They say that moving to a new house is one of the most stressful things to do. Between packing, negotiating sales and unloading at the other end there is plenty to go wrong, but these top tips should help you avoid the most common problems.

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Declutter

Start as early as possible and reuse and recycle what you can; the rest will have to go to the landfill! It’s pointless to move things that you haven’t used in this home and probably won’t use in the next, so find them a new home if you can.

One popular method of decluttering is the Kon Mari method. Developed my Marie Kondo, this method encourages you to hold each item and decide if it brings you joy. If it does, keep it. If it doesn’t, simply thank it and send it on its way.

Planning

Like any major event, planning will make the move itself go more smoothly. Make lists of what you need to do, what others are going to do and how you want it done. For example, many people label their boxes with the name of the room they are going into at the new home. A floor plan of the new place with these names included will help the movers get the boxes where they need to go.

An important part of the planning process is knowing how large a vehicle you will need to transport your items. Remember that when they are packed and padded, they will take up more space. A reliable company, such as this one for van hire Gloucester: https://www.fleetwayrentals.co.uk/ will be able to advise you.

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Call in favours

It can be really helpful to have someone in a supervisory role, answering questions and on the end of the phone should anyone need them. The best person for that is probably you, so make sure that you have as many volunteers as possible to help you move on the day. Many hands make light work!

Packing

The best way to make sure that everything gets to the other end unharmed is to pack it correctly. If you ask friends, or look on your local freecycle group, you may find that people are willing to give away sturdy boxes, bubble wrap and other materials that will keep your stuff in great order.

Good luck with the move!