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Moving is up there as one of the most stressful life events and, as somebody currently in the midst of it, I can confirm that this is 100% true. Although I have moved several times in my life, this move feels a little different as it is the first time I have been a proper homeowner myself, and it feels like a brand new chapter of my life is about to start. As well as packing, we have been dealing with all the paperwork and the additional stress that comes with the exchange and completion process prior to getting the keys. It has been quite a rollercoaster over the past six months and I will be relieved once we are in and can get settled.
If you are planning a house move, these are some tips that I have put together to help the process go a little smoother, hopefully relieving some of that stress.
Consider Self Storage
Although it isn’t something we have needed personally for this house move, self storage can be a lifesaver when moving house, especially if you are planning any home improvements when you first get the keys, or if you can’t move everything in right away. My dad had been considering it for his relocation from Essex to Bournemouth, as he may have needed to rent short term before buying a house. Now Storage self storage in Winchester is our local branch, and will definitely be something we look into further down the line when we are renovating and may need to store furniture whilst working on areas of the house.
Book a Van
When planning our imminent house move, which also happens to be just a few days before Christmas, when businesses tend to wind down and start to close ready for the festive break, we had a couple of removal companies round to quote. Bearing in mind our move is between houses that are only a 5 minute drive away and we are actually not taking that much in the way of furniture, the quotes we had were extortionate. If it is feasible for you, and you have the manpower to lift heavy items, I would definitely recommend hiring a van and doing it yourself. The move can be done in a more laidback manner, without the added stress of keeping to a tight schedule due to cost, and you will save some pennies in the process.
Arrange a Clean
I must admit, I hadn’t even thought about cleaning the new house prior to us moving everything in until my mum mentioned it to me today. Obviously we are organising a clean of the property we are currently in, which we have rented privately for the past four years, but as the house we are buying has been vacant for the past six months or more, we will probably need to give it a bit of a clean before we move in, especially areas like the kitchen, where we will be attempting to cook a full Christmas dinner a few days later. It is worth considering hiring a third party to do a deep clean, if you can’t face it yourself or simply don’t have the time.
File Paperwork Separately
One thing I am happy I did from the start of the house buying process, and wish I had done for the current rental as well, is keeping paperwork separate from everything else, so we have it to hand if we need to refer back to anything and it is all in one place. I have been manically searching through old papers and emails to find the inventory from when we moved in to our current property without much luck, and this is definitely a piece of advice I would pass on to anybody about to move house, whether buying or letting the property. Future you will thank past you for being organised, trust me!
Plan Admin in Advance
Likewise, it is a good idea to be prepared in advance for tasks that will need attention once you have moved house. Write a list of all the companies you need to get in touch with to set up new direct debits for bills and change address with, along with the relevant information you will be asked for and the direct phone number to call. It will save so much hassle in the long run and will save you time searching for all the information once you’ve moved.
This is a sponsored post, however all words are my own.
