5 Top Tips for Moving Home

Moving to a new home is one of life’s biggest events — exciting, but easily stressful without a plan. After thousands of moves across Sussex since 2016, we’ve learned what makes the difference. Here are our five top tips for a smoother, calmer move.

2. Declutter Before You Pack

There’s no point paying to move things you no longer want. Go room by room and sort items to keep, donate, sell or recycle. Less to move means a quicker, cheaper move — and a fresh start in your new home. If you’re unsure about bulky items, our house clearance service can help.

4. Label Everything Clearly

Label each box with its contents and the room it belongs to — on the side, not just the top, so you can read it when boxes are stacked. Mark fragile boxes clearly. This makes unloading far quicker and means everything ends up in the right room, ready to unpack.

Notify Everyone Who Needs Your New Address

One of the tasks that catches people out time and again is the sheer number of organisations that need to know you’re moving. It’s easy to remember the obvious ones, but the smaller accounts have a habit of slipping through the cracks — and an unforwarded letter can mean a missed bill, a lapsed insurance policy or an important document going to a stranger. After more than a few years moving families across Sussex and beyond, we’d strongly recommend sitting down a fortnight before the move and writing one master list of every party that holds your address.

Work through it methodically and tick each one off as you go. A change-of-address service through Royal Mail is well worth the modest cost, because it quietly catches anything you forget for a number of months while everything settles down.

• Utilities — gas, electricity, water and your broadband or phone provider, with meter readings taken on moving day
• Financial — banks, building societies, credit cards, pensions, ISAs and any loan or finance agreements
• Government & council — council tax, the electoral roll, the DVLA for your licence and vehicle, HMRC and any benefits office
• Health — your GP surgery, dentist, optician and any repeat-prescription service
• Everyday — your employer, your children’s school, insurers, subscriptions and online shopping accounts

If your move involves a gap between properties, our secure storage service can hold your belongings safely while the paperwork catches up — one less thing to rush.

Moving With Children: Keeping Little Ones Calm

A house move is exciting for adults but can feel unsettling for children, who often sense the disruption to their familiar routine long before moving day arrives. The kindest approach is to involve them in age-appropriate ways. Let younger children pack a special box of their own favourite toys, and give older ones a small, genuine job so they feel part of the adventure rather than swept along by it. Talking openly about the new home, the new bedroom and what will stay the same helps enormously.

On the day itself, the practical truth is that children and a busy removal are not a comfortable mix. Where you can, arrange for a relative, friend or trusted childminder to look after them for the day, or at least for the hours when furniture is being carried through doorways. If that isn’t possible, set up a safe, supervised corner well out of the path of the move. Pack a separate bag with snacks, drinks, a change of clothes and a few cherished comforts so a familiar teddy or blanket is never buried at the bottom of a box. Aim to make up the children’s beds first at the new house — a familiar duvet in a strange room works wonders at bedtime.

Your Moving-Day Timeline

A smooth moving day is rarely an accident — it’s the product of a clear running order that everyone understands. Having coordinated countless moves across house removals of every size, we’ve found a simple timeline keeps the day calm and on schedule. Share it with anyone helping so they know what to expect, and build in a little slack for the inevitable surprises.

• The night before — finish packing, charge your phone, set aside keys and important documents, and get an early night
• Early morning — strip beds, do a final sweep of cupboards and the loft, and have the kettle and essentials box to hand for the crew’s arrival
• Loading — let the removal team work to their own efficient system; stay available to answer questions rather than lifting yourself
• Meter readings & lock-up — photograph the meters, check every room one last time, then hand the keys to your agent or buyer
• At the new home — direct boxes to the right rooms, get the beds assembled first, and tackle the kitchen and bathroom before anything else

If you’d rather not lift a finger, our full packing service means everything is boxed, labelled and ready before the van even arrives, turning a frantic morning into a calm one.

Settling In: Your First Week Checklist

The work doesn’t quite end when the last box is carried in. A measured approach to the first week turns a house full of boxes into a home. Resist the urge to unpack everything at once — prioritise the rooms you use most and let the rest follow at a sensible pace. A few small jobs in the first day or two will make everything else easier, and they’re the tasks people most often regret leaving.

• Safety first — test smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms, locate the stopcock and fuse box, and check the doors and windows lock properly
• Security — consider changing the locks, as you can’t be certain who still holds a key to your new home
• Essentials — set up beds, get the kitchen and bathroom usable, and confirm the heating and hot water are working
• Admin — register with a local GP and dentist, update the electoral roll, and sort your council tax
• Neighbours — a friendly hello goes a long way and often turns up handy local knowledge

Take a slow walk around your new area too — finding the nearest shop, pharmacy and bus stop helps a strange place start to feel like home. For more practical guidance, browse our full library of helpful moving tips, and when you’re ready to plan your move, request a free quote from our friendly team.