Completing a house move means you have a list as long as your arm of tasks that need to be completed. This means it can be incredibly easy to forget something that leaves you in a bit of an unorganized mess. When it comes to moving house there are a number of different duties you need to consider to ensure it runs smoothly and without a hitch.
You can be extremely bust pre-move, which means you run a high risk of failing to complete essential tasks to get the move done right. Whether it’s sorting through essential paperwork or organizing your boxes, you can be left temporarily halted if you don’t create a plan before you move to your new home.
You don’t want to lose out on valuable time so have a look at some of the most common tasks that get forgotten below:
Create A List Of Tasks With Timescales
One of the first things you should look at completing is writing a complete list of tasks that need to be done, how long they’re going to take and when you’re going to complete them. This is going to minimize the chance of you forgetting something throughout your whole move. Think about things such as organizing a moving company. Packing your belongings, rearranging your utilities and many more.
Organize Your Movers
You should look to request and compare multiple moving quotes to ensure you’re getting the best deal. You need to make sure the movers that you choose are insured and regulated. It could be a good idea to ask people for recommendations. Never say yes to the very first offer, you should always shop around, especially if you are on a budget. A lot of moving companies will be able to work with you to find a suitable price if you explain that are working to a budget for the move.
Get Familiar With Your Paperwork
You need to ensure you are familiar with all your moving paperwork in advance of your moving day. This should include your paperwork from the movers, the details about your new home and any paperwork involving the set up of new utility services. You’re not likely to have the time to look over the paperwork the day of your move so becoming familiar with it beforehand will be very useful.
Let The Relevant People Know
One of the most common things that people forget to do is inform the important people and businesses about their move. You need to let the people that matter to you the most know where you are moving to and where they will be able to contact you. You also need to let any businesses know about the move such as your utility company, any debtors, your local government, schools, postal services, and work.
Make Sure You Transfer Medial And School Records
It’s important for you to transfer any school and medical records into your new address. It can be a bit hectic moving but it’s essential you update your family’s medical records as a priority. Arrange to visit your children’s school and transfer their school records if you are leaving the catchment area.
Look After Your Pet
You need to take your pet into consideration when moving, especially if you are moving a long distance from your current address. Think about whether they are healthy enough to complete the journey in one trip? Do they get travel sick? Have you factored in the fact that they need to have more frequent toilet breaks? You also need to think about how they are going to cope once you arrive, they may find it more difficult to adapt to their new environment than you and your family. Take them to the vet beforehand to complete a full medical examination, they will then advise you on the best way to travel. You then need to find a suitable vet in your new location.
Arrange Your Packaging
You need to carefully consider how you’re going to pack your belongings. You’re going to need items such as heavy-duty boxes, tapes, labels, marker pens, organization packs for clothing, etc. You can obtain a lot of packing materials for free, if you ask your local supermarket, the chance is they will be able to supply you with boxes for your packing, and because they’re often used for heavy goods you know they are up to the job. If you’re hiring professional movers that offer purchase of moving boxes like Muval, that’s also a great option. Don’t forget that items such as bedding and towels can also double up as a replacement for bubble wrap!
Pack An Essentials Box
People can very easily get carried away with packing all their belongings without thinking about what they may need just before they leave and once they arrive. It’s not likely that you will unpack everything in one go once you move in, so packing a box full of essential items can become extremely useful. Think about including items such as tea, coffee, a few plates, cutlery, your kettle, clothes for a few days and a wash bag for everyone. Think of it as an overnight bag that you would usually take with you on a trip away, with the added benefit of being able to eat your takeaway on some plates. You could also think about adding in paper plates and ready-made drinks as a space-saving alternative.
Label Your Boxes
A huge mistake that people who are moving make is forgetting to label their boxes. How are you supposed to know which room they belong in and which contain fragile items if you don’t identify them? It can make it very difficult for your movers to know where to put the boxes the other end and cause havoc when it comes to unpacking. Imagine unpacking a box downstairs to find that it knows needs moving upstairs if you label your boxes properly the movers will take care of the rest. Use phrases such as fragile, this way up and handle with care to highlight the boxes that require a little extra care and then use labels such as living room, kitchen, downstairs study, master bedroom and so on to identify the room the box needs to be placed.
Have you ever forgotten anything when moving that has caused problems? Please share them in the comments below.
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