What Happens On Moving Day?
There is a lot that happens on your moving day, this is the day you transfer all your belongings to your new home as well as dealing with the legal side of the property’s ownership.
if you are moving into your new home the same day that your sale is completed, you will need to officially pay for the property before you can pick up your keys and move.
However, your solicitors will assist you with all the legal requirements, and all you have to do is wait for a call informing you that all funds have been cleared and you are ready to move into your new house.
The Morning Of Your Moving Day
We all know how exciting and nervous relocating can be. Now that you’ve packed all your stuff and are waiting to move into your new house, you’re worried about forgetting something important on moving day.
Don’t worry and relax; in this article, we’re going to share some great tips on how to survive moving day, which will hopefully make the entire process more enjoyable and less stressful. Below are 16 top tips to help moving day go smoothly without a hitch, please read on to find out more.
1. Pack Your Moving Day Survival Box In Advance
Prepare a moving day survival box early, preferably at least a day before you move. Put all the basic essential items that you will need when you arrive at your new home for the first night. This box is important as it will make your moving day more organised and less stressful.
Check out our moving house checklist here that includes a moving day essentials box checklist with all the items you will need when arriving at your new home.
2. Get Up Early On Moving Day
It’s a good idea to have a good night’s sleep before your moving day so that you have all the strength you need for your big day!
Get up as early as possible and ensure you have plenty of time to have a simple and healthy breakfast, this will give you energy for the day as moving day can be excessively long and exhausting, so make sure you and your family are eating well.
After breakfast, is time to strip the beds and pack up the bedding and curtains, and the rest of the stuff that you’re using before you move.
3. Have Your Mobile Phone Handy And Fully Charged
Make sure your mobile phone is nearby so your removals company can contact you in the event of an emergency. You may also require it to finalise any last-minute details, such as waiting for your solicitor to phone you to confirm that your funds have been cleared and you are ready to depart.
In an ideal world, the moving process should be planned and organised, and you will not need to make any phone calls. However, things can go wrong or have hiccups throughout your moving day, so make sure your phone battery is fully charged and operational throughout the day.
Also, make sure to have some important contact numbers saved on your mobile just in case you need to call for help, this can be your estate agent, solicitors, and friend and family.
4. Keep Moving Paperwork Safe
Every house move comes with many important moving documents, and it’s a good idea to put them all in one safe moving folder until the process is finished.
If you don’t already have one, make one immediately and store all of your moving documents inside, including documentation from your removals company, receipts, inventory lists, agreements, and personal notes, among other things.
5. Keep Valuable And Sentimental Items With You
Prepare a bag with all your valuables inside, and this bag must be kept safe and not leave your side during the moving day. This can be your expensive items of jewellery or watches, passports, licenses, certificates, or items that have sentimental value and are irreplaceable.
If you have any jewellery pieces, cash, bank cards or electronic gadgets, and other important items, make sure you keep them in a very safe and secure place under constant supervision. Just remember that you don’t hand any valuable items to anyone apart from your trusted family members as the obligation to safely transport valuable possessions rests with you.
6. Know Your Movers And Run Through The Moving Plan
Your removal crew should arrive on time, and you should be able to see the removal vehicles approaching your home at the agreed time on your moving day. Greet the movers, show them around your property, clearly describe what you want them to do, and the removal team will get on with their jobs.
If you have any concerns, you should discuss them with the movers or let them know any information they should be aware of before leaving your property. Make sure to take regular breaks if you are moving a long distance.
7. Prepare Tips For Movers
Tipping the removal crew after your move is optional; you are not required to do so, and the movers will not expect you to do so. However, if you are pleased with the moving service and find them to be extremely helpful, tipping them for a few drinks will certainly make them happy.
8. Plan For The Children And Pets’ Safety
It’s a good idea to get some support from relatives or friends to help with younger children or pets on moving day. Some people elect to send pets to kennels for the day. It will be easier and safer for the removal workers to load and unload the moving vehicles if there are no little children or paws roaming around throughout the day.
If this is not an option, make sure you have some toys or tablets on hand to keep the kids and pets occupied in a safe, out-of-the-way location to avoid any incidents happening.
9. Clean And Secure The Property Before Leaving
After the removal vehicle has left your property, make sure to clean and secure your home. Check all rooms are clean and empty, collect all of the keys for the property, label them clearly and place them in an envelope for the handover. It’s also helpful to write down some useful local information such as the bin collection days and the location of meters and stopcocks.
Clearing up the house and making sure every corner is clean and tidy is especially crucial if you are moving out of a rental property; since this will ensure you receive a full refund of your deposit. Do a final walk around your entire house (including your garage and basement) to ensure that all windows and doors are properly closed and locked, all utilities switched off, and nothing is left behind.
10. Check Your Utility Meter
Don’t forget to take the meter reading for gas, electricity, and water supplies for your final utility bills. Make sure to take pictures of the meters reading using your smartphone as a backup.
You will also need to take meters readings once you have arrived at your new property as your utility suppliers will need these at your new property to be able to send you the correct bills.
Arriving At Your New Home
At long last, you have finally arrived at your new home. Bring out your moving day essentials box and have some tea and biscuits, then it’s time to enjoy your new property.
Below are a few more tips to help you settle in your new home:
11. Keep The Children And Pets Occupied
If your children and your pets are moving with you on moving day, find a safe, quiet, and out-of-the-way spot for them to wind down. Give them toys or do some colouring and have a snack, use tablets to keep them entertained by watching a movie so that they are occupied, this will give movers plenty of room to unload the lorry without being disturbed.
12. Have A Quick Walkaround
Take a quick walkaround of your new property and then give a tour of your new home to the removal crew, so that they know where to put your belongings.
Now let the removal crew do their job, they will help you set up your furniture and move the items into the rooms require, and when you are happy with where everything is, you can ask them to gather up all the packing material and take them away for recycling.
13. Take Meter Readings
Don’t forget to go and check the utility reading at your new home, take a snapshot of all the meter readings using your phone as a backup is very useful.
14. Switch On Essential Electric Compliances
Most removal firms will make sure your essential white goods such as the fridge and freezer, washing machine are plugged in and working so that you can feel at home and settle in quickly. But please do check with your removals company before your moving day if this is included in your moving costs.
15. Get Your Bedrooms And Bathroom Ready
Set up your bedrooms and bathroom first. Start unpacking moving boxes that are labelled for bedrooms, take the pillows out, and make up the beds, nothing is better than a good night’s sleep to regain your strength and refresh your mind, and be ready to start the unpacking process in the next few days.
The bathroom is the next room to be organised, the ability to have a nice warm bath or shower will definitely comfort you and your family after a long and tiring move.
16. Exploring Your New Neighbourhood
Take a short walk around your new neighbourhood, away from the unpacking, and say Hi to your new neighbours if you happen to see them. Getting to know your new surroundings will help you settle in and feel more at ease sooner.
It’s also a good idea to take a few days off work to stay at home if you’re able to do so; this will give you plenty of time to unpack and prepare your home the way you want it.
We hope you have enjoyed reading this article and it gives you a better understanding of how to prepare and what to expect on your moving day, hopefully, you’ll have a pleasant moving day and enjoy your new home!
If you have any questions about house removals, or simply want a quotation for moving, please contact Curtiss & Sons Removals on 023 9298 5830, our friendly team is here at your service.
