Moving house is a nightmare for most people, and this is particularly so when your home is also your office because you run your business from home. However, if you can plan and prepare properly, moving house can be a smooth experience with the minimum amount of stress. Below are the seven essential tips for anyone moving house, whether domestically or overseas.
1. Plan Well
Plan everything related to the move, even months in advance. Think out everything you’ll need to do and start by making a checklist with a rough budget. Fine-tune the plan over time and get quotes for any services you may require so that you can create a realistic budget.
You can also calculate how long everything will take. Plan to move on a weekend so that you have enough time to get settled. If you currently live in a rented house, choose the date you will vacate it and inform your landlord well in advance. Plan ahead and cancel your subscriptions and utilities and arrange to have them connected as soon as possible in your new home. You don’t want to be without internet for days or even weeks!
2. Get Prepared for Your New Home
If possible, visit the new house ahead of your move and plan how you will use the space. Think of what will go where and which room is suitable for a particular purpose. Also, get familiarised with things like the location of water supply valves, electric fuse panels, and other such fittings and facilities in the new place. It is also a good idea to have the house professionally cleaned before moving.
If you are moving abroad, it is essential to check what procedures apply at the destination. In the current pandemic, you will also have to be aware of different quarantine requirements in various countries. For instance, if you are moving to Canada, you will need to go into a 14-day self-quarantine on arrival. Knowing such information will help you prepare beforehand and avoid unnecessary trouble.
3. De-clutter Your Things
Have a look at all your belongings and things. Many of them could be occupying space with no particular use. You may be keeping things thinking they could be of use in the future. If you haven’t used them in the last six months or more, it is better to dispose of them.
After removing all unnecessary things, you will get a clear idea of how to handle them. Decide if you need to rent separate self-storage for a while and plan your time and budget accordingly. It may be that you have to vacate but cannot take all your things immediately to your new place.
4. Start the Process Early
Don’t wait for the last moment. Disassemble and pack furniture and belongings one by one over an extended period. You can pack items that you don’t use often and pack them even months before the move. When you are closer to the moving date, you can pack the items that you won’t need to use before moving day. And at the final and third stage, just before moving, pack all the remaining things.
5. Hire a Professional Removal Service
One way to ensure a hassle-free move is to hire a professional removal service in London. Compare quotes from different providers and check the quality of their services. In particular, check if they follow local industry standards, such as the BAR (British Association of Removers) guidelines and other standard practices.
Given we are in the midst of a pandemic, the best providers will also offer extra COVID-conscious processes such as COVID-safe packing with additional special wrapping, least-contact practices while handling the goods and observing the best safety practices by staff to prevent infection.
6. Use Safe and Reliable Packing
If you plan to do the packing yourself, make sure you use durable materials. Use strong cardboard boxes that can handle impact in transit and while unloading. Use bubble-wrap for extra protection of fragile items. Get insurance if required so that you don’t have to worry if anything gets damaged in transit.
Don’t forget to label each box so that it is easy when you look for a particular item in your new home. Also, take photos or record videos of objects before and while disassembling them, so that you have reference to put them back together later. While disassembling, safely stash small parts like screws and nuts in sandwich bags and label them. This will make it easy to find these small items later amidst the clutter of the move.
7. Take a Bag of Essentials
While moving, you must make sure to carry a dedicated bag with you that contains essential things like medication, toiletries, mobile phone chargers, laptop cables and a change of clothes. These essentials can get drowned in other things in the move, and you wouldn’t be able to find them when you need them. Also carry important documents like certificates, registration papers, passports, and other valuable files separately.
Moving is not a pleasant experience for anyone. However, appropriate planning, budgeting, and organisation can take away most of the stress from the process and even make it a memorable experience. If you are busy running your own business and juggling personal commitments, you can always hire professional services.
