The Key Things to Consider When Moving House
Moving house is regularly named one of life's most stressful events, but most of that stress comes from things that are entirely avoidable with a little planning. This guide walks through the key things to consider when moving house, from the first decisions to the final box, so you can approach your move feeling in control.
Published 2024-09-05 · Wolves Removals
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Whether it is your first move or your fifth, every house move involves the same handful of decisions that quietly shape how smoothly the day goes. Get them right early and the rest tends to fall into place. Leave them to chance and you find yourself making expensive, stressful choices in the final week. As a family-run removals firm that has helped people move across Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Kent since 2016, we have seen first-hand which preparations make the biggest difference. Here is our honest run-through of what to consider when moving house, organised roughly in the order you will need to think about it.
Start with a realistic budget
The cost of moving goes well beyond the removal van, and underestimating it is one of the most common mistakes people make. As well as the removal firm, factor in solicitor or conveyancing fees, surveys, mortgage arrangement costs, any Stamp Duty due, redirecting your post, new insurance, and the inevitable extras that crop up: packing materials, cleaning, perhaps a night in a hotel if the chain is slow to complete.
Set the budget early and build in a contingency, because moves rarely go exactly to plan. Getting a clear, itemised quote from your removal company is a big part of this. Our pricing page explains how we structure costs, and you can request a tailored quote for your move so you know the removals figure with confidence rather than guessing.
Plan your timeline backwards from moving day
Once you have a likely completion date, work backwards and give each task a sensible window. The biggest jobs, like decluttering and booking your removal firm, want doing weeks in advance, not days. The most reputable removal companies, particularly around busy periods such as month-ends and school holidays, get booked up early, so securing your date is one of the first things to do once you have a realistic idea of when you are moving.
A good timeline also covers the easy-to-forget admin: notifying your utility providers, council tax, bank, employer, GP and the DVLA, arranging mail redirection with Royal Mail, and setting up broadband at the new address so you are not left without internet for a fortnight. Our guide to planning for a house move sets out a full timeline you can adapt to your own dates.
Declutter before you do anything else
The single cheapest way to reduce the cost and effort of any move is to move less. Before you buy a single roll of tape, work through your home room by room and decide honestly what is coming with you. If you have not used something in a year and would not buy it again, it is a strong candidate for the charity shop, the recycling centre or an online marketplace.
Decluttering not only cuts your removal costs but makes unpacking at the other end far less overwhelming. If you are moving into a smaller property, this step is even more important, and our advice on downsizing your home helps you make those calls without losing the things that genuinely matter to you. Be ruthless with the loft, the garage and the spare room in particular, as these are where the things you have forgotten about tend to accumulate.
Decide how much help you actually need
One of the most important things to consider is honestly how much of the move you want to do yourself, and how much you would rather hand over. There is no right answer, only what suits your time, budget and energy.
Full house removals
For a family home, a complete house removals service takes the strain off entirely, with an experienced crew handling the loading, transport and unloading. This is the least stressful option and, for anything larger than a small flat, usually the most sensible.
Man and van
If you are moving a studio or one-bed flat, a few large items or making a single delivery, a man and van service is the economical choice. We offer this from £80, and it covers a surprising amount of ground for smaller moves without the cost of a full crew.
Packing services
Packing is the part people most often underestimate. Wrapping an entire house properly takes far longer than you expect, and rushing it is how things get broken. Our full packing service handles the lot, while fragile packing protects glassware, mirrors, ceramics and artwork with the right materials. If you would rather pack yourself, that is fine too, but be realistic about how many evenings it will take.
Think about whether you need storage
Property chains are unpredictable, and there is often a gap between completing on your sale and getting into your new home. Rather than scramble, it is worth considering storage from the outset. Our storage solutions keep your belongings safe and accessible for as long as you need, whether that is a few days while the chain catches up or a few months while you renovate. It is also invaluable when you are downsizing and not ready to part with certain things, or moving abroad in stages. You can estimate how much space you will need with our storage calculator.
Choose your removal company carefully
Not all removal firms are equal, and the cheapest quote rarely represents the best value. When comparing companies, look beyond the headline price and check a few essentials.
First, insurance. Ask whether the firm carries goods-in-transit and public liability cover, and for how much. We are fully insured with cover up to £10 million, so your belongings are protected from loading to unloading. Second, accreditation and reviews. We are a LAPADA member and Checkatrade-verified, and we would always encourage you to read genuine customer reviews rather than rely on the cherry-picked praise a company publishes itself. Third, a clear quote. A trustworthy firm sets out what is included rather than offering a single vague figure, so you are not surprised by extras on the day.
If you own antiques, fine art or a piano, check the firm has specific experience with such items. Our specialised antiques moving and piano moving services exist precisely because these pieces need handling differently from ordinary furniture.
Pack smartly, not just quickly
Even if a firm is doing the heavy packing, there are habits that make the whole process smoother. Label every box clearly with its contents and the room it belongs in, so unloading at the other end is logical rather than chaotic. Keep boxes a sensible weight, putting heavy items like books into small boxes and lighter things into large ones. Wrap fragile items individually and fill gaps so nothing rattles in transit.
Pack an essentials box that travels with you rather than in the lorry: kettle, mugs, tea and coffee, phone chargers, a change of clothes, toiletries, any medication and basic tools. This is the box you will be grateful for on the first night when everything else is still sealed up. Our helpful moving tips go into packing technique in more detail.
