Sarah’s guide to making the moving process all go smoothly

A month before

• Arrange redirection of your post via www.royalmail.com
• Book electricity, gas and water meter readings at your present home.
• Organise for utility and phone services to cease at your old address and begin at your new address.
• Contact any tradesmen you will need on moving day – to disconnect your gas cooker, for instance.

A week before

• Confirm details of when and where your buyers (or landlord) will collect the keys.
• Phone your removal firm or van hire company to check that all arrangements are in order.
• Contact your local council to arrange for any parking restrictions to be suspended during your move.
• Pay local bills (for example, newspapers, milk), and arrange deliveries to your new address.
• Remove items that are not included in the sale.
• Clean the property thoroughly, as far as is practical at this stage. Some things will obviously have to be left until nearer the move.
• Put together a box of essentials, including washing-up liquid, soap, towels, cleaning agents, dusters/rags,  bucket, scissors, string, sticky tape, light bulbs, screwdriver and loo paper.

The day before

• Pack valuables and important documents securely. You’ll probably wish to transport these yourself.
• Defrost your fridge/freezer.
• Assemble a box of refreshments. Include sandwiches, tea and coffee, longlife milk and soft drinks. Use disposable cups so you don’t have to wash up. 
• Don’t forget the kettle!
• Lay out comfortable clothing and shoes.
• Pack everything necessary for your first night and morning, such as nightwear, a wash bag, a change of clothes, food and crockery/cutlery. A takeaway is probably the best option for your evening meal on moving day.
• Do any final cleaning, taking down of curtain rails, etc.

On moving day itself

• See to the last-minute packing.
• Check drawers, cupboards, sheds and so on, to ensure nothing is left.
• Turn off the electricity, central heating, water, immersion heater, etc.
• Make sure that the meters have been read. Keep a note of the readings, in case of query.
• Ensure you have left instructions for operating the central heating, etc.
• Lock doors and windows.
• Leave the keys for collection by the purchaser (or landlord).
• Have to hand: the phone numbers of your removers, your solicitor and your new property; your chequebook, credit card or cash for paying the removal company and other expenses.
• Pick up new keys. Once you have access to your new property, check that everything the previous owners agreed to leave has been left, and that nothing has been left that should not have been. Notify your solicitor of any discrepancies.
• If anything is damaged during the move, make a note of it and ask the foreman to sign it. Write to the removals company, detailing the damage and requesting a deduction from your bill.

Mission accomplished


Once you’ve moved in, it’s tempting to get everything unpacked and sorted out as quickly as possible. However, this urge is best resisted; by now, you’re likely to be pretty shattered, and there’ll be plenty of time later. With your first couple of meals arranged and your overnight bag at the ready, you should be able to relax a little before returning to the fray.

Pictures: getty images, shutterstock