Like I said in 5 Steps to Buying Property in England, buying a house is one of the most stressful things you will do in your life. First, you
have to pack everything you've acquired since you've been in the property. (And if you're anything like us this will lead questioning where all this useless crap has appeared from.) Second, you have to go through all the hassle of notifying everyone under the sun about your upcoming move.
Whilst I can't help you with your packing (and nor would I want to) I can make the process of moving house slightly easier with this moving house checklist;
Whilst I can't help you with your packing (and nor would I want to) I can make the process of moving house slightly easier with this moving house checklist;
FOUR WEEKS BEFORE MOVING
- Ask around and obtain quotes from several removal firms. Or if you're not using professionals, start asking your friends for help.
- Book extra storage space if you need it.
- Start getting rid of the things you no longer need. I split our items into three categories: charity shop, eBay, or rubbish.
TWO WEEKS BEFORE MOVING
- Start packing non-essential items such as books (6 boxes in our case) and non-seasonal clothes.
- Visit the Royal Mail's website and arrange for your post to be redirected to your new address (even if it's overseas) for a period of 1, 3, 6, or even 12 months.
- Notify the bank of any changes to direct debits and standing orders. Depending on who you bank with, you can usually do this online.
- Notify the relevant companies of your departure, to make this easy for you I have created Quintessentially English's Notification Checklist which you can download at the bottom of this post!
ONE WEEK BEFORE MOVING
- Start packing all things that you've deemed essential, leaving yourself just the bare minimals. (We lived off a pair of dishes and a suitcase for our last week.)
- Finalise arrangements with your removal company/friends.
- Make sure your home insurance covers you from the day you move in to your new house.
MOVING DAY
- Take pictures of every inch of the house, this is especially important if you are renting.
- Get you last meter readings for any gas, electricity, and water.
- After all the heavy lifting is done, make sure to relax with the traditional moving house feast of pizza and beer.
