I have moved house. When I say I, I actually mean my family and I have moved house. A few weeks ago I said to the team here how I had thought this was meant to be a lovely experience. Moving to your dream home and planning your future – a happy time. Well, that statement was met with vicious laughter from Dale (imagine cartoon villain), who moved house 4 years ago. He informed me, through guffawing, that moving house is one of the most stressful things you can do – ever! I said surely not. But then again, I can’t really remember the last move we made. It was 11 ½ years ago when we had much less crap and only a 6-month-old baby to take with us.
So here, in this very public forum I would like to say that – Dale was right! Yes, you read correctly – Dale was right!
So given that I have managed to survive the past few weeks I thought it would be good to share some of the valuable lessons that I have learnt (and am still learning!).
1 – Get your finances in order as soon as possible
If you are getting a mortgage or trying to port your existing one, then plan in advance. Speak to a mortgage broker or your existing lender in plenty of time. Porting is when you transfer your existing mortgage from your current house to a new one. We were porting our mortgage over and to say that it was a slow process would be an understatement. Some banks / lending institutions insist on posting forms out (how dare they consider emailing it over). They may also insist on the forms being returned via post with wet signatures. If you are up against a deadline then this can be an incredibly slow and frustrating process.
If you have applied for a mortgage, then quite often, that rate is secured for the duration of the application process. Given that rates can rise (often quickly in recent times), then this is quite handy.
Quick question – what do mortgage advisors, financial planners, Big Joe down at the pub and your aunt Mabel all have in common?
Answer – none of them really have a clue what interest rates are going to do! They can all guess and make predictions about what they think could happen – but no one knows for certain. Before summer people were predicting that rates could fall and then they went up. Next thing you know interest rates went up, but mortgage rates fell slightly. It can be a bit confusing, and whilst a mortgage advisor can guide you, ultimately the choice to go fixed or variable rate is yours alone.
2 – Get the house ready to sell (but not too much!)
Having the house looking good for pictures is a must. But painting the whole place from start to finish maybe isn’t the best use of time or money. If there things that are essential / necessary then get them sorted. Do remember though that the people buying our house will likely come in and decorate to their own taste. Don’t waste too much time.
Tip – for house viewings in colder months consider lighting the fire, playing some chilled music and baking some bread (if you’re so inclined). It all adds to the experience!
3 – Packing
Where to start and what to do! Get some boxes and start preparing well in advance. There are lots of things that you aren’t going to need before you move so that is the place to start. Make sure that things are well labelled with details of where the box goes and who owns it! Keep it organised and things will go a bit more smoothly (well that is the theory anyway!).
Strong cardboard boxes are a must. You should be able to order these online, at a local cardboard factory or via some removal firms. Bubble wrap and a tape gun are also handy to have as well.
Also be ruthless when getting rid of things – you really don’t need that keyboard from when you were 16! If items are in good condition, then why not donate to a charity shop because someone might get some use from them.
If you use a removal company (highly recommended) then check if you need to empty drawers in a chest of drawers. We only found out that we didn’t need to do this after the vans had been loaded up. My fault for assuming that they had to be empty and not asking the question.
Bonus tip – don’t break your wrist 2 weeks before you move! This could happen on a football training day when you’re acting as a stand in goalkeeper, make a good save and land awkwardly. This may sound oddly specific but believe me it happens.
4 – Dismantling furniture – screw it
If you need to dismantle some furniture, then a cordless drill, screwdrivers and Allen keys will prove invaluable.
You’re going to have screws, nuts and bolts that are easy to lose, so food bags are your friend here. Remember to tape them to the furniture they belong to so. It makes them easy to find. Hint – secure with masking tape so you don’t damage the furniture.
Tip – check if your furniture fits where you are moving to. Also have a plan in your head so you can direct the removal company team when they arrive (my wife was great at this).
5 – Moving furniture and the rest of the heavy stuff
Get a removal company in to help!!!! This honestly will be some of the very best money that you spend when it comes to moving home.
Moving house is heavy work and moving day can be pretty stressful – even with the help of a removal company! My advice is to try and be organised as best you can. If you are cleaning the property before you finally leave, then wait until everything is out. You could even do it room by room when emptied. Better still you could bring a cleaner in for the day and let them at it when everything is out!
6 – Unpacking
I will complete this section if we ever manage to get unpacked! Honestly, be prepared to work and live around boxes for a while. This is especially true if you are getting work done to your new house (like painting, new carpets etc). There is no point unpacking to have to box stuff all back up and move it again.
When unpacking try not to feel overwhelmed – one room at a time and you will get there, eventually.
Having some essentials to hand like toiletries and clothes for the first couple of days is a good idea. Also, preparing some pre-cooked dinners (for reheating), or the number of the local takeaway will help until you’re settled in.
7 – Celebrating
After the whirlwind of packing, unpacking, and playing Tetris with furniture, you’re finally in your new home.
It won’t have been easy. It most certainly will have been stressful. But remember that it will all be worth it – otherwise why would you be doing it! Take some time to chill out and celebrate what you have managed to achieve!
Some final practical tips
– Read the electric meter when you leave your new home and when you move into your new one. It makes life a lot easier when you are dealing with electricity supply companies.
– Heating – if the new house needs heating oil or gas connected then try to get that sorted asap.
– Contact your internet and / or TV provider to get a date for leaving and install arranged.
– If you need a cooker wired in or the gas connected, then try to book an electrician or gas engineer in advance. Helpful as you ’ll quickly get tired of take aways.
– Home insurance – arrange for this to change on the day that you move.
– Register with your local authority / council so that you are paying the appropriate taxes / rates on the property.
– Change your address with / on –
- Electoral Register
- Driving Licence Authorities
- Banks
- Insurance providers
- Pension and investment companies
- If you think of more then please let me know!
All in all, I am guessing that this should take a couple of years! I joke of course but if it does then never worry. You’re under no pressure to have the place looking like a palace a week after moving in. Remember that in the middle of all the chaos, you’re building a new chapter of your life. Hopefully some of these tips will help you face the cardboard jungle and come through unscathed!
Happy moving!
Just to prove the wrist story please see evidence below!
