Essential To Know Home Moving Tips

By Peter Langley

Updated: February 18, 2020

6 min read

Fact-checked by Martin Panayotov

Reviewer & editor

You know that feeling when you have spent hours doing something, for someone to turn around and say ‘there’s a quicker and better way of doing that you know?’ That, ‘I wish I had known that before’ moment.
Well, that won’t apply to your home move because you will have all the home moving hacks and tips you ever need right here.
Good organisation and planning are vital for having a successful home move so here we will show you how to organise your home ready for moving, plan for every step of your home move, and show you the quickest, cheapest, safest and least stressful ways of moving home.

Decluttering
Making a Floor Plan
Things to Know
Move Home Quickly
Stress-free Moving
Avoid Things Going Wrong

Decluttering For a Home Move

The fewer items you have to pack, the cheaper and quicker your packing will be.

Less packing boxes means less space you will need on the removal van, and less time it will take to physically move to your new home.

The result: Your home move will cost you less money and take less time!

So how do you declutter your home ready for a home move?

Make a Floor Plan of your new home. We will cover this topic in more depth in the next section but having a floor plan will help you determine what furniture will fit in your new home and therefore if it is worth the effort or expense of moving that item.

MDF type furniture is usually not worth the expense or risk of dismantling and moving. The fixings often are ruined when you try to take them apart and the wood itself is easily chipped.

Look at everything you own and ask yourself some simple questions:

Do I absolutely love this item?
If I had the money would I buy this item again?
Is this item irreplaceable, either financially or sentimentally?
Is it cheaper to sell this item and replace it when I get to my new home?
When was the last time I used or wore this item?

Be as ruthless with your decluttering as you can be. Remember this is all about saving money and making your home move easier.

Top Tips For Decluttering When Moving Home

Declutter before you get an in-home removals estimate. The estimate will be far more accurate if the removal firm can see exactly what they are charging you to move.
Leave time to get rid of things. Make sure you allow enough time to sell and donate the things you no longer need.
Create a plan. Decide which rooms to start with and set yourself a realistic date of clearing those rooms.
Get in the right frame of mind. Keep in mind that you really only need to keep the things that are irreplaceable to you.
Is it cheaper to replace or pay to move it? Look at all your possessions. Then decide whether it is cheaper to replace the item when you get to your new home or pay to pack and ship it.
Declutter non-sentimental items first. These will be the easiest things to let go of and it will motivate you when you see how much progress you have made.

How to Declutter for a Home Move

Getting ready to move home The easiest way to organise your decluttering is the 3 pile method.

Pile 1 is for items you will not part with
Pile 2 is items that you can sell or donate
Pile 3 is for recycling/throwing away

Discover where to donate things to in this guide.

Decluttering Timeline

Week 12. Plan to start your decluttering about 12 weeks before you intend to move home.
Start with the least used items/rooms such as the shed, garage, or attic.
Sort through all your documents, seasonal clothing, and decorative items.
Week 8. 8 weeks before you move you should be ready to get your in-home moving survey done.
Week 6. You can start now on decluttering everything else in your home.
Week 4. Time for a car boot sale or to get everything that you want to donate collected.
Week 2. By now you should just have your essentials left to pack and the decluttering should be finished.

How to Declutter a Garage or Shed or Loft

These are usually the hardest places to declutter as they tend to get everything and anything thrown in there.

The good news is that half the things here you will have forgotten you had, have never used, or are broken, so they will be easy to part with.

Work on an area of the room at a time.
Gather all like for like items into one place, such as tins of paint in one place, tools in another. This way you will quickly realise you have 4 hacksaws and 13 half-empty tins of gloss white paint.
Anything that is broken or date expired can be thrown out.
Duplicate items can be sold or donated.
If you have been hoarding stuff for other members of the family, get them to come and collect it.

Learn more in How to Declutter Your Loft

How to Declutter Furniture

Create a floor plan so that you know whether your existing furniture will fit in the available space in your new home.
Will your furniture fit through the hallway, or are the doorways narrower than your current home?
Does your furniture fit with the style or period of your new home?
Is your furniture mainly MDF so is likely to be damaged during the home move?
Is it time to pass down your antiques so that others get the pleasure of owning them?
Do you really need a 12 seater dining table now the kids have left home?

