Top Tips for a Stress-Free Move

Are you on the count-down to moving day? Or perhaps you want to get organised well ahead of time? We’ve teamed up with Zoopla to provide some expert advice on making sure your house move goes without a hitch.

1. Decide how you’re going to move (at least six weeks in advance of your completion date)
• Are you planning to go for the full packing-and-unpacking removal service?
• Would you prefer to pack everything yourself and ask a removals company to move it?
• Or is this going to be a DIY job with friends?
The first option will be more expensive but less hassle for you.
For the second, you’ll need plenty of boxes and tape.
And for the third, you’ll also need to hire a big enough van.

2. Have a major declutter
• Spend the weeks in the run up to completion day sorting, decluttering and throwing anything you don’t want any more.
• Get into the loft, find out what’s in the cupboard under the stairs, leave no nook or cranny untouched.
• Share the love with your local charity shops.
• The less stuff you have, the quicker, easier and cheaper it will be on moving day.

3. Do you need new furniture for your new home?
Now for the fun bit. As soon as exchange takes place and you know your new home is yours, it's time to start shopping.
New sofas and beds can have a waiting time of several weeks. That’s a long time to be sitting on beanbags or sleeping on a mattress on the floor!

4. Sort those final bill payments
Before you leave the building, you need to:
• Pay your final bills and arrange your redirects.
• You'll need to arrange the final payments for the gas, electricity and water.
• Then you'll need to think about transferring your TV licence, broadband and council tax.
• And finally, there's the all-important home insurance and Royal Mail redirect to organise.
• Make sure you take photographs of the gas, electric and water meters in your old home when you leave - and your new home when you arrive.

5. Moving with children
It’s a good idea to ensure the little ones are going to be at nursery, school or staying with family on the date you move home.
Plus, you get the joy of welcoming them to their new home later, once you’ve had time to move the bulk of your belongings into vaguely the right places.

6. Unpacking on the other side
The first pieces of furniture to assemble should be the beds. Be sure to have a box with clean linens and pillows clearly labelled.
Then unpack the vital items in the rooms you use most, such as the kitchen and bathroom.
You won’t finish everything in a day, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you collapse under your duvet surrounded by boxes.

But before you do that, it’s time to enjoy a really good take-out.
To read more top tips for a stress-free move, head over to Zoopla
And if you’re buying a home, everything you need to know can be found in our guide