There is a range of factors you must consider when moving homes. Anyone who has moved home will tell you that packing up and redecorating can be stressful.
We have created a list of moving house tips to help you if it’s your first time moving. We provide homes across Ireland with Home Insurance, and we have heard first-hand from customers what helped them move with ease. A lot can go wrong, so read on to move with no issues.
1. Clear Everything
Moving homes is the best time to do a proper clear out of all your possessions. Do you have piles of clothes you don’t wear anymore? Why box them up if you won’t use them? You could give them to a local charity shop or sell them on Depop.
The same goes for any other belongings. Are there any large ornaments you couldn’t stand? Then now is the time to get rid of it once and for all. Reducing the number of belongings you have will save you hours in packing and the moving process.
2. Sort by Category
People tend to sort their clearing out and boxes by room. Our customers found it much easier to sort by category. Instead of putting all the belongings in your room into boxes, gather all the clothes in each room into boxes, for example. You may want to then sort them into who owns them. Instead of spending time clearing out one room, you can have all the clothes in the house cleared. Everything will be much neater, and it will be easier to unpack in your new home.
3. Find the Best Day to Move House
You should decide on your moving day as soon as you can. It’s much easier to plan when you have a date rather than organising and not knowing how long you have.
You will most likely need a moving company to help you with the process. You will want to book them as soon as possible as they could be booked out on your desired date.
You may also want to enquire about the price. Some weeks may be quieter, so the price may be lower. Moving companies tend to be busiest on the weekends as people tend to be off work. The price may be higher, and it may be harder to arrange a move on that day. If you can take a day off work midweek, it may work out better, and you may even get a cheaper quote.
4. Create a To-Do List
Moving homes is a large task, and you will have endless things to do. As small as some tasks are, you should try to remember them all. The best way to keep on top of everything is to write a list. You can do this on your laptop or phone if it’s easier. Write down every task you can think of, and don’t hold back on the detail. Future you will thank you.
After completing the list, you should start planning when you will be doing each task to help you stay on track and ensure all tasks are done before the moving day.
5. Get Your Moving Boxes
Moving boxes are a big part of the moving process. Gathering these boxes can be quite a task itself. You could purchase boxes, but there are many places where you can get them for free.
Try your place of work. Most places will receive packages daily or weekly, depending on the industry. They may have several unused boxes they would love you to take off their hands.
Electrical stores are a great place to try. Pop in and see if they have any boxes that you could take that could be reused.
You will also need to spend a bit of money on some sturdier boxes. You may need specialised boxes or maybe just a few more additions.
6. Cancel Your Utilities
When moving homes, you also have to move or cancel all services to that home. Some of these utilities can include:
- Phone
- Internet
- Electricity
- Gas
They should all be notified before your moving day so they can shut everything off from that date. You may also have to take meter readings on the day of your big move to your new home.
7. Update Your Address
Don’t forget to change your dress ahead of your moving day so that any post or bills can arrive on time without the hassle of delays due to them being delivered to your old house.
8. Don’t Pack Last Minute
Just because your moving day is a few weeks away doesn’t mean you can’t start packing. Anything you won’t use in the next few weeks, such as books and clothes, should be packed away.
Give more time to pack away fragile or expensive items as they will require more care in the moving process.
9. Label Everything
It’s great to have all your belongings organised into boxes, but how will you unpack them if they’re not labelled? Group all items by room so that you can drop all those boxes in the new rooms when you move in. It will speed up the unloading process and help anyone helping you out know where to bring them.
Need Home Insurance for your new home? Look no further than KennCo Insurance. Check out the range of benefits when you join KennCo Insurance, such as loss of keys up to €500 and fire brigade charges up to €2,000.
