There are many reasons why people feel stressed about moving house. Change brings with it a certain amount of anticipation and trepidation. Most people don’t have the luxury of concentrating on organising the move and have to juggle home life and work at the same time. However, moving house doesn’t need to be stressful if you are prepared in advance.
Burke & Wills has provided relocations in London for thirty years. We understand how overwhelming moving can be, which is why we offer insider tips to help people prepare for their upcoming relocation. We like to prevent problems before they arise, so here are eight tips for reducing stress when moving house.
Contents
- Book a Trusted Removal Company Early
- Create a Moving Checklist and Folder
- Declutter and Recycle Before Moving
- Follow a Smart Packing Strategy
- Plan for Cleaning and DIY Jobs
- Practical Tips to Navigate the Moving Day
- Post-Move: Settling Into Your New Home
- Stay Flexible and Expect the Unexpected
An Overview of Burke & Wills’ 8 Tips for Reducing Stress When Moving
The Burke & Wills team knows that moving house can be overwhelming, but with the right approach, you can minimise stress and stay in control. Thorough planning and staying organised are the foundations of a smooth, hassle-free move—we know this from decades of experience. Similarly, choosing a trusted removal company ensures you have professional support every step of the way.
We’ll cover some practical tips, such as decluttering before packing, creating a well-structured packing strategy, handling key admin tasks, and other suggestions for making this a positive, successful relocation. You can turn a daunting process into a smooth transition with the right approach.
Book a Trusted Removal Company Early
Choosing a reputable removal company is important, as they will give you the assurance you need for a smooth move. Having trained personnel and all the proper equipment takes the strain out of corralling family and friends into heavy lifting in the heat of the moment.
Reputable Movers Act as a Guide
A decent removal company will guide you through the process and help you meet your moving plan and goals. If you need storage or other services, they should be able to tie these into your moving plan.
Accreditation and Quality Policies Matter
Check whether they’re BAR-approved (British Association of Removers) and read their Google reviews and customer testimonials. Gather several quotes to compare costs (three is recommended), and if you can speak to them on the phone, you will get a sense of their customer service policy.
Professionalism from the Start
A friendly, flexible team you feel comfortable communicating with is essential throughout the process. This includes your initial contact: how prospective movers respond to your initial phone call or email matters.
Create a Moving Checklist and Folder
Once you have a good removal team, they can advise you on your moving checklist. Create a folder to keep all the paperwork related to the move in one place. Then, you should have a moving house task list for the various stages of the process so that you can return to it when it gets overwhelming.
Mapping Each Stage of Your Relocation
The different stages will involve researching your move, finalising the contracts, and all the various administrations involved, plus your packing strategy and program. This list should see you through to the other side, and the folder will also contain all your inventories and relevant records of your possessions.
Consider a Floor Plan
Having a floor plan of the house you are moving to will help you decide on furniture and where items will be heading. This will help your packing process and provide a starting point for unpacking when you arrive.
Essential Documents Checklist:
Here are some examples of paperwork for your moving house folder:
- Moving house checklist.
- Floor plans for the new location and plans for the garden.
- Inventories – we recommend downloading an app.
- Utility companies for both locations – you should consider transferring accounts.
- Parking restriction information for the new location.
- Receipts and bills related to services for the moving process
- Useful phone numbers for your arrival, including your movers.
Complete Key Moving Admin Tasks
Having these tasks all ticked off on your list will make the move plain sailing. You will not miss any mail and can stay on top of the technicalities of changing addresses.
Checklist When Leaving and Arriving
Here’s an overview of tasks to complete as you leave your current home and arrive at the new location:
- Inform all relevant people, businesses, and services about your change of address.
- Set up a Royal Mail re-direction mail service to your new address.
- End your council tax payments at one address and set up at the next.
- Set up utilities and non-utilities at your new location.
- Take meter readings on the moving day at both locations.
- Research the parking restrictions and apply for residents’ parking permits at your new location.
- Book your removal service and any relevant add-ons.
Declutter and Recycle Before Moving
People tend to trip up when moving house because of their clutter. Because you must decide what will stay and what will go, this process needs a bit of space and time and doesn’t mix well with last-minute deadlines. So, make sure you begin to sift through your possessions well in advance and decide what needs to be donated, recycled, or, as a last resort, dumped.
Decluttering Best Practices:
- Start early— Give yourself plenty of time to sort through belongings without rushing.
- Sort by category—Tackle items in groups (clothing, furniture, paperwork, etc.) to stay organised.
- Use the “one-year rule”— If you haven’t used something in a year, consider letting it go.
- Create separate piles for donations, selling, and recycling— Stick to these categories to simplify decision-making.
- Find local donation and recycling centres— Research charities, furniture banks, or council recycling facilities.
Decide What to Keep or Store:
- Check if your furniture fits your new home— Use floor plans and doorway measurements to plan ahead.
- Donate large furniture items— Charities like the British Heart Foundation and The Salvation Army offer collection services.
- Consider short-term or long-term storage— This is ideal for items you’re undecided about or lack space.