We’re a friendly, family-run Sussex removals and storage company that has been keeping its promises since 2016. From a single item to a full home or office move, every job is fully insured and led by a dedicated coordinator, so you always have one point of contact.
As a LAPADA member and a Checkatrade-verified team, we handle it all with real care — expert packing, home and business removals, clean, secure storage and specialist antiques handling across Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Kent.
Consider the people and pets in your move
It is easy to focus entirely on the logistics and forget that moving is an emotional upheaval for everyone in the household. Children and pets in particular feel the disruption. For children, involving them in age-appropriate ways, packing a special box of their favourite things and keeping routines as steady as possible all help. For pets, a calm space away from the chaos on the day, and familiar bedding and toys ready at the new home, ease the transition.
If you are moving for a relationship rather than just a job or a bigger garden, there are emotional considerations worth thinking through too, which we explore in our piece on whether to move for love. Whatever the reason for your move, giving the human side of it some thought makes the practical side feel far less overwhelming.
Plan the day itself
On moving day, a few simple things keep everything on track. Confirm the arrival time with your removal crew the day before. Make sure access and parking are sorted at both properties, especially if either is on a narrow or restricted street. Take meter readings at the old home before you leave and at the new one as soon as you arrive. Locate the stopcock, fuse board and thermostat at your new place. Keep your essentials box and any valuables with you personally rather than in the van.
A final walk-through of the old property before you hand back the keys catches anything left in cupboards, the loft or the garden. It is a small habit that saves the frustration of realising too late that something has been left behind.
Don't overlook the change-of-address admin
It is the unglamorous side of moving, but forgetting to update your address causes more post-move headaches than almost anything else. Make a list early and work through it methodically. Royal Mail's redirection service catches anything you miss, but it is no substitute for telling the important organisations directly. Banks and building societies, your employer, the council for council tax and the electoral roll, your GP and dentist, the DVLA for both your driving licence and vehicle registration, your insurers, pension and investment providers, schools, and any subscriptions or deliveries all need updating.
Utilities deserve particular attention. Notify your gas, electricity, water and broadband providers of your move date, arrange final readings at the old home and opening readings at the new one, and book your broadband installation well ahead, as appointment slots can be weeks out. Being left without internet for a fortnight is a thoroughly modern moving misery that a little forward planning avoids entirely.
Special items that need special handling
Most household contents are straightforward to move, but certain items deserve extra thought well before the day. Pianos are heavy, awkward and easily damaged, and moving one safely is a genuine skill, which is why our piano moving service exists. Large or valuable artwork, antique furniture, mirrors and glass-fronted cabinets all need proper protection rather than a hasty blanket and a bit of hope.
It is also worth flagging anything that cannot legally travel in a removal lorry, such as certain flammable or hazardous items, and making your own arrangements for things like houseplants, perishable food and important documents, which are usually best kept with you. Telling your removal firm about any unusual or particularly precious items when you book means they arrive with the right materials and the right plan, rather than improvising when they get there.
Where we cover and how we can help
We are based near Pulborough and cover West and East Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Kent, with nationwide and European removals available too. Whether you are moving within a single town such as Horsham or Burgess Hill, relocating across the county, or heading much further afield, the principles in this guide hold. The more of the thinking you do early, the calmer the move itself becomes.
Settling in after the move
The move is not really finished when the lorry pulls away. Giving a little thought to the first few days in your new home makes settling in far smoother. Make up the beds first, so however late the day runs, everyone has somewhere comfortable to sleep. Tackle the kitchen and bathroom next, as having those two rooms functional makes the place feel livable straight away, and leave the less urgent boxes for when you have more energy.
Within the first week, register with a local GP and dentist, as the most popular practices can carry waiting lists, and locate the practical essentials: your nearest pharmacy, supermarket, recycling centre and post office. Introduce yourself to the neighbours if the opportunity arises, as a friendly face nearby is worth a great deal when you are new to an area. Above all, do not feel you have to unpack everything at once. A move is tiring, and giving yourself permission to settle in gradually is far kinder than chasing an empty box pile on day one.
The bottom line
What to consider when moving house really comes down to planning ahead, being honest about how much help you need, choosing a properly insured and well-reviewed removal firm, and remembering the human side alongside the logistics. Do those things and a move that started as a daunting prospect becomes a manageable, even exciting, fresh start. As a Checkatrade-verified, LAPADA-member family business, fully insured with cover up to £10 million, we are always happy to talk through your move and offer honest advice. Call us on 01903 893731 or email contact@wolves-removals.co.uk whenever you are ready.
The Key Things to Consider When Moving House — FAQs
As early as you realistically can once you have a likely completion date. The most reputable firms get booked up quickly, especially around month-ends and school holidays. Booking several weeks ahead gives you the best choice of dates and time to plan properly.
Declutter before you pack. The less you move, the less it costs and the less effort the whole process takes. Work through each room honestly and pass on anything you no longer use to charity shops, the recycling centre or online marketplaces.
It depends on your time and budget. Packing a whole house properly takes far longer than most people expect, and rushing it risks breakages. A full packing service removes that burden entirely, while fragile packing protects delicate items. If you pack yourself, start early and label everything.
Often, yes. Property chains rarely align perfectly, so storage bridges any gap between selling and buying. It is also useful when downsizing, renovating before you move in, or relocating in stages. Our storage calculator helps you work out how much space you need.
Anything you will want immediately and do not want sealed in the lorry: kettle, mugs, tea and coffee, phone chargers, a change of clothes, toiletries, medication, basic tools and important documents. Keep it with you personally on moving day.