How to Declutter Books and Magazines

Without a doubt, there is something special about holding and reading a real paper book.

But most books and magazines you own have probably not been opened in years, and the vast majority of books are available for download online anyway.

Books and magazines are readily accepted by charities and doctors surgeries for example, as well as being easy to sell. But they are heavy and expensive to move to your new home.

This is a good opportunity to get rid of your old collection, and if you really want you can go to your new charity store and buy a whole new collection.

Consider why you want to keep the book or magazine.
Reference books. This information is readily available online.
Kids’ books. Do they still read it? Have they outgrown it?
Recipe books. Nearly every recipe in the world is available online.

How to Declutter Shoes and Clothes

Consider where you are moving to and the type of life you will be leading. Moving to the country? Do you need those suits or high heels?
Have you been keeping those jeans for 2 years now hoping that you will fit back into them one day? Now is the time to get rid of them.
Still got your wedding dress sat in the loft? How about making cushion covers or giving it to a family member to make a christening dress from for example?
Use some of the clothing you no longer want as padding in your moving boxes and then cut them up for cleaning cloths when you get to your new home.
Now you have streamlined your clothing collection, do your shoes now not match your remaining clothes? Time to get rid of them then.
Not gotten around to re-heeling those shoes in the last 3 years. They can go.
Anything that no longer suits your style or that does not fit can go.

You can learn how to declutter room by room in this epic guide on decluttering for a home move.

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How to Make a Floor Plan

Making a Floor Plan One of the most common home moving mistakes is to pay to move furniture to a new home that will not fit.

It is easy to avoid this home moving mistake by creating a floor plan of your new home.

The benefits of creating a floor plan are twofold. You will determine if the furniture you have will fit in your new home, and you can label the furniture so that the removal team knows exactly which room and exactly where to place each item in your new home.

There are many online apps you can get to create a floor plan or you can create one on graph paper.

How to Create a Floor Plan Using Graph Paper

How do you scale a floor plan easily?

Use whole numbers. For example, if the wall is 12.3 meters long, use 12m. If a piece of furniture is 1.4m wide use 2m
Scale-up furniture measurements and scale down room measurements so that you ensure that your furniture will easily fit in the available space.
Each square of your grid should be a whole number. For example, 2 squares equal 1m
Use the longest side of your grid paper for the longest wall measurement
Use one sheet of paper per room as it is easier to work with

How to Make a Scale Plan of a Room

Measure windows and doors from the outer most dimension (the outside edge of the frames)
Include the opening dimensions of the windows and doors
Measure doorways or halls top to bottom to get the height
For width, measure left to right from the inside of the doorframe or narrowest point of the hallway
Include the height of the rooms if you have tall furniture to fit in
Include the positions of electrical points, radiators, and air vents
Make scaled cardboard cutouts of your furniture
Now all you have to do is place each piece on the scale drawing to see if it fits

How to Measure Furniture for a Floor Plan

How to Measure a Sofa

Measure the length from outermost part to outermost part
To determine the diagonal width measure from the lowest point at the side rear, to the highest point of the armrest at the front.

How to Measure a Cabinet, Wardrobe or Kitchen Appliance

Measure the diagonal width of the unit from top corner to opposing bottom corner.
Measure the depth of the unit from front to back.

More detailed instructions are here in how to create a floor plan

Essential Things to Know About Moving Home

Things You Wish You Had Known Before Hiring a Removal Company

Get at least 3 quotes from removal companies so that you can compare the prices and services offered. Be wary of very low estimates as the price is likely to skyrocket on moving day.
You must have an in-home survey. Increasingly this is being carried out via a video app, but the aim of an in-home survey is for the removal company to see exactly what you are moving so that they can give you an accurate quote. It also enables them to develop a plan for moving day, so that they can identify access issues and anything else that may affect the price of your home move. It is also your opportunity to meet and ask questions of the company that will be handling your move.
Read reviews. Reviews are an invaluable tool for helping you choose a good removal company. But be aware that not all reviews can be trusted so read them carefully. The best review sites will allow you to contact the reviewer which you may choose to do. Look for recent reviews that moved homes of a similar size to yours, and pay attention to bad reviews. What were the issues reported and how did the company respond. It is better to have a company that corrects its mistakes than believe a company never makes mistakes, or worse, does not respond to the complaints posted online about them.
Research your removal company. Learn all you can about the removal company you intend to hire. Removal company scams do happen, unfortunately. Check that they are a legal company through the database check at company house. Go take a look at their registered address to see if it is a legitimate removal firm. Check that the contact details they give you work and that you have alternative contact details should you need them.
Things a removal company can’t move. There are certain things that a removal company cannot move for health and safety reasons. Be sure you know what those items are before moving day.

