How to organise moving house

Moving house can be stressful so knowing what to do and when, and how to stay organised is key to keeping everything run smoothly.

Here's some key things you'll need to do to organise moving house. 

organising your house move

De-clutter

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto

A natural part of being organised during a house move is de-cluttering. This helps you start with a clean slate and minimises the amount of things you need to move.

Start sorting out your stuff as early as possible – ideally, before you’ve even put your house on the market. Not only will de-cluttering make the house look better for viewings, but it will also save you time in packing and lower the cost of your removal – why pay to move things you’ll throw away when you get to your new house?! 

Check out our guide to de-cluttering for moving house to help you work through the process step by step. 

Book a removal company home survey and choose your mover

Once you’ve thoroughly de-cluttered and you’re happy that you’ll only be moving the things you really need, it’s time to contact a removal company to start the process of getting a quote. 

Your chosen removal companies should arrange for a move consultation (also known as a pre-move survey) before giving you a quote, which might be done in person at your home or by video or phone call. 

The survey is really important so that the removal company can give you an accurate quote and determine the best move plan to make sure your move runs smoothly. Find our more about what this visit involves, how to prepare and how to get the best out of it in our move consultation guide. 

Once you've received your quotes you can select whichever company has the best solution for you and book in your moving dates. 

Pack and label your boxes 

Photo by cottonbro studio

If you’re self-packing for your move then it’s important to get it right. We've got some handy video tutorials for packing to move house for some of the most common items as well as a list of packing boxes and materials you'll need for moving house. 

Label all of your boxes correctly with the room for which they are to be taken to in the new house and make sure that anything with fragile contents is clearly marked. Check out our guide to labelling boxes for moving house. 

Keep all of your essential items separate from everything else and pack them in your car, rather than on the removal truck. If there are things you need immediately in your new house then let the crew know to pack them last – this might be things like beds, bedding, towels, etc. If you’re not sure what to pack in your essentials box, then download our handy essentials box packing list. 

Let people know you're moving

Photo by sl wong

Around a month or so before the move, you need to start thinking about who you need to inform about your change of address.

Call all of your utilities providers, inform the DVLA, your doctor and employer and make sure that all post has been re-directed via the Royal Mail. Oh, and don’t forget the family!

Confused about who to inform or worried you’ll forget then you can download our handy guide to who to inform when moving house. 

Arrange somewhere safe for children and pets to be on moving day

You know the saying about never working with children or animals? Well sometimes it can be applied to moving house with them as well.

Moving house can be a very unsettling and confusing experience for young children or pets, so to minimise the stress (to them AND you) it’s sometimes best to keep them out of the way altogether. If you can’t, however, then it’s not the end of the world - you just need to put a bit more thought into the logistics of moving day. If you need some more advice on moving with babies, children or pets then check out our blog posts for everything you need to know.

Brief the removals crew 

When your removals crew arrive then take a walk around with your team leader. Point out anything you're particularly worried about and explain anything they might need to know. Tell them if there are any items you'd like loaded last or unloaded first at your new home etc. 

Once you’re packed and the truck is fully loaded, always go back around the house and do a final walk round to check there’s nothing left anywhere. Most removal companies appoint one member of the crew to do this for you, but it never hurts to have a look yourself either, especially if there are cupboards or areas that aren't clearly visible or easy to miss.