Property News

Part Two (read Part One here if you missed it)

So the last few weeks have flown by and you are now within a week or two of moving to your new home. At this stage, it's incredibly important to allow yourself and your family some time to decompress. Perhaps take in a movie and have a pizza or go for a long country walk. A spell of relaxation will give you renewed vigour for the challenges ahead and stepping back from the day-to-day minutiae of organising your move will help you to focus when you get back to the tasks in hand.

Use some of your downtime to review your lists and assess progress, checking that you are on schedule. You'll be amazed at how much you have already accomplished and may spot a few extra items that you had so far forgotten needed attention.

1-2 Weeks until moving day

This is the time to redouble your efforts on packing. By now, you should be a fair way through the process of de-cluttering. Don't view this as wasting your possessions: for example, if you donate them to charity, they will do enormous good for someone else and family and friends may appreciate receiving items you no longer need.

Discarding things you have long since stopped using reduces the amount of packing you need to do and is, as one TV presenter specialising in lifestyle and property put it, "extremely cathartic and can help you prepare yourself for the larger wrench of leaving your current home." If you are planning to throw away paperwork, it's vital to shred anything that contains personal or financial information. Don't throw out the shreddings just yet, however: they can be used to pad moving boxes containing fragile items.

Even the most organised person can forget the odd job. And when you have done your part, other parties can make mistakes or forget to execute certain tasks. So, for your peace of mind and to make sure your relocation is as smooth and stress-free as possible, it is worth taking a "belts and braces" approach and:

- Double checking and confirming all your moving day arrangements, especially with the removals service and with anyone else helping you on moving day;

- Double checking that you have notified the organisations listed in Part One of your change of address and let family and friends have a letter or e mail detailing your new contact details; and

- Double checking that you have made arrangements for your utilities accounts to be transferred.


Last week before moving


At this point, almost all of your packing should be done, with only the items you use on a daily basis left to pack on moving day.

The kitchen will probably require more attention than any other room and it's time to think about defrosting the freezer and discarding or giving away any perishables that won't realistically survive the trip to your new home. Do remember to leave enough food for your last couple of days: the last thing you need on the evening before your move is a trip to the supermarket!

It is worth packing and clearly labelling a box with food and utensils you will need when you first arrive at the other end. Tea, coffee, milk, a kettle, mugs, some biscuits, cutlery, bottle of wine (and don't forget the corkscrew!) are the usual necessities. You will almost certainly want to do your last loads of washing during these final few days.

You should also pack a suitcase with some bed linen, towels, changes of underwear and supplies of toiletries so that you have easy access to them when you need them.

You may have tasked the kids with clearing their own rooms and packing some of their own things. Now is the time to check that they have actually done so and that they are prepared for the move. Leaving their current neighbourhood can be a major readjustment for youngsters so you may need to set aside time to talk them through any concerns they may have.

Check your garden and make sure that you have packed up the contents of the shed and garage. It's surprising how frequently people neglect the exterior of their property and have to spend a panicked hour or two on moving day packing up lawn mowers and so forth.

As a courtesy, you should talk to your neighbours and explain that there may be some disruption on moving day. Give them your forwarding details in case they want or need to contact you.

Make sure you know where to pick up and drop off keys.

Moving day

First things first: have a substantial breakfast because you have a huge day ahead of you.

Clear away any final kitchen, bedroom or bathroom items and disconnect appliances. Make sure that the kitchen bins have been emptied and that you have cleared the fridge and food cupboards. This is especially important if the new occupants aren't moving in immediately. Take your final gas and electricity meter readings and notify the relevant companies of these figures.

Walk around the house from top to bottom to ensure that you haven't forgotten anything. Again, it's not uncommon for people to forget the odd cupboard.

If the kids and any pets aren't being cared for by a babysitter or friend, make sure that you keep them in your line of vision and that they are occupied.

It has become something of a tradition to leave a note and bottle of wine welcoming the new occupants. This is clearly a matter for your own discretion but it's a nice touch and it's entirely possible that the people leaving your new home will have done likewise.

The removal service will arrive and you should give the team any specific instructions for moving your belongings, pointing out anything that requires special care. It is probably worth making a final tour of the property after the last boxes have been packed in the van.

Pack the car (not forgetting kids and the dog in the heat of the moment!) and say goodbye to your house. It's time for a wonderful new adventure. Drive carefully to your new home and don't forget to pick up the keys.

Move in to your gorgeous new home and forget for a year or two the news about the direction of house prices!