Moving home and buying or selling a property is exciting and daunting – and also a lot of work. Even if you have only been living in your old home for a short amount of time, moving your entire life can seem like an enormous task and often pretty overwhelming.
Being organised is a great way to help to reduce the stress of moving house, and with a comprehensive list of what you need to do when you are leaving your old house and moving into a new one, you can ensure that nothing gets forgotten and can help to lower the anxiety levels that are so commonly associated with moving house.
Sort out important information & dates
Make sure that you keep in touch with your solicitor to ensure that you are fully up-to-date with when and where everything will be happening in the conveyancing process with regards to your move. You should get your conveyancing solicitor to confirm the completion date – and when you will get the keys to your new home.
If you are renting, you should make sure that you have given the right amount of notice to your landlord – bear in mind that you might want to have a small overlap between moving into your new property and leaving your old one to make moving in a little easier.
You might also want to consider the fact that if you do this, you will need to be paying for both of the properties at the same time. Make sure that you check your position in the housing chain so that you know where you stand and who you are waiting on to be able to move.
Time for a deep clean
There’s no better time to give your home a really good clean than when it is empty (or nearly empty). When you are leaving your old property, it is good manners to leave it as clean as possible for the new people who are moving in, and if you were renting, leaving it in as good, clean condition as possible gives you your best chance of getting your deposit back.
It is also a good idea to give your new place a good clean. Cleaning is easiest before you unpack, so try to make the most of this opportunity and start with a blank (and clean) canvass. The time when you are moving house is also a great time to sort through your belongings and get rid of any junk that you do not need or have not used in a while. It can help to give you a fresh start – and there will be less for you to move as well!
Contact suppliers
It is vital that your utility suppliers are aware that you are moving – and when – to ensure that you do not pay over the odds. Make sure that you let your suppliers such as your gas, electricity, phone, and internet providers know when you are leaving the property.
You should also let them know if you are hoping to transfer them over to your new property. When you move out, make sure that you take final meter readings and send them to your suppliers to ensure that you do not get charged for anything that you have not used. You should also ensure that you are prepared for a few days without internet as it can often take a while to get new internet connections made.
Pack up & box up
Packing is an art in itself but try and get as much packed as you possibly can in advance to avoid last-minute rushes. Having said that, make sure that you keep the essentials at hand – the last things to pack, and the easiest to find when you have moved in.
These should be items such as:
- Medication
- Cleaning products
- Kettle, tea, coffee, sugar, milk
- Phone charger
- Toilet roll
- Somewhere to sit
- The first night’s bedding
- Toilet roll
- Television or radio
When you are packing, try to keep your belongings for each room in the same boxes to make it easier when you unpack. Remember that you can save packing space by filling up drawers and cupboards and taping them up, and pack the larger items first, with small items packed in around them. You can use clothes to protect breakable items, and do not forget to label your boxes!
Inform people you are moving
You will have a list as long as your arm of people that you should let know that you have moved. Make sure that you have paid all of your bills (unpaid bills can mount up quickly) and make a list of everyone that you need to inform.
These can include:
- Your bank, credit card, insurance, and pension company
- Your work
- The electoral roll and council
- Your doctor
- Your dentist
- DVLA
- TV licensing
- National insurance/DSS offices
- Friends and family
You could also consider setting up a Post Office redirect service to ensure that you have caught any extra people that you have forgotten.
Order new home essentials
There may be some items that you are leaving behind- the washing machine, curtains, or certain pieces of furniture, for example. Make sure that you have ordered or bought these in advance to ensure that you do not miss out when you first move in.
Move into your new home
Once you have done all of this, all that you have left to do is move in – safe in the knowledge that you have not forgotten to do anything!
Contact Waldrons solicitors
Here at Waldrons our team of expert solicitors are on hand to speak to you, get in touch today!
More information on Moving Home
Last reviewed on 11/07/23 by Abigail Gray who is an Associate Solicitor