Mistakes to avoid when moving to a new house

Moving to a new house is no easy feat. It is a lot. Sometimes we might look at our home and think, “Easy peasy!” “Couple of pans here, a few books there, and we will be done in no time,” only to find out that ‘no time’ actually means several hours on one small section of the house, while you painstakingly wrap everything up and are covered in tape.

Whether this is your first time upping and relocating, or whether you have had the pleasure of moving abodes more than once, there are certain aspects that you will want to avoid enabling you to have a much smoother transition. Some you may have learned from previous moves, and some you might just keep forgetting – something we all do until we say to ourselves, “I remember why I said I would not do this again!”.

To avoid that dreaded feeling, this piece is here to remind you what mistakes to avoid making when you are moving to a new house so that it can be just a little less chaotic.

Last-minute packing

Much like when we are going on vacation, packing last minute can spell disaster. Not only can the stress be crippling, but there is also the aftercare to consider too, such as the physical clean, especially when in a rented property that requires you to leave the house in the condition that you rented it in. So, in the spirit of the opposite of last-minute, thorough planning can significantly minimise this stress and leave you with more room to feel excited instead.

Plan in advance each section of the house you need to pack and how you want to go about it. Make sure you have all the materials in advance and be sure to work methodically from items you will need least to items you will want to pack last minute. For example, if it is February, your Christmas tree is probably safe to pack up first, whereas your knives and forks will get a bit more use before the moving date.

Not measuring furniture

You need to know that the furniture you have now is going to fit into your new home. If you do not measure in advance, not only will the furniture be a waste of space in the moving van if it cannot be a part of your new home, but you are then also stuck with it. It will waste precious time having removal staff try and fit items through your door or into rooms, which will also be a waste of money too – so get ahead of the game and measure up.

Doing it all yourself

Unless you do not have a choice, do not leave it all on yourself to move. It can be tiring, difficult, and moving objects that are too heavy can also be dangerous. It will also take much more time than it needs to without at least one extra pair of hands. If you want to hire professional help, plan it well in advance so you can secure a slot and know that you have assistance for the big day. When making big moves from city to city, such as London to Bristol, the more help, the better, especially if you are close to the centre, not only is it super high traffic in main areas, but there can also be less space. You will also not want to be going back and forth between locations to move everything, so hiring professional help is not only worth the investment for their expertise and experience on moving, but it also takes a lot of stress out of the little things. Planning this in advance means they will be able to have the right number of staff, removal vans, and other tools needed to make your day as seamless as possible.

Forgetting to alert address change with important businesses

To avoid fraud or misunderstandings, it is best to alert businesses, such as your electricity company, of your leaving date as soon as possible and take accurate last meter readings to make sure it is clear how you left the property. The last thing you want is a dispute with your bill provider. 
You might also move into your new home and wonder where your electricity bill is on earth, only to realise you have not given them your new address. And this could very much be the case with many businesses such as your doctors and your bank, so get ahead before you make a move, so everything is set up for when you move in to carry on as normal.