Moving on, moving out: Northamptonshire homebuilders reveal top tips for moving house
To mark National Moving Day on Wednesday 19th August, Barratt and David Wilson Homes are sharing some helpful tips for homeowners in Northamptonshire to make their moving day as hassle-free as possible.
According to Konnect You, following an analysis of 170,000 house removals from the past year, summer is the most popular time to move house for many reasons. August in particular is popular for people living in various regions of the country, including the North West, East Midlands and London.
August is favoured as it allows families to take advantage of the summer holidays to settle children into a new home without fear of disrupting their schoolwork. The longer days and more predictable weather can make the moving process far easier.
The data also shows that Friday is the most popular moving day, making up 28% of all the moves analysed, with Sunday being the least popular. Even though Sunday is the cheapest day to move house, it is also out of hours for conveyancing solicitors, estate agents, banks and a whole range of other services, making the day more difficult.
National Moving Day is an annual event aimed at improving the home-moving experience for both buyers and professionals, held on the eve of the busiest moving day of the year.
Kerry Mullen, Sales Director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes, said: “With many people looking to take their next step along the property ladder this time of year, we at Barratt and David Wilson Homes are here to help make that move easier and more achievable.
“For anyone with an existing home to sell, we would like to offer our industry insight into how to best prepare your home and yourself for that big move.”
Ahead of moving day, Barratt and David Wilson Homes recommend asking the following questions:
How early can you start?
There are no hard and fast rules on when to start preparing for a move, but the sooner the better. Creating a moving checklist with achievable dates and deadlines around four to six weeks before moving day is a great way to start.
Hiring a reputable removal company well in advance, especially if moving in the peak summer season, is also greatly advised to make sure you’re able to move exactly when you’re ready.
Does it bring you joy?
Accumulating clutter is perfectly normal, but preparing for a move is the perfect opportunity to finally get rid of the things no longer used or needed.
There are various methods to help figure out what should or shouldn’t be thrown away; one of these is the KonMari ‘ask yourself if it sparks joy’ rule. It focuses on gut instinct and emotion rather than logical reasoning when trying to declutter.
Use this method and others to sort things into keep, donate, sell and recycle piles. This can go a long way to lighten the load of everything taken to a new home, cutting moving costs and simplifying unpacking at the other end.
Are your papers in order?
Keeping all important documents like IDs, contracts and insurance documents to hand is very important. It’s easy to pack up documents and lose them in a sea of other boxes, which can cause issues if they are still needed. A clearly labelled folder for paper documents or a digital file is the best strategy to prevent this.
It is also important to inform banks, schools and utility suppliers of the change in address, as well as taking meter readings at both the old and new home.
Which box is which?
Organising boxes correctly when packing up a room is a crucial step to a stress-free move. Boxing certain items up together and labelling them clearly with the contents and room, like ‘study – books’, goes a long way to relieve confusion when unpacking again. Using colour-coded stickers or tape for each room makes sorting even easier still.
Is that everything?
The final preparations before a big move can make all the difference. Packing an essentials bag with items like chargers, mugs, tea bags, toiletries, pyjamas and anything else that might be needed helps avoid late night box hunting after a long day.