The ultimate house move checklist

So, you're moving house. Congratulations! We hope your new pad will give you nothing but happiness.

But is it just us, or is there a faint scent of autumnal sadness in the air? Should we be mixing some commiserations in with the congratulations?

If you're feeling it too, we sympathise. You can't wait to have moved. But until then, the moving part is nothing but a pain in the schedule.

Yes, moving house is hard. It involves keeping more balls in the air than an episode of Britain's Got Jugglers. You may find yourself walking into a room, gazing blankly at the contents, then walking into another. Weeks pass. Tempers fray. You still haven't bought any boxes.

Well, we're here to help. In this article, we break down the ultimate house move checklist: tasks to be done one month before moving, two weeks before moving and on the day itself.

We hope it acts as a kind of logistical lozenge to soothe, smooth and assist. Good luck!

T-minus one month

You've got one month until the vans arrive. There are plenty of small tasks to be getting on with. Mostly, however, they fall into two big categories: notifying and packing.

First up, notifying. Lots of people need to know you're moving. If you're renting, your landlord needs notice. Friends and relatives will want to know. But most of your notifying time will be taken up with contacting utility providers, financial bodies, online services and other official bodies.

Before you start worrying about where to find the stopcock in your new property or where the kettle will go, make sure you've updated your addresses. This could include contacting the DVLA, DWP, HMRC, electoral roll, local authority, pension provider and insurance companies.

It's also worth looking into the Post Office's mail redirection service. For a small fee, a tiresome task is taken off your hands.

Then there's packing. First, you need to declutter. Then you need to get quotes on removal costs. As with most things in life, it's worth shopping around to get the best deal. Or why not handle it yourself and conquer your move for the price of a rental van?

You may think that a month is too far in advance to pack. But for many people, little and often is better than all at once. Leaving a month also gives you the chance to put non-essential items in storage and take unwanted possessions to charity shops.

Packing is more than shoving stuff in boxes, of course. You should take care of fragile items and separate screws and bolts from furniture, for starters. But above all, the trick to good packing is all in the labelling.

The labels on your boxes should tell you two things: first, what's in the box, and second, where it goes.

This is time-consuming, for sure. But believe us, when you get to the other end of your journey, you'll be kicking yourself if all your boxes are unlabelled. It's the house move equivalent of putting the ingredients for your evening meal in unmarked cardboard boxes all over the house. Don't do it!

Oh, and here's a bonus tip for you. If you're managing your own move without a removal company, load your furniture before your boxes. The alternative is to load in all the boxes and then have to move them around while you make space for the furniture.

T-minus two weeks

If you've done the tasks in the previous section, you're already well ahead. Now it's time for the following tasks:

1. Sort out parking

Are there any parking restrictions at your new address? Do you need to ask the council for a parking bay suspension to get a space on moving day?

2. Book a cleaner

If you can afford to, it pays to book a cleaner. Not only does this reduce your own workload, but it also makes life easier for the next person to live in your home.

Whether you're booking a carpet cleaner, a deep clean of the bathroom or a full house clean, it's worth sorting out at least two weeks in advance. Get it out of the way so you can focus on the rest of your to-do list.

3. Book tradespeople

Got jobs lined up for the new gaff? Book tradespeople sooner rather than later. That way, the job will be done closer to your moving-in date.

4. Book care for pets, kids and dependants

If you've got pets, kids or other dependants, you may want to book care for them on your moving day. Avoid last-minute scrambles by doing this at least two weeks ahead of time.

5. Do the next resident a favour

Moving out is so all-consuming that it can be hard to think about the next person to live in the home you're leaving.

Why not do a good deed and leave them essential information about the home? This could include information like where to find the meters, fuse box and stopcock, along with how-to guides for the boiler and alarm.

With these five tasks accomplished – and, if possible, a good night's sleep behind you – you should be ready for the day itself.

The big day

The alarm goes off. You're probably already awake. It's time to get a move on.

But before you do, make sure you've got your essentials (keys, wallets, phones, chargers) and that everything is switched off, locked up and cleaned up.

You need to be ready for the big day. But you also need to leave the house ready for the next tenant or owner. Give it a final hoover and make sure you've taken everything with you – or chucked it in the bin.

With all that done, your carriage awaits. We wish you all the best with your move!

Are you looking for a van to rent in the North East for a house move? Here at MVH Rental, we've helped more people move house than The Hulk has had hot dinners. Call us on (0191) 4888 700 for a great quote and service with a smile.