Whether you’re moving into your very first home or you’re relocating to a new location, moving home is incredibly exciting and you’ll be eager to settle into your new environment. It will come at no surprise to you, however, that moving home can also trigger a large amount of stress and worry. Naturally, your head will be buzzing with jobs, tasks and chores which must be completed before the big day and you may be left feeling overwhelmed.
As an established and experienced personal storage Peterborough facility, 1st Access have seen and helped numerous families and individuals move across the country and have become experts in organising a stress-free move. This is why we have created our straight-forward, no-stress guide to moving home, to share our wisdom and help you feel prepared for the big move.
Plan, plan, plan
With so many odd jobs and important tasks to finish before moving home, our most important point is to plan as much as possible. This can be done whichever way works best for you, such as checklists, notes on your phone or post-it notes – just make sure to find a way to track your to-do list so you don’t forget anything.
Moving date
On the big day, you’ll want things to run smoothly without any hiccups, so it’s important to strategically plan your moving date. Try and get this locked in as early as possible so you have a set timeline for your other tasks to get done.
- Do you have kids? Moving during the school holidays will be your best option. This will give them time to settle into their new environment and they won’t miss school. The summer holidays are a popular choice due to the amount of time available and it won’t disrupt the school year.
- Moving on a Friday can be popular as it will give you the whole weekend to unpack, however you’ll need to make sure you have everything you need before services close over the weekend.
- Similar to Fridays, bank holiday weekends can give you an extra precious day to settle in, but if you’re moving a long distance you will want to factor in traffic. If you want your day to run quickly and smoothly, a bank holiday weekend may not be right for you.
Sometimes you can’t pick and choose your moving date, but getting it booked in as early as possible will give you time to get organised and make the necessary arrangements.
Create an itinerary
There is no better time to declutter your home and review your belongings than moving home. If you’re moving in with a partner or housemates, coordinate with each other and cross-reference your lists. If you were both planning on bringing 10 plates or 5 pots, you can use this as an opportunity to get rid of excessive items. Take this time to think about donating, storing or throwing out unwanted items, a process which is both practical and cathartic at the same time.
We’ve written a handy guide on decluttering your home, including our top tips on donating, selling, reusing or throwing out unwanted items.
Storing your belongings
After you’ve decluttered your home and decided what to do with your belongings, you’ll want to consider self storage Peterborough. There are many benefits of using a self storage company in Peterborough, especially whilst moving home.
If you no longer have space for furniture, you’re transitioning during a life change or perhaps you need storage for winter belongings during the summer months, there are multiple uses for self-stores. Read our guide on how to choose a reliable storage company or contact us today for our expert advice.
Choose your removals company
Whilst this may seem obvious, make sure to choose a reliable, trustworthy removals company. These are the people who will be there on the day, making sure everything goes as smoothly as possible. We recommend taking a close look at their reviews and the services they offer.
Would you like them to pack for you? Do you need them to take some of your belongings to storage? Write down what services you will need before calling or requesting a quote so you can be confident that your needs will be met.
Packing for storage and moving
If you don’t opt for a packing service, make sure to give yourself a good amount of time to properly organise and pack your belongings – it can take longer than you think. You’ll need good quality packing materials, our top storage tips include:
- Cardboard Boxes
- Bubble Wrap
- Foam Wrap
- Tape
We’ve written a handy guide on how to pack your belongings for self storage, which can be easily applied to moving home, too.
Clean your property
First things first, don’t leave this till the last day! No one wants to be rushing around cleaning their property when you should be focused on moving into your new home. Give yourself time, perhaps a week before the move day, to slowly deep clean your home in sections. If you’re renting, you’ll want to ensure this is completed to the best of your ability to get your deposit back.
Of course, there is another option. If you’d prefer, you can always hire a professional cleaning company to do this for you. It will save you time, but will come at a cost.
Organisation on the day
Finally, it’s the big day. If you’ve done well remembering your to-do list so far, you’re at the final hurdle. Unfortunately, this is where many small jobs can often be forgotten and, although not too important, can have a big impact on your mood.
Here’s a few things you may want to consider:
- Pack a night bag with a toothbrush, toothpaste, toiletries, etc. Depending on your situation, you could also pack a few days worth of clothes so the first few days unpacking can start off nice and smoothly.
- Make sure all electronic devices are fully charged and you have a charger to hand.
- Keep all your important documents close to you. Put them somewhere you will not forget them and have easy access to.
- Moving can be stress, so we recommend keeping a box of home comforts that can be grabbed at any time. This could be your favourite tea, coffee, kettle, snacks, anything that you’ll be grateful for throughout the day!
Ultimately, no matter how much you plan there will always be hiccups along the way that are not in your control. Planning and keeping organised will allow you to keep calm and make sure nothing is forgotten, but don’t worry if something goes wrong. Moving is stressful, nerve-wracking and exciting – it’ll all be worth it in the end.
If you’re still worried or would like some more information of self-storage, contact our friendly self storage Peterborough and we’ll be more than happy to help.
