Moving house is an incredibly stressful time, which is why we wanted to put some information together to make things easier. Whether you’re looking for packing advice, ways to reduce the pressure, or help regarding breaks in the chain, we’re here to help!

How can I stay stress-free when I move?

Even the smoothest move in the world still comes with stress, so having plans to deal with those problems and reduce it will make things much easier for you.

1. Be prepared

The best tip to stay in control of your move is to be as prepared as possible. Remember that not only do you need to make enough time to clear out, pack, and clean ready to move, but you’ll have some emotional attachment that you’ll also need time to deal with.

One of the mistakes that homeowners make when they move to a new house is not allowing themselves to deal with their emotions, which is a huge pressure point and can make things much harder. If you’ve lived in the house for a long time, you’re probably going to be sad leaving, but focussing on the future can help you push through it without ignoring those feelings and making things more difficult down the line.

Along with this, try and take time off before and after you move so you don’t feel like you’re running out of time. This will give you more flexibility before you leave as well as in the new house to unpack, and more time reduces those stress factors.

2. Don’t leave things until the last minute

It’s so easy to say ‘I’ll do that tomorrow’ but putting things off is exactly how you stress yourself out when you’re moving. Making a plan and sticking to it, is the best way to avoid leaving things until the last minute and then feeling overwhelmed with the amount that you’ve got to do. Set a timeframe and start packing a few weeks in advance to give yourself plenty of time.

Some homeowners choose to pack two boxes each evening while they’re preparing to move, especially if you know that you’re likely to get fed up doing several hours in a row of packing and organising. Doing some each day will reduce the pressure and help you make a good amount of progress.

3. Ask for help!

Everything is easier with a second pair of hands, and moving house is a perfect example of that. Even if you don’t own a huge amount of stuff, you’ll still benefit from someone else jumping in and helping you get ready.

You’ll also benefit from some extra help on your moving day, as lifting furniture isn’t easy and can be dangerous if you attempt it on your own. Whether you have friends and family that can help or you’re going to hire movers to make things easier, make sure you know in advance what you’re going to do. If you’re going to hire help, book it as soon as you’ve got your moving date confirmed – leaving it last minute could result in them having no staff and leaving you struggling!

4. Measure your furniture

An exciting part of moving into a new home is planning your layout and getting to redesign it to make it your own. A huge amount of homeowners have been stung when doing this on the day of moving by finding out that their furniture is too big for the room, with some even struggling to get it through the doors!

Big items such as sofas, bookcases, and other units should be measured before you move so you know that they will fit in the new house with no issue. This can feel like you’re overthinking it, but you’ll thank yourself when you’re able to move straight in with no problems.

What’s the best way to pack?

Packing might seem like the easiest part of your move but do it wrong and you’ll end up with a huge amount of broken stuff and wasting time moving boxes into different rooms with no idea what’s in them. Pack smart, not fast, and give yourself plenty of time so you’re not rushing as this is where you make mistakes and end up having to redo it, wasting more time.

Double-tape the base of all your boxes so they’re completely secure – the last thing you want is for the bottom of a box to split as you’re moving. For anything that could break, especially kitchen items, collect newspapers for a few weeks to pad them. You can buy bubble-wrap, but newspaper will provide a decent level of protection and is usually a free option if you have local papers delivered.

Another top tip when you’re packing is to clearly label your boxes. Even if you write on which room each box belongs in, it will make unpacking dramatically easier. You can put them in each room as you unload rather than having to sift through them to work out which box has what you’re looking for in!

Top tips for cleaning when you move out

Whether you’re moving out of rented accommodation as a first-time buyer or you’re selling your own house to buy elsewhere, making sure that the property is left clean when you move out is really important. For renters, it will determine whether you get your full deposit back, and for sellers, it means leaving the place in a good state for your buyers to move in straight away.

1. Deep clean

Most of us will do a weekly clean, but this doesn’t always cover the hard-to-reach areas that can easily get missed and build up dust. When you’ve moved your furniture out, it’s easier to do a deep clean as you can get behind things that don’t usually get moved, especially bookshelves and chests of drawers that tend to get all sorts of mess forming behind and underneath them.

