When the moving day arrives, there’s still plenty to do.
Yes, the best removals companies will help you through this day, making your move relatively stress free. And if you’ve been using our moving house checklist, you should be fairly set for the big day. But there are few tasks that are specific to moving in day that are worth covering – from packing a box of moving day essentials to what to do if it rains on moving day.
When the moving day arrives, there’s still plenty to do.
Yes, the best removals companies will help you through this day, making your move relatively stress free. And if you’ve been using our moving house checklist, you should be fairly set for the big day. But there are few tasks that are specific to moving in day that are worth covering – from packing a box of moving day essentials to what to do if it rains on moving day.
Let’s talk about the basics of what happens on moving day, what you need to do and a rough moving day timeline.
It’s worth noting that if you are in a chain and everyone is moving on the same day, the final person in the chain might not get the keys until 4/5pm. Ideally, it should be before 5.30pm as this is the last time a bank transfer of money can take place.
It’s usual that you complete your purchase on the same day as you move. This means that you transfer the remaining funds to the seller and you, officially, own your new house. Don’t worry, there’s not too much for you to do here.
Your solicitors should have guided you through what you need to do days before. You’re just waiting for the money to clear before you get your keys from the estate agent.
From experience, this can take time. If all goes well and there’s no property chain, it’ll usually take the full morning, so you should expect to get your keys at around midday.
Unless you’re using storage or it’s your first home, it’s likely that you’ll move out of your old home and into your new one on the same day. If this is the case, speak to the removal company about timings. As mentioned, you’ll usually have the whole morning to empty your old house and move your stuff to your new home.
Just make sure everything is packed and ready to go. If you’re struggling to pack, Jorvik offers a packing service to help make everything a little easier.
There are probably a few items left that the removal company aren’t taking, so get up early and make sure your car is packed and ready to move. Do a last sweep of the house, checking cupboards, lofts, garages, sheds, kitchen cupboards – anywhere you think you might have left anything.
It’s also worth taking meter readings, taking a few photos of the house, and checking you have all the keys for the house – for every window, door, cupboard etc. Ideally, you’ll have organised a cleaner to come after you have left.
Once you’ve got the keys, congrats. Take a breath, wander around and enjoy the feeling of owning a new house. Now that you’re in and all the paperwork is done, there are a few checks to do.
There are a lot of things to remember on moving day. Don’t worry, we’ve put them all together in a handy moving day checklist. You can download this checklist as a pdf.
Morning Preparation
Coordination and Supervision
Cleaning and Security
At the New Home
Personal Care
End of Day
There are a few things you can do before that make moving day easier. These moving day hacks can help reduce your stress and allow you to enjoy the day for what it is.
Whether you prefer boxes, bags, or folders, it’s worth putting together a few kits before the day. The first is the moving day survival kit. This has all the essentials and should include:
As well as your moving day survival kit, it’s worth having a separate essentials kit. This can include:
Depending on your moving day timeline, you could be without access to a kitchen for the whole day. So, it’s worth packing some food to keep your energy levels up.
Cleaning is often overlooked, but it’s a key item for your moving day checklist. We always recommend cleaning both your old house and new house. You can hire specialist moving day cleaners or just chose your local cleaner for the job. It shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours but makes all the difference.
Everyone loves a good hack to make life easier. While not all these will be suitable, you might just find that one hack that transforms your moving in day.
There is no right or wrong day to move. According to some superstitions, the best day to move house is a Thursday. While many people think Friday is the best day to move as it then gives you a full weekend to unpack and get sorted. Many people also choose to move on a weekend due to work commitments.
Speak to your estate agents and lawyers if you’re in a chain as that will impact the day you can move.
It’s worth booking a day off work to move house. While removal companies can do a lot of the moving for you, you’ll need to collect the keys and help supervise. Book the day off work as soon as you get your completion date. While most employees will be happy to give you the day off as part of your holiday allowance, they are not obliged to.
While it’d be nice if it was a cool summer day when you moved, there’s a good chance you’ll be moving on a rainy day. This is fine but worth planning for. Check the weather in advanced so you can prepare, especially if its persistent rain or a storm.
Get some plastic covers for items you don’t want to get wet like electrical goods and art works. If packed properly, most will items be waterproof enough.
Lay down some cardboard or other covering to protect carpets. If there’s no way to preventing wet and dirty boots on your carpets, book a carpet cleaner for the following day.
Try and organise it so that any removal company can get as close as possible to your door and that they don’t have to walk over mud or grass.
Get in touch today and see how our experienced removals team can help plan your move.
