Moving house - key tips and advice

Moving house is generally said to be the third most stressful thing that you can do in your life after death and divorce. There's a huge unknown factor when moving house and a certain amount of uncertainty as you pack up all your possessions and move from one place to another.

Some people may only move once or twice in their life whereas others may move house every few years but either way, there is usually a time and cost factor when you move house but fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to prepare yourself in good time ahead of your move to reduce many of the unknown factors as well as reduce the subsequent stress factor.

Use the following moving house tips for your next move;

1) Get out the pen and paper and make a list of the things to do

Compile a checklist of the companies you need to notify of your house move and make sure you notify them in good time, especially if you need post redirected. A list of things to do will help you maintain perspective of the situation and keep you proactively working towards checking off each item on the list.

2) Use your packing as the perfect opportunity to have a spring clean of your things.

As you begin to sort out every item in your house you could benefit from the chance to throw away junk items that may have mounted up over the years and give clothes that may no longer fit you to charity or your friends and even sell unwanted items on eBay.

If you can take the time to reorganise the possessions in your current home, you will find it much easier to pack and move the items you actually want to keep into your new home.

3) Pack anything you have no immediate need for

In the months leading up to your move you can begin to think about the items you will not have any need for before you move house and which can be safely packed away into temporary storage to save you time on the final packing.

4) Make sure you have enough packing materials

When moving house the last thing you want to find is that you don't have enough boxes to pack all of your possessions. You may find it easy to go from room to room to gauge a rough idea of how many boxes and of what type you may need for your packing. Alongside the boxes you will need a few rolls of brown tape, bubble wrap and a few black markers to clearly label your boxes.

A specialist packing and storage company may be ideal for you to buy your packing materials from as there will be a wide range of box sizes and types to choose from and you can also purchase specific packing containers for items such as clothing, bed linen and special boxes for items that need to be kept hanging such as suits, wedding dresses etc.

5) Use common sense when packing your boxes

It may sound obvious but items such as books and paperwork can be quite heavy when bulked together and will be difficult for you, or even the removals men, to lift. Use smaller and thicker boxes for bulky or heavy items that can be swiftly transported from your home to the removals van.

Delicate items and breakables should be carefully individually wrapped in newspaper or bubble wrap to give support when in transit. Also ensure you carefully label them. Similarly, it's also wise to label any hazardous chemicals so that both you and others can transport with additional care.

Make sure you also know where your valuable items are at all times. Important paperwork and jewellery should be packed last and it may be advisable to keep these items with you during the move.

Also advisable is to keep one box handy at all times that contains essential items such as toilet paper, the kettle and tea bags and a few mugs and potentially matches and some spare light bulbs for the new house.

With careful preparation, time and due care, there is no reason to think that moving house need be at the top of your list of most stressful things.