Everybody knows how moving to a new address can be a stressful experience. However, with the right planning, you can take a lot of the stress off of your big move.
The Junk-It team has put together this handy moving house checklist, guiding you from two months before moving day right through to the big day itself. It’s designed to help you give your old home the perfect send-off, stay organised, and actually get excited about moving into your new place!
Let’s get you ready to settle into your new house.
Eight Weeks Before You Move House Checklist – Guidance from Moving House Rubbish Removal Glasgow Professionals
Getting a timeline sorted helps give you extra room to plan.
Start by confirming your moving date with all relevant parties. This includes any:
- Solicitors
- Estate agents
- Sellers
- Mortgage broker or adviser
- Landlords
Even if your moving date hasn’t been set in stone, making sure to notify the right people will help everyone plan accordingly.
Once you have contacted the parties who need to know, decide whether you want to consider a removal company or if you are more interested in cheaper ways to move house.
By researching all removal companies well in advance, you will ensure the best price and best quality of service available in your area. We always recommend getting around 3 quotes for comparison. Most removal companies will offer honest and free no-obligation quotes, which makes it easier finding someone to trust.
Keep in mind that the best removal services can book up quickly, especially during busy periods like the end of the month. Once you’ve confirmed your moving date and chosen your company, secure your booking as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Start Decluttering Your Old Home
As a professional waste disposal company, we recommend starting your decluttering around eight weeks before moving day. Go through each room methodically and decide which items you want to keep, donate, sell, or dispose of.
Not only will this help save you on your volume and cost of your move, but it will also help you with unpacking and give you a fresh start from day one.
If you are hiring a professional junk removal company, your job of decluttering will be even easier! Simply sort the items you want to keep or throw, and an ethical company like Junk-It will sort through your items on your behalf and put them in their right next destination.
Junk-It manages to recycle around 85% of items from house clearances, so you know your clutter is going to end up at the right place.
Six Weeks Before Moving to Your New Property
Organise your new home insurance or building insurance before you move, not after. This protects your new property from the moment it become yours legally.
Also consider organising contents insurance to protect your items from damage or theft.
Make sure to contact your current utility suppliers to notify them of your confirmed move and arrange final readings. Some companies need several weeks’ notice, which is why we always recommend the earlier the better.
Create a comprehensive change of address checklist. This should include your:
- Bank
- Employer
- Insurance provider
- Subscription services
- Doctor
- Dentist
- Mailing lists
Royal Mail offers a redirection service for 3, 6, or 12 months, which can help redirect any mailing lists you forgot to notify in the process of moving. Although this is a paid service, it’s highly recommended for the first few months after moving to make sure you don’t miss any important mail.
Once you have finished decluttering your old home, its a great idea to start collecting packing materials as you’ll need far more boxes than your think! Gather boxes, bubble wrap, packing tape, and markers.
You can often get sturdy boxes for free from local supermarkets or shops. Alternatively, check community websites like Nextdoor or Freecycle, where recent movers often give away their leftover packing materials.
Many removal companies also offer packing services, which can be worth considering if you want to save time and hassle.
Four Weeks Before Moving Home
Start Packing Properly
Now is the perfect time to start packing up your first things, especially items which you rarely use, are seasonal decorations, or out-of-season clothes.
Always make sure to clearly label each box with its contents and the room you want it to go to in your new home. This will make settling into your new home so much easier.
For items you want to protect during the moving process, wrap them securely in bubble wrap and mark the box with ‘FRAGILE’.
Make sure you also think of items you need to buy for your new home to help you settle in.
Organise Important Documents and Logistics
Four weeks before you move is also a great time to sort out your Council Tax to avoid double billing or missed payments.
Gather all your important documents into a single, secure folder that you’ll keep with you during your move. This folder should contain:
- Property paperwork
- Identification documents
- Insurance policies
- Passports
- Wills and other legal papers
If you have any pets or children, begin to make special arrangements for your moving day. Ask family or friends if they can look after them for the day, it’ll help keep everyone safe and reduce stress while the move is underway.
If you’re moving on a weekday, be sure to book time off work in advance and give yourself a day or two on either side of moving day to take care of last-minute details and settle into your new home.
One Week Before Moving
Prepare a ‘first night’ box or suitcase. This should contain everything you need immediately for your new home, and it will save you the hassle of rummaging around all your boxes to search for items.
Sensible items in this box or suitcase include:
- Bedding
- Toiletries
- Medicine and a first-aid kit
- Pyjamas
- Chargers
Maybe even a bottle of something celebratory to celebrate your achievement!
Confirm Details with Removal Company
You can never be too prepared.
Confirm all details with your removal company, including arrival time, payment method, and any special requirements. If you’re moving to an area with parking restrictions, organise permits for the removal van.
24 Hours Before Leaving
Empty and clean appliances like washing machines, dishwashers, and fridges. Defrosting your freezer at least 24 hours before moving prevents water damage to your belongings.
Moving Day
The big day has finally arrived!
Don’t forget to take final meter readings with photographic evidence before leaving your old property. This prevents disputes over utility bills later.
Keep a close eye on the loading process, ensuring fragile items receive appropriate care, and nothing gets left behind.
Before departing, conduct a thorough final check of the property. Look inside cupboards, check the loft, garage, any outdoor storage areas, and even the garden! This will ensure no important items get left behind.
At your new home, direct the removal team regarding where furniture and boxes should go. This initial organisation saves considerable time during unpacking.
Once they’ve departed, take meter readings at your new property too.
Settling Into Your New Home
We find it helps to focus on setting up one room completely before moving onto the next.
The kitchen and bedroom are great starting points, so you have functional areas for cooking and sleeping straight away.
Consider changing the locks on external doors during your first week. You can never be too safe, and you don’t know who might have the keys from previous occupants.
Try to register with local services like doctors and dentists as soon as you have the time. Your local GP or dentist may have a wait-list to join, so it’s best to try sooner than later incase any health problems come up.
Also, don’t forget to introduce yourself to the neighbours to establish a sense of community from day one.
Take Some Stress Away – By Hiring Professional Junk Removals
Getting ready for your big move? Take some of the stress out of the process by hiring our friendly team at Junk-It!
As a responsible house clearance company, we’ll save you multiple trips to the landfill or recycling centre, and the time it takes to sort everything for donation, recycling, or disposal.
We specialise in hassle-free house clearances and single-item removals, so no matter how big or small the job, you can count on us to help. Our team makes sure to come at a time that suits you best, making sure we aren’t in your way during your busy preparations.
For more information on our friendly services, give our Glasgow team a call today on 0141 433 4330.
