Moving to a new home is often an exciting experience, but a lot of work needs to be done before you can settle into your new living space. It can be stressful trying to organize yourself when moving house, so it’s important to take the right steps to make this process as easy as possible. Below if is a brief guide to moving house that you might find useful if you’re preparing to pack up your things and relocate to a new home.

Plan a Schedule

Even if your moving date is a month or two away, don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have plenty of time to get things sorted. To avoid panicking as your moving day draws near, you should sit down and plan out a schedule for what you need to have done and give yourself deadlines to complete these tasks.

Declutter

One of the first things that should be on your to-do list when moving house is decluttering. You want to start fresh in your new home, so there is no point bringing useless, unwanted items with you when you go. One of the golden rules when it comes to decluttering is asking yourself, ‘have I used this in the last year?’ If the answer is ‘no’, then it can be binned or donated to your local charity store. Getting this step out of the way will make packing up the rest of your belongings a much quicker and simpler process. You could also sell some of your unwanted things if you wanted to make some extra cash.

Pack Non-Essential Items

When your home is free from clutter, you can then start packing up your things. Start with all non-essential items such as books, decorative items, certain glass and kitchenware that you won’t need for basic meal preparation, clothes that you won’t need to wear, and so on. Try to get all of your non-essentials packed at least a week or two before your moving date, so you have more time to focus on the remaining items and other tasks as your final packing deadline looms.

Storage

Another thing you might want to think about when moving house is renting out a storage unit for some of your belongings. This is particularly useful if you need to leave your current home a little bit before you can move into your new one. These storage facilities can offer security and climate-controlled units for any belongings that might be sensitive to heat and flexible contracts that work for those on a budget. These Denver storage facilities are a good example of what you can expect.

Hire a Moving Company

You will also need to make sure you’re booking a moving company in advance, so you’re not left struggling when it comes to the day of your move. You can hire a van to drive yourself, and for those who don’t have larger items of furniture to take with them, this might be a better option. However, if you do have a lot of stuff to take with you, you must get a professional moving company to help you to do. They will have the right equipment and training to handle heavier items safely, as well as larger vehicles that can fit in more of your things easily.

Professional Cleaners

In addition to hiring professional movers, you might also want to consider booking domestic cleaners to come and deep-clean your home for you. If you live in rented accommodation, your landlord will expect you to leave the house or apartment in good condition if you want to get your security deposit back, and a professional cleaning company can do that for you. Even if you are the homeowner, it’s a courtesy to leave the house clean and tidy for the new residents. Not only will this give you peace of mind that the property you’re leaving will be in good condition when you depart, but it will also save you a lot of time and effort, which will be a blessing when you’re feeling exhausted from all the packing.

Get a Babysitter

If you do have kids, you might want to consider hiring a babysitter to take them off your hands for an afternoon while you get on with packing. Whether you ask a relative, friend or pay your usual babysitter to keep them entertained, it’ll be much easier to get the bigger tasks finished when you don’t have little ones running around or demanding your attention.

Budget

You should also keep in mind how much money you are willing to spend when it comes to moving house. Hiring a moving company, cleaners, and purchasing boxes for your stuff all adds up, so keep in mind how much cash you have to spend on these things and do a bit of research to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

Moving house can be a stressful experience, but with this simple guide, you can make the whole process a bit easier for yourself and just enjoy the excitement of finally getting into your new home.