- Sell valuable but unwanted items— Online marketplaces can help you rehome furniture and electronics.
Follow a Smart Packing Strategy
The strategy for packing is to stick to the plan. The plan is to carefully pack room by room so that everything can be unpacked room by room. If your boxes are clearly labelled for the room they are going to, your removal team will be able to place them directly in the correct room.
Smart Packing Plan:
Consider these points for your plan:
- Source all your packing materials in advance. This includes boxes, marker pens, tape, paper, and bubble wrap where needed.
- Pack on a room-by-room basis.
- Start with the least essential items to pack away.
- Label all the boxes and make an inventory.
- Label the boxes with their contents and the room they belong to.
- Pack a survival kit with all the essentials for setting up on the other side. This kit should travel with you at all times.
Thorough planning is the key to a successful relocation, and we recommend reviewing the various checklists in this blog as a good starting point. Some points may not apply to you, so feel free to add or remove them to suit your circumstances.
Plan for Cleaning and DIY Jobs
One common problem when moving is underestimating how much work goes into preparing their current home for their departure. Whether selling or returning a rental property, leaving your house or flat in spotless condition is crucial. Likewise, you must take care of any maintenance or repairs before your exit. However, these tasks are time-consuming, so, fortunately, there are options to consider.
The Benefits of Professional Cleaning
Take the edge out of last-minute cleaning by organising an end-of-tenancy cleaning to assist you on your way. You could do the same if you want your place cleaned before you arrive. Burke and Wills offer a range of property services, including professional cleaning, painting, decorating, and handymen.
Using Property Services
We can assist if you need someone to touch up the paintwork at your leaving property. You may need a hand or expert help to get your full deposit back to set up your new home. Our property services are flexible, do not require long waiting times, and come with no-obligation quotes. Plus, in the event of unforeseen emergencies at your new location, you can rely on our locksmiths, handymen, and plumbers to be available.
Practical Tips to Navigate the Moving Day
While your moving day is likely some way off, preparing for it as you progress with your other planning points is worth preparing for. That way, you won’t rush around in a panic when the big day arrives.
Moving Day Checklist:
- Final Walkthrough— Review your current home one last time to double-check for any issues.
- Pack an Essentials Box for Moving Day—A survival kit with key items like toiletries, chargers, snacks, a kettle, and your essential documents.
- Plan for Pets and Kids on Moving Day— Arranging pet care or childcare to keep the day stress-free.
- Check Parking and Access for Moving Day— Ensure permits and clear access for the van and notify neighbours.
- Confirm Key Details with Your Movers— Finalising times, special instructions, and checking their insurance coverage.
- Car and Route Plan—Check that your car is ready for the journey—tyre pressure and oil levels are the main points. Also, plan your route the night before and check for traffic and roadworks.
Post-Move: Settling Into Your New Home
Next, we’ll cover some essential steps to help you settle into your home after the move concludes.
- Unpack Strategically to Avoid the “Overwhelm”— Start with key rooms (bedroom, kitchen), avoid cluttering the space, and tackle one area at a time.
- Meet the Neighbours and Explore the Area— A key stress reliever is feeling comfortable in your new community.
- Check for Repairs and Maintenance Needs— Addressing minor fixes before they become significant issues.
- Register with Local Services and Utilities— Setting up a GP, dentist, internet, and council tax.
- Order a takeaway the first night—Unless you arrive early in the day, consider ordering in to save cooking time.
- Get to know the area—Take an extra day to explore your new location. Visit the tourist attractions and learn about the local amenities.
Stay Flexible and Expect the Unexpected
Even the best-planned moves can come with surprises—delays, last-minute changes, or unexpected challenges. Keep a flexible mindset and have backup plans in place. Build extra time into your schedule for possible hiccups, stay in touch with your movers, and keep a positive attitude. A little adaptability can go a long way in keeping stress levels low.
We mentioned this earlier, but self storage can help you break up your move into more manageable chunks. Many of our customers stagger their relocation over weeks and months, packing boxes and moving non-essential furniture and appliances into a storage unit. This reduces clutter in their current homes and helps them map their progress.
You won’t have to move anything afterwards – our team can pack directly from your storage unit on your moving day. We’ll coordinate the entire move to make things more convenient and hassle-free. That’s the advantage of working with a reliable moving company – we handle more so you can take care of more pressing matters.
Burke & Wills – Your Best Bet for a Stress-Free Move in London
That’s the end of this blog. Thanks for reading our blog, which focused on eight tips for reducing stress when moving house. If you can follow these steps in plenty of time, there shouldn’t be any hidden surprises, and you can take your time at each step of the way.
Burke and Wills is a family-friendly removal and storage company that has built its reputation in SW London through word of mouth. We specialise in a friendly, stress-free service that is good value for money. If you are planning a move, we can do a quick video survey and supply you with a very accurate quote within days.
Click here to begin an assessment. We’ll review your requirements and send you a free, no-obligation quote. Read more free tips for moving and using storage in London here.