We like to make sure that all our clients, whether buying, selling, letting or renting, have as positive an experience as possible and with that in mind we do our best to make it as close to stress free as we can!
First of all lets demolish an urban myth. Moving house does not even feature in the top ten most stressful events in most people’s lives, the most stressful events are;
- Death of a spouse
- Divorce
- Marital separation
- Imprisonment
- Death of a close family member
- Personal injury or illness
- Marriage
- Dismissal from work
- Marital reconciliation
- Retirement
Having said all that, moving house (relocating/upsizing/downsizing) usually involves making very important decisions and often results in significant upheavals and changes in lifestyle & financial obligations.
There are of course a great many things to take into account when moving from one home to another. The process can be stressful for the people involved.
We thought we would share some advice on how to take the stress out of moving, if you plan ahead and take care of all the small tasks, one at a time, then you stand a really good chance of a smooth and successful relocation.
Why Friday isn’t always the best day to move
This point alone is central to how you prepare for the impending move, and what type of assistance you will require. Most people prefer to move on a Friday because it allows them the weekend to unpack and settle into their new home without taking too much time off work. It is said that moving on a Friday causes less disruption to the “housing chain” as most other people also opt to move on a Friday.
However, Friday isn’t necessarily the best day to make a move. Sometimes bank transfers get delayed, especially if you plan on moving at the end of month and completion/moving day lands on a Friday.
It is also fair to say that if a problem crops up at your new home on a Friday it can prove difficult and expensive to hire tradesman, especially if something needs to be fixed very late on a Friday afternoon or over the weekend. In an ideal world you should consider moving on a Monday which maybe far cheaper and budget additional time to pack/unpack.
Law firms, estate agents and removal companies are always much busier on a Friday. It shouldn’t cost you anymore to move on a Monday but you might find that the removers have limited availability early in the week so you will need to book in good time. This leads to the next point preparation.
Preparation
Until you start packing you don’t really know how many items you have to move. Sounds obvious we know, but believe us when we say the thing we hear most often from people as they prepare to move is “where did all this stuff come from!”
Secure packaging can make a critical difference in the transfer & condition of your possessions and so it’s important to ensure you have enough boxes, tape, and bubble wrap available. A top tip is to start collecting packing materials early, whether this is saving boxes that are no longer in use or purchasing new ones.
Moving is a great time to sell or dump items that you rarely use. You should begin by creating a checklist of every room and carefully sorting through things. Any small items that can be wrapped and made easier for transport should be placed in one room, whilst larger items i.e. furniture can be placed in another.
It is sensible to wrap as many of your own items as possible – with bed mattresses you may wish to consider buying a bed bag, a sofa bag for your sofas and removal blankets for your furniture. On the day of moving the whole process is made a lot easier if your items are divided into big and small which allows Removal companies to pack the truck more efficiently and faster. Given the unpredictable nature of British weather wrapping your possessions is wise, just in case it does rain!
Part two is coming soon…
If you wish to discuss the above or are interested in the Property market in Harrogate then please come along and see us and enjoy a free no obligation chat about the services we provide.
