Things to think about when moving house and what to include on your own personalised home moving checklist
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Why use a moving home checklist?
Are you moving house soon? They say as one door closes, another one opens – but that doesn’t stop moving day from feeling like a frenzy.
A home move checklist lets you get what’s in your head down on paper. By writing everything down, you can better visualise what you need to do. This will help make the process feel more manageable.
You can do this on paper or you may find it more convenient to use a note-taking app on your phone. That way, it's always available to update or check.
Plan ahead and you can stay organised, keeping a cool head in the lead up to moving day.
What can a moving house checklist help with?
Packing
Categorise each box you pack. Grouping similar items together can help with the unpacking later.
For example, packing items from one room into a box, or a group of boxes, can make unpacking much easier. Or you can group your boxes by use:
Don't forget to label your boxes so you can identify what’s inside them without having to look. Use a bold marker to write the room or category each box belongs to so it's easy to see at a glance.
Keeping a checklist of what's in each box can also help make things easier when it comes to unpacking. You could also take a quick snap with your mobile phone to remind you what's in each box.
Pack an overnight bag
Get a collection of key items together to use on the day of your move. These are things you might need on your first day and night in your new home, such as food, soap, and toilet paper.
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Keep a small supply of provisions
Think about preparing small bags of provisions and phone chargers. The last thing you want to do is search through boxes for a charger, or hunt for teabags when you just want to relax with a quick cup of tea.
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Sleeping arrangements
You might not have a bed for your first night if you’ve ordered brand new ones. Even if you’re moving your old ones, it might be difficult to find all the bed linen among the boxes. You could consider using sleeping bags and a blow-up bed at first.
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Pets and childcare
Pets and young children may need to be taken care of elsewhere by other responsible adults while the move is going on. Consider making arrangements in advance if you're able to organise help.
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Leaving your old home
Before you close the door on your old place for the last time, tick off the items in this checklist:
First steps in your new home
When you arrive in your new house or flat, follow this first day checklist to get off to a strong start:
First week in your new house
So, you’re officially living in your new house. What’s next? Try doing the following things in your first week so you can feel settled in the new place as quickly as possible:
- Ensure appliances are in good working order: Check things like the cooker or electric shower are working. You'll usually have 5-7 days to check everything is in order and report any issues to your solicitor.
- Did you buy a new build property? If so, you normally have a longer time period to notify the builder of any snagging issues with the new property. Check your paperwork for details on how long you have, once you move into the property, and how to raise the issues.
- Introduce yourself to neighbours: It can be a great way to break the ice, and they’ll likely appreciate it. Building good relations with your neighbours can make your time living somewhere much more enjoyable.
- Unpack: Start with the essentials first, eventually moving on to the not-so-urgent boxes. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your new home won’t come together overnight. Don’t feel pressured to do it all the day you move.
Mortgages for moving house
If you're thinking about applying for a new mortgage when you move to your new house, we could help. Take a look at how our moving home mortgages work.