12 Things To Do Before Moving Day
It is considered to be one of the most stressful times of your life moving home, so we thought we would make it as easy as possible for you with these hints and tips.
We have even listed them in order, learnt from previous client experiences.
8 Weeks Before You Move
Don’t forget to start preparing for the moving week – do you need to book time off work? You may not have an exact date yet but the least you could do is pre-warn your colleagues and ask for time off.
If you have children and you’re moving far enough that they need to change schools, make sure you start organising this now – many of our clients have even sorted this out 6 months ahead.
Consider having a clear out now. We know it sounds a bit optimistic but it counts to start recycling and throwing stuff away well before you start the moving process.
So, one room at a time… consider 3 actions: Bin, Keep, Maybe. The “Keep” pile can go into boxes ready for the move, the “Bin” pile – well, that is self-explanatory and the ”Maybe“ pile you can use as a test run for the next two months. If you don’t use it by the time you come to pack for real, then bin it or recycle it.
Five Weeks Before You Move
Check your Buildings and Life insurance at this stage. It should be a serious consideration to protect yourself but also might be a requirement on your mortgage.
Before exchange of contracts can take place, Buildings Insurance needs to be arranged and in place to cover you, as you are now legally committed to the property.
Three Weeks Before You Move
Hopefully by this point you should have a completion date so start booking your removals! Their diaries can fill very quickly at busy times so it’s better to do it as soon as you have a date.
Start looking at your utility services. Are you happy with the people that you are with now or, do you think you could benefit from a change?
Broadband is an important one – do your research.
If you are sticking with your current service providers then don’t forget to tell them you’re moving – some ask for two weeks’ notice.
You might want to consider getting a new credit card to help with unexpected expenses. Now is the time to organise this while your current address is easy to find on credit searches.
One Week Before
Make sure you’re well on your way with the packing by now, you really don’t want to be leaving this until the last minute.
Remember to keep a box or a bag separate to keep some things in for your first night or two, you won’t get everything unpacked in a day so make sure you have the essentials separate.
Don’t forget to cancel your regular deliveries like newspapers, magazines and food – don’t forget the milkman, gardener and window cleaner.
It’s time to update your address, to keep this nice and easy, we’ve made a list (not exhaustive) of who you might need to tell that you’re moving:
• TV Licensing
• Banks / Building Society
• Electoral Role
• Credit Cards
• Insurance Providers
• Pensions / Investments / Premium Bonds
• Car Registration
• Dentist / Doctors
• Driving License (DVLA) – Failure to do this can carry a monetary fine.
Don’t forget to redirect your mail and register for council tax (keep ahead of the game).
A lot of this can be done online.
Have you considered eating all the food in your freezer to save potentially wasting it.
One Day Before
Try and do as much cleaning as you can as you go along and carry out any maintenance issues as you go along – think about the occupier coming in behind you and leave as you would like to find.
What arrangements have you made over the handover of keys? Remember, once your solicitor has confirmed “Legal Completion” has taken place, the house needs to be vacated for the new owners to be able to move straight in (if this is happening on the same day).
On The Day
When your removal crew arrive, don’t forget to tell them if you have any special requirements or how you want to do things – don’t forget to listen too as they might have an easier way.
Make all the porters a cup of tea and have a pack of biscuits handy.
Make a note of your meter readings once you are out so you know where you stand with the utility companies. Have a good look around before you leave, make sure there isn’t anything obvious you have forgotten. Check in every cupboard and behind every door. Did you check the loft and garage?
You may also decide to switch the utilities off if the property isn’t being immediately occupied.
Make sure all windows and doors are secure and window keys are available if the new owners are moving straight in. Leave any manuals for new appliances or alarm systems on a kitchen unit, in view, for the new owners to look through and get to grips with.
Why not leave a card and some flowers for the next occupiers? Or better still a bottle of wine.
We love it when people do this.
Once You’ve Moved In
Make sure you have switched utility providers (or told your current ones that you have moved). You may decide you want to have new locks fitted. Make sure you have definitely changed your address, especially on the electoral role.
Once you’re more relaxed you can make sure you get some of the non-essential things done, like registering with the local doctor and dentists etc.
……And breathe!