Moving day has finally arrived, it’s going to be a busy one, with emotions running high. There are some aspects of moving day that you won’t have any control over; such as the time you can access your new property, traffic problems or bad weather, so having a plan and checklist to work to will make your roll in the move a little less fraught.
Here is a moving day check list that you can use to help:
No matter how organised you are, keep stress levels low by getting up early on the day you move to your new house. Allow time to strip the beds, take down the bedroom curtains and poles then get those items packed up.
You can’t avoid it, there will be the last-minute items to pack that you won’t be able to touch before moving day. This includes your bedding, your washbag and possibly the few things that you have left in the fridge for a morning coffee and spot of breakfast. The only things you might consider leaving out are a selection of cleaning items, which you can pop into your car later when you have finished with them.
You will have already discussed with your moving company the furniture that you would like them to disassemble and reassemble again, but we recommend walking your movers around the property to point these out. While you are doing so also take the opportunity to highlight any boxes that you have marked ‘fragile’, so they know to take extra care with them.
When your house is being packed up and your removal company is in full swing, you might feel like a bit of “spare part” and you definitely don’t want to get in the way. However, they may have questions as they load up the removal van, so make sure you are on hand to answer these as and when they crop up.
If you haven’t hired a cleaning company, make sure you don’t leave your old place in a mess. Unless it’s an end of tenancy, which often requires a professional clean as part of the contract, you will need to make sure each room is left as clean as possible. As each room becomes vacant simply hoover, sweep or mop and wipe down any surfaces.
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Turn everything off and then lock up
Ensure all utilities are switched off and any meter readings are taken and recorded. (Taking a photo with your phone is a quick and simple way to do this.) Then, just before you are ready to leave your old house, make sure you check that all doors and windows are securely closed.
This may sound an obvious one, but it can be overlooked, especially if things haven’t quite gone to plan. Leave all sets of keys for the new owners, as arranged, either with the estate agent or landlord, then collect your own new house keys.
When you arrive at your new home, spend a few minutes showing your movers which rooms are which, this will enable them to place your belongings in the correct area with minimum fuss. If the weather is bad, consider putting down dust sheets to protect any carpets from wet or muddy footprints.
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Record all the meter readings in your new home
Just as you did for your old property, it’s a good idea to record all the meter readings in your new home, if you take a photo of the meters, this will help to negate any queries with the utility companies.
Think about the items that you will need that evening and the next morning and get these essentials unpacked first. You might want to include the kettle, mugs, your washbag and bedding.
It’s a great idea to make sure you can fall into bed when you have had enough of unpacking. After you’ve located all the essentials, look to make the beds up next, especially if you have children. If you have curtains that fit the windows in your new house, getting those up will help you get a good night’s sleep in preparation for the rest of the unpacking still to come. If the previous owners have taken the curtain poles, try pinning sheets up at the windows for the first night in your new home.