The ABC of moving home

Moving home is an adventure, but one that comes with its own unique stresses. Want to know the tips and tricks to unlock the low-stress version? Why, it's as simple as ABC…

A is for admin

First things first, you need to decide whether you're going to pay a removal company to help you on the big day or take the DIY approach. If you choose the second option, you'll want to look out for cheap van hire. To do this, you need to know what you're taking with you and what your budget is. 

Once this is done, there are several little jobs that, taken together, will considerably reduce the stress of moving.

Who needs to know you have moved?

It's not just family and friends who'll need to know your new address. Take a look at this checklist and decide which are relevant to you:

• Your local council
• Your employer
• Your utility companies/phone and internet providers
• Your bank or building society
• TV Licensing
• HMRC
• The electoral roll
• Your insurance providers
• The DVLA

You'll also want to arrange for your post to be redirected, which can be easily sorted through Royal Mail.

Planning for the day after

With so much time and energy focused on the move itself, it can be easy to forget the day after. Assuming you have used up food in your fridge and freezer before moving, you may find yourself staring at an empty fridge and empty cupboards.

Beat those day-two blues by organising an online food delivery beforehand. No need now to leave the house for dinner – you have everything you need and can kick back for a well-earned rest.

B is for boxes (and bags)

The worst thing you can do is leave packing till the last minute, so get ahead of the game and start around a fortnight in advance.

Getting furniture ready to move is one thing that can lead people to come a cropper. That bed isn't going to dismantle itself, and the process can take far longer than anticipated – so beat the moving day blues by taking apart furniture as far in advance as you can manage.

You need to figure out how many boxes you will need, too. Bubble wrap and crumpled paper are ideal for placing between boxed items to ensure nothing gets scratched in transit.

Think of packing up like a trip to the supermarket – just as you might place all your freezer food in one carrier bag, and your veg in another, you can organise boxes by room. And, just like with your shopping, you don't want to overpack. Heavy boxes will only make things harder down the line!

However you pack your boxes, be sure to label each one with its contents and – if you have gone the extra mile and organised them by room – where each one should go. Believe us, when you find yourself at the end of moving day wandering through a jungle of boxes, you'll be thankful you went to the effort of labelling them.

What about valuables?

Most of your belongings can be bunged into boxes without too much thought. But what about the more delicate, valuable items – that bone-china tea set, say?

Naturally, you'll want to take care when packing up breakables (bubble wrap is your friend). You'll want to label any boxes containing these items as "fragile".

If you can, transport these by car rather than van. This applies, too, to anything of sentimental value which may not be insured by your removal firm (if you're using one).

What else should I pack separately?

You might want to consider packing a "first-night" box, containing items that you will want at your fingertips as soon as you move in – a phone charger, say, or your wash bag.

Are you likely to fancy a cuppa? Then make sure you pack all you need to make one in this box – otherwise, you might find yourself tearing open boxes with no idea where you put them. Or, if you're planning to celebrate with something stronger, keep that corkscrew close at hand.

It's delightful, it's de-lovely, it's decluttering

Picture the scene: you've gone to the trouble of packing up your belongings, possibly while juggling work and family duties. The real preppers among you will have ticked off all those little jobs on this list, and gone a-Googling for more.

The move complete, you sink into the sofa, uncork the champagne bottle and survey your new domain. And then it hits you: some of these boxes contain items that you could have thrown out or sold for a bit of extra cash!

When you're prepping for a move, it's tempting to cut corners by packing up everything, even that broken Playstation or ugly heirloom. But really, all you are doing is adding stress (because you now have to unpack and then clear out these items) and money (because the more you move, the more you pay).

It's much better to clear out the loft, under the stairs, the spare room, the shed… all those nooks and crannies where life's junk tends to accumulate.

All of which brings us to…

C is for cleaning

Naturally, you'll be leaving your old home cleaner than it ever was when you lived there. When the new folks move in, they will be greeted by shine and sparkle, gleam and glimmer.

How to achieve this pristine scene? Take a look at the list below — presented alphabetically for convenience — and get ready to tick off a task:

• Appliances (fridge, oven, etc)
• Bathroom
• Blinds/curtains
• Floors/carpets/rugs
• Garden
• Kitchen (including cupboards)
• Walls
• Windows

What van should I hire?

If you're taking the DIY approach and moving without help, you'll need as big a van as possible. After all, the smaller the van, the more trips you'll have to make.

Good news – we have a selection of Luton vans for hire, which provide plenty of space for your stuff. Luton vans have extra cargo room above the cab, so they're just about the most space-efficient vans on the market.

And with our affordable rates and friendly service, you'll be smiling all the way to your new home.