What are the practical things you need to consider? What can you do in advance? How can you take the stress out of shifting your stuff across town? We've put together a brief guide to the final stages before you step into your new home, so you can forget the stress and concentrate on being excited.
Before moving day
Get ready to move to your new home
It might sound obvious, but preparing to move into your new home in particular is really important. Obviously, you'll have viewed the home beforehand at the very least, but find out as much as possible about the property you're moving into. If you can, get in there before the moving date to do what you need to do. Measure windows for curtains and blinds. Check where things are, like the stopcock and utilities meters. Learn how the heating works and when the bins are collected. Find out if you need to buy any lightbulbs! Doing as many of the practical things as possible in advance will lessen the load on the day of your move.
Say hello to your neighbours and advise them of your moving date so you get off to a great start. If you're buying with Redrow, you’ll benefit from a tour of your new home and, it’s worth noting, it will be professionally cleaned before you move in. On the day of your move, your new Redrow home will be clean, tidy and ready for you to add all your personal touches to. However, if you're looking to move home quickly, consider our range of Readymade homes that come completely equipped to start living in from the second you enter.
Packing up your current home
To make moving day as stress-free as possible, make plan for packing up your home. It can seem really overwhelming to pack up your entire life, so think about creating a 'moving home checklist' to organise everything. A few top tips from our team:
To transfer your wardrobe as quickly as possible, try moving clothes on hangers - just grab a bundle and tie them together at the top, or wrap them in towels
Pack and label boxes in order, based on rooms - and make sure to label each side of the boxes!
Towels and linens make convenient wrapping for valuables and breakables, meaning you don't need to invest in lots of plastic bubble wrap
Keep a bag or box of essential items for your first 24 hours in the new house, including bedding, toilet roll, cleaning wipes and any important documents (e.g. home insurance or broadband information)
Moving day
Making the move to your new home
If you are a first-time buyer moving from your parents’ house, you may be able to move your belongings by car. This would likely prove to be the cheapest option, even if you have to make more than one journey. You could recruit a friend or two to give you a lift with any heavy or bulky items. If you've been on a mission to declutter or are moving from a smaller property (i.e. an apartment to a house), you may also be able to fit your belongings into cars.
If you are moving from your own place you are more likely to need to call in the professionals. It may be useful to ask people you know who have recently used a removal company. If they had a great experience it would make sense to consider using the same firm.
Whether or not you go down this route you should get quotes from at least three companies or professional movers. They can help you with this (as well as surveyors and conveyancers if you have not already been through this part of the process). Reputable firms will provide a written quotation that sets out their terms as well as their costs for you to compare against others. By checking that the company is a member of the British Association of Removers (BAR), any advance deposit you pay will be protected by the association’s guarantee. BAR also has a free, independent resolution service that deals with any disputes.
Preparing your pets to move home
When you get ready to move home, don't forget about your pets! Your pet may be even more stressed than you on moving day. Luckily, our team has some tips and tricks to help make moving with pets as smooth as possible.
Take your pet by car to your new home and spend time with them to help them settle into the new environment. It may be useful to put all of your pet's things, such as bedding and toys, into one room if possible. If you can, pop your head round the door to reassure them as you continue to bring your things into other rooms. Finally, move your pet into one of the other rooms (along with any favourite toys!) so you can continue to drop boxes and furnishings through the rest of the house.
First food shop in your new home
Even if you usually go to the supermarket for your weekly groceries, doing your first food shop online can be a great idea on moving day or the day after. Food (and other supermarket essentials) is one thing that everyone needs, but having to fetch it on the day may be a step too far. Choosing a delivery slot later in the day means you will (hopefully!) be at least relatively organised by the time it arrives, so you can quickly stock up your fridge and freezer.
Remember, your moving day can only go according to plan if you have a plan to begin with, so be prepared!
Find your dream home and manage your account instantly with the Redrow app - available on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store - the quickest way to find your new home.
