7 Tips for Moving House and Making It Simpler ...

We all collect junk. I have moved house almost seven times in the last decade or so. Each time I tell myself I won’t collect crap. Then I collect more than the last time. One of my first class tips for moving house is to throw out junk, mercilessly. If you haven’t used it in the last 12 months, you never will.

Even when you think you have ditched all your junk, you haven’t. Do you really need seven sets of dinner plates? Is George Clooney EVER going to stop by so you can pour him some Veuve Clicquot into those champagne saucers? Look at your stuff and decide what you need to sell. The chances are, you will need the money for moving anyway.

Now that you have de-cluttered and made a little cash, decide what you can store. The chances are, you won’t need everything you own right away. You just need the basics, so you can sit, sleep, and eat. In reality, your X-Box 360 and box of candles aren’t necessary. Keep them in storage so moving is easier, and that first hectic week isn’t dominated by boxes.

I have tried moving house with children in tow. My favorite time was when I had norovirus. That was SO fun. Between throwing up and making sure my son didn’t impale himself on ornaments, I crashed into a fit of exhaustion. So get childcare if you can, it makes life much easier.

The last thing you need to worry about in the week before you move is whether you have the right van. Or, whether you have a van at all. Booking a van is an intricate process. The removal persons need to know how much stuff you have, what it is worth, and how long it will take to move your stuff. If you are going DIY, always overestimate your van space. Doing this ensures you do not have to make multiple trips.

I have never been in the situation of losing a house last-minute. My grandparents, however, had everything they needed ready to move, only to find that another buyer had undercut them. Before you even think about wrapping your china, you need to make sure all contracts are signed, sealed, and delivered. Losing a house at the last moment must be very upsetting!

You know what makes moving house stressful? Stress. Don’t go into the process thinking you will have a Stepford-style house from day dot. Aim to have somewhere to sleep and eat, and that’s it. Everything else can come slowly. Recognizing your limits is the best way to de-stress.

Moving house isn’t always smooth. There are ways to make it less of a nightmare, though, so try and approach it gently. I am going to move house again soon, hopefully for the last time in a long time. If you have any house moving tips, what are they?