Relocation

Moving to a new house is a time of pressure with so much in mind concerning a new job, dealing with paper work, working with movers and so on.
It is impossible to remember everything.
Organization is the key for a smooth move and this is the time to start getting the details...

1) Setting the date

While moving house is a difficult process, it needn't become a logistical nightmare. The key to making your big move go as smoothly as possible is a willingness to be flexible.

Most people try to arrange for the completion of their sale and purchase to take place on the same day. This is not always realistic. The length of the chain you are in will often determine the date you move. If you are a first-time buyer and there are 10 or more buyers and sellers ahead of you in the chain, you will probably have little choice about the date. There isn't much you can do about this.

Completion is a stressful time for everyone involved. A little diplomatic savvy will help you find a completion day that suits everyone.

Avoid fridays. People think, not unreasonably, that it will give them the rest of the weekend to unpack and settle into their new home. However, it is not necessarily the most practical day to move.

Because Friday is so popular, your solicitor may be snowed under with other clients' completion documents and may not be able to act on your behalf as quickly as you would like. Removal firms are also heavily booked on Fridays so you may not get the company of your choice.

If there is a problem with the plumbing, gas or electricity it may be difficult to get someone to come out over the weekend (and it will most likely cost more).

Make plans to get a couple of days off work if you can and schedule your move during the week. It could save you a lot of time, money and hassle.

2) Using a removal firm or self move?

There are two ways of going about the big move. The cheaper option is to attempt it yourself. The easier way is to get a firm of professional removers and leave it to them. There are certain factors which will influence the choice you make, however.

Doing it yourself is undoubtedly cheaper, but will involve a lot of hard work. Are you willing to carry your belongings up and down stairs? Can you cope with the prospect of having to pack all your possessions? On the other hand, you might not have much to move or you might not be happy with the thought of strangers handling your stuff. 

Hiring a van - If you decide to handle the move yourself, you'll probably need to hire a van. Contact a number of companies to find out exactly what they charge – some bill by the hour, others have daily rates. Try to work out how much you need to move and roughly how long it will take. Often you can hire a driver who will also, for an extra fee, be able to help with the loading and unloading.

Some firms supply boxes, crates and a trolley to help you shift your gear. It's a good idea to find out what the company can supply to aid your move. Remember, you'll have to return the van. If you are moving a good distance away from where you hired it, this could prove time-consuming and expensive. Find out if there's a drop-off point near to where you're moving.

Packing and unpacking - Many removal firms also offer a packing and unpacking service which can range from the entire contents of your home to only glass and china. If you decide to pack everything yourself, removal firms will provide crates, tea chests or flat-pack cardboard cartons.

The kettle, cups, tea, milk, toilet roll plus a few basic tools such as screwdrivers should be packed in your car so that you can find essentials immediately.

3) The advantages of using storage

There are many reasons why storage can come in useful. When it comes to selling a property, clutter doesn't sell. So if your place has an excess of bric-a-brac, you might want to consider storing some of your belongings before putting your property on the market.

Not only will your house look tidier, it will also give the impression of more space, which might just be the factor that clinches the sale!

You may also have to use the services of a storage company if you are unable to move into your new home immediately. Or you might be refurbishing and you need to get things safely out of the way.

Storage companies will accept the entire contents of a house if necessary but remember they won't take perishable items such as houseplants and pantry items or anything flammable such as paint.

4) Disposal of unwanted items

Moving is an ideal time to streamline your belongings and get rid of some of that unwanted clutter.

Clear out clutter - Your big move is an ideal time to streamline your belongings and get rid of some of that unwanted clutter you've been meaning to sort out for weeks. It could be an accumulation of months or even years' of hoarding stuff, but there is really no reason to keep on storing things you never use.

Reconsider whether you need to take kitchen items which never see the light of day, or hard-to-move things like the kids' broken bicycles which you never got around to fixing.

Once you start packing you'll inevitably come across things you've put away and don't use any more, as well as things you don't want any more or which you know won't be suitable for your new home.

Allow yourself plenty of time to get rid of them, rather than trying to offload them at your local charity shop on the day of the move. You'll have far more important things to do on that day.

Ask your buyer if they are interested in purchasing any of the items you want to get rid of, like pieces of furniture which just won't go in your new home or that are still in good condition but you are tired of.

First-time buyers in particular may have few household items of their own and would welcome the chance to buy such goods at a reasonable price.

Your local resources - Most local authorities provide recycling banks and other facilities in easily accessible places such as street sites, supermarket carparks and civic amenity sites. Their aim is to make it as easy as possible for you to recycle your waste without having to make a special car journey.

As an alternative, some local authorities offer kerbside collection schemes. Each householder is provided with a special container along with the normal dustbin bag or wheelie bin.

Householders fill the container with clean, sorted recyclable material such as glass, aluminium and plastic. The containers are then collected and the sorted waste is sent for recycling.

Donating to charity - 

Just because something is of no use to you doesn't mean that someone else has no need for it! Clothing, small household items, books, magazines and toys can be donated to local charity shops and sold on for a good cause. Other outlets are jumble sales, school fetes and car boot sales.

Some charities and housing associations welcome larger pieces of furniture and well-functioning electrical goods. If the furniture is in need of repair check if the charity has its own renovation workshop, otherwise it might not be able to accept your donation. Your local Citizen's Advice Bureau or your council's voluntary services department will be able to advise you on who might take such items.