Pay attention to the skirting boards as these will likely be dusty and spend extra time in the bathroom getting any spots behind the toilet and sink to make sure it’s squeaky clean! Where possible, clean room by room starting with those that you won’t need to use again, ensuring you’re not having to clean up again just before you go.

2. Plan it out

One of our favourite things is to make a plan for anything that we do, and cleaning is no exception. When you have your moving date confirmed, outline when you’re going to do what you’ve got to get done and avoid the last-minute panic of having to clean the night before! If you can, split the jobs between people in the household to make it easier, and cleaning as you pack will mean you make the most of your time.

If in a rental property you’ve caused damage, you should try to repair it if it’s in your skillset, but you may need to let your landlord know to avoid any issues rather than leaving it for them to find, which can often mean they’re more restrictive with your deposit. If you’re selling the house, your buyer should already be aware of any damage, but if you have agreed to rectify anything make sure that you do so before you move out.

3. Hire help

Whether you’re snowed under with the amount you need to move, or you’re simply not interested in cleaning, sometimes hiring a cleaner is a better option! There are loads of options for you, and you’ll find a lot of cleaning companies specialise in moving out packages, meaning you can get yourself a good deal and have a sparkling house!

4. Before and after photos

This one is key if you’re moving out of a rental property and there was already damage to the house. Take photos of each room, highlighting any damage that was already there, so your landlord doesn’t put the blame on you and take the repair price out of your deposit.

Leaving the house in the best possible condition whether you’ve rented it or sold it is really important – you wouldn’t want to have to move in somewhere and clean up after someone else, so try to limit this happening to whoever comes in after you. Of course, if you’ve made an agreement with your buyer in regards to the condition of the property, you don’t have to worry about this as much, but taking some time to give it a once-over will always be appreciated and keeps things positive between you.

How can I keep the property chain moving?

When you sell or buy a house in a chain, any break can be catastrophic to everyone in that chain and result in several losses, which no-one wants. There are a few things that you can do to reduce the chances of your chain experiencing any issues, giving everyone involved the best chance of a smooth move.

1. Have your finances in order

One of the most common reasons that chains break is due to an issue with someone’s finances; often, they aren’t able to secure a mortgage to cover the cost of the house. To avoid this happening to you, make sure that your mortgage provider will agree in principle to the full amount of the property that you’re looking to buy, reducing the chances of there being any problems with your finances and helping your chain continue.

2. Get to know your buyers

If you’re selling as well as buying, you’re relying on your sale going through to be able to complete on the other house. A good way to ensure your buyer is serious and isn’t going to let you down is to get to know them and make sure that they’re responsible. You can request to see paperwork of a mortgage agreed in principle to avoid them having financial issues that breaks your chain, and you can also ask if they have a solicitor or conveyancer in place – if they do, it shows that they are more serious and ready to move forward.

3. Stay up to date

There are a huge amount of hurdles to jump over when buying or selling a house, and delays can result in a break in the chain. Make sure that you always know what the status of your sale or purchase is – you can speak to your estate agent and conveyancer as regularly as you like to know what stage you’re at and if there is anything you can do to avoid any stops. Often, incorrect paperwork can cause halts in the process, and if you know about any errors right away you can keep the ball rolling rather that getting off-track. Emails can be missed very easily, so you may have been notified but not seen the message, resulting in a delay that causes someone to drop out and break the chain.

Avoid a chain

The perfect scenario for any buyer or seller is to be able to move forward without being in a chain. This makes things much simpler and more stable as you’re not relying on other people, and is a desirable position to be in. It is less common, but if you’re able to proceed chain-free, you’re much more likely to be able to go through with minimal issues and have less chance of losing your sale or your purchase.

There is only so much that you can control when it comes to chain breaks but knowing what to do can let you fix the chain and avoid any more stress! If you’re going to hire help, book it with a reputable removals company like Clockwork Removals and Storage. Book it as soon as you’ve got your moving date confirmed – leaving it last minute could result in them having no staff and leaving you struggling!

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