Moving Countdown - 8 Weeks to go, 8 things to do

Congratulations! You’ve agreed on your moving date. This is the point when things begin to get even more exciting, and potentially more stressful. The best thing you can do to cut down your stress is to stay as organised as you can. Here is a list of tasks that you will need to do to 8 weeks before the big day in order to prepare for your move.

1. Start a ‘moving diary’

In the run-up to your move, it will really help if you keep all your moving documents together. Why not buy a folder and a notebook specifically for all your reminders, lists and notes so that you can easily keep track of your progress.

2. Begin to decide which items you will take with you

Start to think about the items you will be taking with you to your new home. Keeping a floor plan of your new home handy could help you to make any tough decisions about things you may need to get

rid of. If you can cut down your items in advance of your move, you will get cheaper removals quotes, since removals companies’ fees depend on the volume of items they have to move.

 3. Keep a record of your possessions

Make an inventory of the items you have in each room. Having a list to refer to will speed things up when you unpack at your new home, and will also help you to double-check that nothing has been lost during your relocation.

4. Get removals quotes and book your movers

If you are going to hire a removals company, now is the time to get removals quotes. Make a list of questions to ask each company and use this to help you make your final decision when you compare removals firms. Decide whether or not you would like them to pack for you, and inform them of anything to be kept in storage, as some removals companies are able to provide this service too.

Note that the busiest days for removal companies are Fridays and weekends, so if your planned move date falls on any of these days it is wise to book your removal sooner than later as many companies get booked up well in advance.

5. Make sure it’s all covered 

Find out whether you will need to arrange extra insurance to cover your transition from one property to the next. Most removals companies provide their own cover, but you will not be fully protected by this if you are packing your own items.

6. Do you need to transfer your children’s school records?

If your children are changing schools, you will probably need to have their school records transferred. Contact your child’s school and ask them how to go about this.

7. Tell people you are moving

 
You’d be surprised how many people forget to notify their friends and family of their change of address!  If you do this by email, we suggest avoiding a PDF as this is a little more difficult for your friends and family to copy into their contact list.

8. Finish any little DIY tasks

If you have agreed to do any repairs for the new owners, now is the time to get them out of the way, before all the pressures of moving home begin to get too much.

For more helpful advice on what to do when moving home, download reallymoving.com's moving house checklist.

photo credit: Anusorn P nachol / FreeDigitalPhotos.net