Moving home can be a headache – a real logistical nightmare. However, if you plan ahead, you can turn it into a walk in the park. From smart moving house packing tips to make sure everything fits to clever moves that save you money on removals, you will find it all in our bumper moving house guide.

Read on to find out how to make the day move stress-free and easy.

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Pack before you get removal quotes

We all make the mistake of getting quotes and then packing. We are advising you to do it a little differently. Don’t give your Best Rated Movers an estimate before you have an accurate idea of how much you need to move. It is easy to look around the room and think ‘oh, there are eight boxes’ and pay less, but when it comes to it, and there is double that, it can be an expensive mistake. If you can cope with living out of boxes for a few weeks, do your best to pack most of your things before you give them an estimation. This will make your quote more reliable and save you any unnecessary last-minute charges.

Box up everything

You may be tempted not to box some things up. Perhaps it’s an awkward shape, or you think you could chuck it on top of a pile of boxes to save a box. This is totally the wrong approach if you want to be super organized. If you want your things to stay unbroken, safe, and not get lost, as well as the removal truck being easier to unpack, box it.

Disassemble furniture

Moving day is already stressful without the hassle of having to hunt for a screwdriver or Allan key and getting down on your hands and knees to take the feet off your sofa or take apart that bunk bed. Spare yourself the extra work and do it in advance. Before you take it apart, take photos of how it fits together. You have undoubtedly lost the instructions, so this will help when it comes to putting it back together. Put all of the bolts and screws into a ziplock bag and label it so you know where all the bits are.

Declutter

We should have this as our first point, really! Before you even start to pack, spend some time decluttering. Follow the Kon Mari method – if something has no use or does not bring you joy, get rid of it! Hire a skip for anything broken or damaged, and dispose of the rest responsibly – charity shops, Facebook marketplace, and Craigslist are good places to list them. If you are not sure about something, pop into storage. It means less for you to deal with on moving day, and if you do not miss it after a few weeks, you know that you do not need it anymore.

Keep aside an overnight bag or box

Having a box or bag of the bits and pieces that you need for the first day and evening will stop you from having to hunt through to find something when all you want to do is to have a cup of coffee or crawl into your bed. Put a set of bed linens, a change of clothes, the things you need to make a cup of coffee and a sandwich, basic toiletries and medication, and toilet roll and soap into a box. Pack this onto the removal truck last or take it in the car with you, so you have it to hand.

Think about the logistics

Before you talk to your removal firm or jump into your rented van, if you are doing it yourself, take some time to look at the logistics of your house move. Is there anything obstructing your way out of your current property or into your new one? Perhaps you only have one key for the new house, or there is no off-street parking, or it’s a narrow street. Forewarn your removal company of anything like this so that they can make plans.

Clean up before you move in

This one, depending on whether someone is living in your new property or if you are moving long-distance, may not be possible, but if you can, get into your new house to give it a clean before you move in. It makes the day a lot less stressful and stops you from getting that sinking feeling when you arrive at somewhere that is dirty and unwelcoming.Â