moveme.com

Four weeks on a sun-baked beach holiday can seem to stretch out forever. When you have a three-bedroom family house and a lifetime of possessions to pack, they somehow don’t seem as long. The moveme.com MovePlanner will help you to prioritise what you need to do, but here are a few tips.

With just a month to go until D-Day start packing away non-essential items such as out-of-season clothes and shoes, duplicate crockery, occasional kitchenware, books, CDs and vinyl. Tackling non-essential items in advance offers a gentle introduction to the packing process for any novice movers – who will find it gets progressively easier after the first few boxes, we promise. Clearly marking the contents of each box (including which room it belongs in) makes unpacking at the other end less of a guessing game. Many people like to use a coded inventory, just ensure it stays close at hand to prevent accidental migration into any open packing crates. If you opt for sticky labels attach them securely, they do have a habit of becoming misplaced, especially when boxes are stacked on top of one another for any length of time.

By now you should have confirmed the date of your move and booked a removal company (this can be done as soon as you have a completion date). Always check the company’s insurance cover (policies and practices tend to vary) and cross-reference it with your own contents policy. Items do get damaged and broken during removals. What you want to avoid is a liability dispute over an antique armoire, damaged in transit on the M25. Four weeks prior to the move is a good time to start collecting bubble wrap and other packing materials. If your removal company are not supplying these directly look at wholesale online packing outlets (for cheap bubble wrap and tape) and visit local supermarkets for crates and boxes; most will happily donate and, if given enough notice, may even set aside a selection for you.

Unless you are moving into a home with a garage, driveway or forecourt, parking a removal van might not be straightforward, involving (as it does) a large vehicle in situ for several hours. To identify any problems carry out a recce beforehand, preferably at the same time of the day as your expected arrival. Is your new home on a hill, a one-way street or part of the school run? If you anticipate difficulties you can notify the removal company in plenty time to brief their employees. Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) are now fairly common in many towns and cities. If you are moving into a CPZ area, apply to the local council to suspend any parking bays outside your new home (this can be done in the moveme Moveplanner). Most councils require a minimum of seven days notice and charge a small fee (about £10 per day). Suspensions usually operate for 24 hours, which should, barring any major mishap, be plenty of time to get unloaded and moved in.

Many of us rely on broadband providers increasingly for a fast Internet connection, telephone services and interactive TV packages. Aim to give your supplier at least one month’s notice that you are moving home. This will minimise the risk of being charged contractual penalties. If you intend to keep the same supplier check that they operate in your new area before booking an appointment, again this can all be done in the moveme MovePlanner.

Last – but by no means least – send out your change of address details. All of the letters and forms you will need all all within the moveme MovePlanner. In addition you will also want to let your friends know you are moving, which you can create and print off from moveme.com. Just in case you have forgotten someone it is worth getting a Royal Mail redirection service (prices vary depending on the package you choose) should pick up any omissions within the first few weeks of settling into your new home, the forms are all on the moveme.com MovePlanner.

If you are moving to a completely different area, you can find your local doctors surgery, dentist and optician through the NHS website.