Any tips to make moving house go more smoothly

[vj32]

We are moving house for the first time. (Selling and buying) We have had hardly any time between exchange and completion because of various problems in the chain. To complicate matters slightly we have a DD age 2 and I am pregnant and ill and not really able to do anything much. We also have loads of stuff in storage that movers are also collecting so going to be an interesting day.

So - we have got childcare for moving day for DD.
Have started telling various utilities etc that we are moving.
We have moving people booked.
Going to take most fragile items, bedding, box of cleaning stuff and box of food and drink essentials in our car.
I know we need to collect up the keys, house info etc to leave.

Have I forgotten anything huge? DH is a bit useless at these things and is very helpful but only in doing what he is told and not at thinking about what needs to be done.

[dodil]

Having moved house quite a few times, my tip is to pack a couple of suitcases as if you were going for an overnight stay somewhere. You will probably be so tired at the end of it all and instead of hunting through a muddle of boxes, at least you will have all the essentials in the suitcases for everyone's bedtime and for the morning. Of course, don't forget to have the kettle and tea/coffee in a safe, accessible place!

[Shenanagins]

In your box of essentials pack a roll of toilet paper, hand wash and a towel. Also arrange for your post to be forwarded.

[specialsubject]

Set up a postal redirect for six months. Start a list of everyone who has your address, both institutions and friends.

The important things to change/sort are:

house insurance for new property from exchange, cancel on old one from completion
broadband/phone at new place (without which you can't do anything!)
car insurance to change address on the day you do. After the move, apply online for new driving licences and send off the car V5 to be changed.
read meters at both places on moving day.

all else can be done once you are in.

keep your vital documents and jewellery with you.
run down food stocks, empty and dry freezer and fridge.

arrange takeaways for night before move and night of move!

[magimedi]

On the day of the move make up your beds as soon as you possibly can. Nothing worse than it coming to bedtime & you are faced with a bare mattress.

Try to make one room ordered as soon as you can (without any decorating). I usually aim to get my bedroom straight as soon as possible as it is lovely to have it as a sanctuary from the rest of the chaos.

[becsbornunderadancingstar]

In your new home assign each room a name and colour. Before the movers get in put coloured post-its on the door of each room with the label ie Blue Post-It saying 'BEDROOM ONE'. The colours help if you get movers who don't speak English. (Ours didn't - they were ace though)

Then in your current home pack one room at a time and colour the label of each box in that room with the room you want it to go into in your new home. eg On the box in blue marker to match the post-it - 'BEDROOM ONE"

Make sure you have LOTS of tea and biscuits and UHT milk and instant coffee in your 'first day' suitcase - bottles of water too. If you keep the movers hydrated and fed they'll move much faster and more carefully

Put down lots of paper to protect the floor of your new home in case it rains.

If you're moving further away google for good takeaways near your new home and note down the phone numbers so that you can call for something to be delivered that night - you will be starving and won't want to cook. And you won't have wifi so you won't be able to look anything up.

[poocatcherchampion]

don't take the sheets off the bed when you leave old house. shove the lot in bin bags (or get packers to) and then all you have to do is put sheet on bed and pull duvet over you.

clean sheets can happen the following day or whenever.

[icklekid]

Defrost the freezer if its moving with you, pack the bed screws somewhere obvious to help when rebuilding the bed when you get there-make this a priority. Most importantly be gentle on yourself-don't try and get everything done on day 1. Decide on where you can cope with boxes for a while and sort them slowly-unless you have unpackers. I wore myself out on moving day-didn't get keys until 3.30 and because of needing 2 trips in the van was 5.30 before all boxes were in then I started unpacking...I have everything sorted now (4 days later) but work has been awful and if your already ill it won't help...

[vj32]

Thanks everyone, I don't think I'd have remembered to have toilet roll etc handy.

I think we are having pizza on the evening of the move - I have checked Dominos will deliver!

Our freezer is full of ice so defrosting it will probably flood the kitchen! I hadn't really thought about it as we are only moving ten mins away - but I suppose it could be hours on the movers van if we don't get in until late afternoon.

[IAmOwedMoney]

The water from the defrosted freezer will end up wetting the contents of your box's, better your kitchen floor you can mop up. Take a wooden spoon to the ice and get as much off as you can, leave a towel on top of a bin bag and let it just melt. If you get pushed for time, chuck some warm water in there.

[Inertia]

Don't use bin bags to transport stuff - buy a couple of rolls of clear recycling bags for things like bedding, so you can clearly see what's what.

Use the removal firm's packing service, it usually only costs a couple of hundred pounds but it means their insurance covers breakages.

Get a document file for passports, documents, utility company details etc and take it in the car with you.

Think about getting some food in for the removal team and yourselves, eg tray of Costco sandwiches.

Post redirection needs setting up a week before you move. Phone / Internet also takes ages.

Do beds first. Don't plan to unpack on the first day, just make beds and feed everyone.

Make sure breakfast stuff for next day is accessible.

Pack everyone an overnight bag with was kit, towel, pj's and a couple of days worth of clothes.

[Inertia]

And decanter as ruthlessly as you can! We moved with far too much crap, mostly dh 's.