7 Things to Consider Before Moving Home

Moving home is a big step and there is a lot involved in the process that a lot of us forget about. Not only do you need to remember to pack, sell or store all of your belongings, but you’ll also need to make sure that you leave your home in good order too, for either your landlord or incoming home occupants.

You should also make certain that you’ve disconnected and reconnected all relevant utility services so that your new home is ready to go, but also to ensure you’re not paying for utilities to the home that you’re no longer living in.

The process of moving home can be quite stressful and there are a lot of things to keep watch of. To help make the process a little smoother for you, we have seven great tips for you when moving home.

Take a look below.

1. Disconnect and Reconnect Services

At the top of our list, we suggest that you make sure to focus on your services and utilities.

You will want to take a look over everything from your electricity, gas, water, internet, cable TV as well as any secondary services that you might be subscribed to, such as meal kit delivery services, for example.

Once you have worked to cut off or transfer all of these services, you’ll be able to rest assured that you’re not left paying for services that you won’t be using.

It’s good to keep in mind that a lot of service and utility brands offer cut-off dates for services that allow you to cancel a service or utility at a specified date (ideally your move out date), and with this, you can get on top of all these to-do’s as soon as possible and not have to worry about the power going out too early or late.

When it comes to the new house, you’ll want to organise both phone and internet and home security cameras as soon as possible given that these utilities take a little longer to set up than power and water. However, if you’re going all-wireless, then the process won’t be as tedious.

2. The Packing and Clean Up

Packing up your belongings for them to be ready to be moved is one of the most important parts of moving. You should do it in a way that keeps everything organised and easy to find. It’s also important to pack fragile items in a way that they are protected during the move. Finding experienced removalists is easy with services like Muval and can go a long way in making your move easy.

Another key thing to keep in mind is that you will need to do a major clean of the home, which includes throwing everything away that you no longer wish to keep.

Keep in mind that it might be a good idea to head into the backyard and do a cleanup of your shed and your yard in general, too, especially if you’re selling.

It may also be a good idea to consider rubbish removal services here too, given that these professionals will be able to assist you in getting rid of a lot of rubbish, leaving you to focus on some more important tasks, such as the connection of services that we mentioned above.

3. Make Sure That You’re Insured During The Move

Another key consideration when it comes to moving your principal place of residence is making sure that all of your insurance is in order for your new home and/or its contents.

Given that you’ll be in a new location, living in a new home and likely have all-new home contents (e..g, new TV, fridge, lounge), you may need to increase or decrease your insurance level. You should also make sure to reach out to your insurance provider to ensure that you’re getting a good deal but also the coverage you’re looking for - it pays to shop around!

Another major consideration is keeping your insurance operational until the day you move out of your home. You don’t want to run the risk of something happening and you not having an active insurance policy to back you up.

4. Doubling Up on Keys

This consideration comes as soon as you’re provided keys to your new home.

Once you have secured your new home’s purchase or signed a lease, you will receive keys within just a few days or immediately. When you get these, make sure that you have them cut and have a spare key cut as well, this gives you the peace of mind to know that you’re not going to be locked out or lose a key and be stranded outside of your new home.

5. Redirection of Mail

One consideration that far too many of us forget is the redirection of our mail.

Though you may have the majority of your mail delivered digitally, there are still some items that are sent directly to your home, such as credit cards, for example. Make certain that your bank has your most up to date mailing address.

On top of this, it is also a good idea to ensure that your services, such as Amazon, have your updated mailing address too; you don’t want all of your ‘Buy Now’ orders to be directed to an old address.

6. Let Everyone Know Your Address

Our second last tip is to reach out to the parties that should know your new address as soon as possible.

You will want to make certain that family and friends know your address, of course, but also your GP, an electoral roll, as well as any other parties who often rely on an updated address to get in contact with you or send your essentials.

7. A First Night Essentials Box

To end our list, our final consideration or tip, rather, is to hold on to some essentials that you’re going to need for your first night in your new home.

Always keep your toiletries within easy access as well as things such as toilet paper, coffee and tea, your towels and a toothbrush.

Keep in mind that getting all of your items to your new home can take a little while, and so it’s good to be prepared and have all your daily essentials on hand that will last a week or two.