Must read: How to make reviews work for you

Things You Wish You Had Known About Moving Home

Decluttering your home is the guaranteed way to reduce your home moving expenses.
Packing is the worst aspect of any home move. It can be very costly and time-consuming, so consider hiring professional packers to do it for you.
Use a home moving checklist to ensure that you do not miss any important home moving tasks.
Check your insurance policy. Many insurance policies will not cover you for loss or damage during a home move if you have packed your items yourself.
Plastic tote boxes are a great packing alternative to cardboard boxes. Not only are they more eco-friendly but they may work out cheaper than cardboard boxes. You won’t have to worry about disposing of them after the move too like you would with cardboard boxes.
Labeling your moving boxes will make moving home easier. The removal team will be able to identify easily which room each box goes into, you can easily identify what is in each box, and you will immediately notice if a box has gone missing.
Photograph and label connections before unplugging things like stereo systems and PCs. It will make reconnection so much easier.
Pack a moving day box. This will contain all your essential items that you may need on moving day such as medication or important paperwork. Be sure not to pack this box onto the removal van.

How to Move Home Quickly

Moving Home Quickly Having to move home at the last minute can seem like a monumental task, but with the proper organisation it is possible to move home quickly.

Hiring a professional removal company will have you moved out in just in a couple of days, but if your budget does not run to that, then just follow these tips if you need to move home in a rush:

Declutter your home. It may seem like the easy option to just throw everything in boxes and move. But this will cost you more money and time packing and moving.
Use a home moving checklist to ensure that you stay organised and do not forget to do something in your rush to move.
Clothes that you no longer need can be used for padding in the moving boxes.
Wear clothes that you no longer need in the run-up to moving day and then just take them to the recycle centre. You then won’t have to wash them and you can pack all your good clothes ready to go.
Use suitcases, backpacks and strong bin liners to pack things in. These are already in your home, you have to take them anyway, and it will save on the cost of boxes.
Leave things in drawers. This will save boxes and space in the removal van.
Leave hanging garments on their hangers. Just slip a large rubbish sack over them to keep them clean.
Use small rather than large boxes to pack your things in. Smaller boxes are easier and quicker to handle.
Get as much help as you can from family and friends.
Designate an area for your packed boxes so that you can clean the packed rooms, close the door, and then that room is finished with.
If you need to get rid of furniture that you will not be taking consider a house clearance company or donating to a local charity. They will collect the items quickly and often for free.
Have pets and children looked after whilst you pack and again on moving day. This will free up a considerable amount of your time.
Half-empty packets and bottles can be given to friends and family. This will save you packing time and there is no risk that the contents get spilled during the move ruining other possessions.
Turn your freezer off a couple of days before you move. It will take about 48 hours to defrost properly.

Learn more in How to Move Home Quickly

Making Moving Less Stressful

How can you make moving day easier and less stressful? Without a doubt moving home can be stressful, but it does not have to be.

Often a stressful home move is the result of poor planning and organization.

So to avoid any unnecessary stress during your home move follow these top tips:

