A no-stress guide to moving home (part 2)
We promised we’d be back, and here we are. Let’s recap: Contract? – Signed. Friends? Saved the date. Moving equipment? All on a pile in the kitchen. It’s time to get movin’! (Pun definitely intended.)
Take a day off & get rid of your kids
Make sure to let your employer know as soon as possible that you’re moving if you want to get some time off. If you’re also aiming for a stress-free day, how about you load your kids and pets into the car and cart them off to your in-laws? (If you invite them to your housewarming party beforehand, they might be more willing to watch the squirming lot.)
Pack well – save time
No matter how much you actually need to move, it pays to start packing soon enough. That way you can go about the whole matter strategically and will avoid getting into a frenzy the night before you move. (You also won’t end up hurling your knives and forks in together with the vase your in-laws gave you for Christmas last year and you really couldn’t get rid of without potentially sparking the next big family crisis.)
Keep in mind that you should still be able to lift your boxes. Also, don’t forget to label them! (It helps to put all your kitchenware into cardboard boxes labelled “kitchen” and to carry them straight into the kitchen once you get to your new place.) Important documents such as passports or birth certificates should always be kept in a separate box. The same goes for anything you are going to need during the Big Day (e.g. purse or hygiene products).
The Big Day
Finally, the Big Day has arrived! Before you roll up your sleeves and get moving, you could start the morning by having a cup of coffee together with your friends and family and letting them know how you planned the day, i.e. when you scheduled the next coffee or lunch break. That way everybody has something to look forward to (rather than just having endless hours of carrying boxes ahead).
Although looks really don’t matter, you have to keep in mind that not everyone is built to single-handedly carry your sofa or washing machine down the stairs. You might be able to skate around that sensitive topic altogether by letting people volunteer for different tasks.
Bear in mind that besides cramming all your boxes into the van, you might also need to defrost the fridge, turn off the stop tap (water, gas) and flip the main switch (fuse box). Also make sure to read your meters (electricity, gas and water) and to give the readings to your supplier and remind them that you are moving. You may want to consider taking photos of your old flat before you finally leave. That way you have proof of what the place looked like when you left.
Final notes
Once you’ve successfully moved everything to your new flat / house, it’s time to hand back your old keys and do the final property inspection with your landlord.
Let your local council know that you’ve moved and check whether you might have a new local authority where you need to register for Council Tax. Don’t forget to let your insurance company and bank know, too, so you don’t miss any important letters. In general, you can have your mail forwarded to your new place. (Check with the postal service for this.)
New neighbours
A housewarming party is the perfect way of letting your friends and family know how grateful you are that they helped you out and to get to know your new neighbours without inviting them over individually or having to tour the building with a plate of biscuits. If your pmc is using property management software like iDWELL, you can simply post an invitation on our Digital Newsboard. Feel free to use our digital noticeboard for various different purposes like finding the owner of a stray dog or politely drawing attention to the fact that the hall wasn’t intended as a football pitch.
That’s all from us. Have a good time moving home! Should you have any questions or be interested in getting our property management app, drop us a message and we’ll get in touch with your property management company.