help out blu-tac a corresponding sign to each door, that way the removal company wont need to disturb you with each box that comes in allowing you to make more headway.

TIP #11 – New Owner Guide:

As you leave you old home leave a list of all the important points that you think the new owner would find useful. Where is the fuse box? Where is the stop cock? Where are the meters? What days are the bins collected and any guarantees that are to be left with the house. It’s always nice to be helpful and they will appreciate it too.

TIP #12 – Box Free Zone:

Clear an area of boxes, somewhere that you can sit and relax and not have the constant reminder that there is still a lot of work to do – sometime you just need to kick your shoes off and forget the task ahead (My neighbours still have boxes they need to unpack – they have lived in their house for 17 years !)

TIP #13 – Utilities And Mail Forwarding:

I would suggest forwarding you mail for up to a year as there is always someone you forgot to tell. Take with you a list of telephone number so you can contact the utilities and use the providers you want rather than those that are given – You may not have internet connection for up to a week (Aaaarrrrgghhh!) so it will all have to be be done by phone.

TIP #14 – Find The Essentials And Change The Locks:

If, once in your new home there isn’t a wonderful pack like you left at your old home, they go and hunt down the stop cock, fuse box etc.. and organise for all the door locks to be changed. You never know just how many sets of keys the previous owner had given out.

TIP #15 – Sit Back And Relax:

Don’t over stress, this unpacking job can not be done in 2 hours ! When the time comes to relax, do so. Use that corkscrew to open a bottle of wine and find the nearest takeaway – no more hard work for you today – enjoy your new home!

 

I hope you found this handy guide helpful, it has not only worked for me on numerous occasions but also the many clients who’s home I have sold or those moving in – If you think it may help someone else then please share it with them and help make their move less stressful too !