Start early. The more time you have to devote to the home moving process the easier it will be.
Get organised. Use home moving checklists and planners to keep you well organised and ensure that you don’t miss any important task.
Make a floor plan. Having a floor plan of your new home will ensure that you do not move things that will not fit into your new home.
Declutter. Get rid of all the things that you do not absolutely love or need in your life.
Choose a removal company carefully. The most stressful and costly thing you can do is hire the wrong removal company. Thoroughly check out any removal company you intend to hire.
Communicate. Good communication between all parties involved in the home move will help prevent any nasty surprises on moving day.
Use quality boxes. The better the quality of the packing materials you use, the less likely that anything will get damaged during the move.
Photograph everything. This is especially important with complicated connections on your PC for example. Just label and photograph the connections and it will be far less stressful when you need to reconnect them.
Pack an essentials box. This is a box that will hold all the things you will need on moving day. It may include water, snacks, important paperwork, and medication. Keep it with you at all times so that it does not get loaded onto the van by mistake.
Label the boxes. The more detailed your packing inventory and labeling, the easier it will be to put the right boxes in the right room at your new home. You will be able to identify the contents easier if you need to locate an item before all the boxes are unpacked and should a box go missing or be put into the wrong room you will know exactly what is missing.
Keep pets and kids safe. It will reduce your stress considerably if you are not concerned for the safety of your kids or pets on moving day. Have them looked after by friends or family so that they are kept out of harm’s way.
Finish the packing. Plan to have everything packed and ready to go the day before moving day. This will prevent any last-minute panics or running around as the removal team tries to load the van and you are still packing.
Set an alarm. Get up nice and early on moving day. Start the day as relaxed as possible and the rest of the day will be easier. Start off the day rushing around and your stress levels will go through the roof.

Learn more about how to make a home move less stressful

Things That Can Go Wrong on Moving Day and How to Avoid Them

Thinking Moving Home No matter how well organised your home move is, how competent your removal company are, there are still things that can happen on moving day that are beyond anyone’s control.

It makes sense to have the appropriate levels of insurance in place to cover all eventualities.

Late key waiver: Should the release of the keys to your new home be delayed, late key waiver insurance will at least mean you do not incur any charges for the waiting time from the removal firm.
Cancellation waiver: If you are in a home moving chain, there is always a chance the chain could collapse at the last minute. Removal company cancellation waiver will ensure that any costs you incur for canceling your removal company are met.

Useful to know: Home moving insurance: Do I need it?

There may be things that can happen on moving day that can be inconvenient or unpleasant, but to some extent, we can plan for these events:

Weather: It is unlikely the weather will stop you actually moving home, but it may make it unpleasant. If it is going to rain ensure that your moving boxes are wrapped in industrial cling film. This will protect them from the elements but allow you to still see the box labels. Be sure that you have access to the clothing that is appropriate for the weather you are likely to encounter on moving day.
Traffic Delays: Your removal company will have already factored in the inevitable traffic delays that they would expect to encounter. Major road closures happen, and with the best will in the world, there is nothing that anyone can do about that. Ensure you have a moving day essentials box with you, so even if the removal van cannot get to you, you will still have your essentials with you in your new home.
No parking. Many people forget to organise the parking at the new home. It may be that the lorry will need a permit or that space needs reserving or a loading bay reserved. Check with the removal company who will organise this and if any extra costs are involved.
The new home is not vacant. It happens often that the people moving out of your new home are delayed. You may want to have insurance in place to cover any costs that you may incur if this happens to you.
You cannot gain access to your new home. For whatever reason, it may be that you cannot move into your new home today. It is worth asking your removal company about storage or what would happen in that event.
The utilities are not connected. Have a supply of candles and torches in your moving day essentials box just in case.
Accidents happen. Reduce the risk of injury to yourself or others by ensuring that walkways are clear of tripping hazards, that children and pets are kept out of harm’s way, that you wear appropriate clothing, and that you do not attempt to lift or move things that could result in injury.
Easier said than done, but if you are mentally prepared for things to go wrong then it will not be quite so stressful. Remember also that a professional removal team will have seen it all before and will have the skills and knowledge to overcome most moving day events. Get to know your removal team, share a cup of tea, be available to answer any questions they may have and moving day will a lot less stressful.

There are many things that can go wrong on moving day and these are just a few examples. The more thorough your home moving plan is, the less likely anything that happens will be a show stopper.

Posted on February 17, 2020

Peter Langley

Peter is a regular contributor to the blog and a relocation specialist. He is also a seasoned UK and International homeowner, who now brings the knowledge gained from those moves, to add real-life experience to his work. Peter has also been at various sales and marketing positions within companies in the industry so he has deep knowledge of the relocation process. Since 2017, Peter is involved with the relocation industry in the USA as he has extensive knowledge on long distance household relocation. With his articles, he have helped tens of thousands of people plan their relocation. His work have been featured on many industry blogs and publications. You can contact Peter at peter@mymovingreviews.com