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Whether it’s shifting your stuff into uni accommodation, your new flat or even your first home, moving house can be a stressful and even expensive process, with various costs such as removal services, utility setup, and home insurance to consider.
It’s important to set a budget early on to manage these costs and avoid unexpected expenses. You should also expect that the moving process can be unpredictable, so it’s helpful to plan for what you can and be prepared for surprises.
To help you out, Jaunt have come up with a handy guide that explains some of the different options that are available to you including temporary car insurance so you can work out what will work best for you. That way, you can take some of the stress (and even expense) out of the whole process and focus on settling in to your new place!
Introduction to moving
Right then, moving house – it’s a proper milestone, isn’t it? And trust me, my friend, with the right plan sorted, it doesn’t have to feel like you’re wrestling with a mountain of chaos! Creating a moving house checklist is your first brilliant move (see what I did there?) to making sure nothing gets left behind like a forgotten sock.
Start thinking about your move as early as you possibly can – this gives you loads of time to pack your life into boxes, double-check all those niggling details about your new property, and get some cracking expert advice on the whole process.
Whether you’re moving into your very first house (how exciting!) or upgrading to a fancy new home, a well-organised checklist will help you keep track of everything from packing boxes like a Tetris champion to confirming your new address with everyone and their dog.
With our tips and guidance, you’ll be able to approach your move with proper confidence, knowing you’ve covered all the essentials for a smooth transition that’ll make you feel like a moving maestro!
What are my options?
You’ve got a few different options to consider and weigh up when it comes to the big move. Some of these include:
Removal company service
If you’re doing a big move and want to shift all your belongings, including moving furniture, from one house to another, hiring a removal service could be a good option for you.
A removal company can help you with the heavy lifting of bulky furniture and save you fewer trips between your old place and new.
However, this is often an expensive option and might not be suitable for a smaller scale move, especially if you want to do things in your own time.
Borrowing a car for moving house
One other option, if you really want to take things into your own hands, could be borrowing a mate’s car or van (provided your driving licence permits you to drive this type of vehicle).
This way, you don’t have to pay to hire the vehicle, you just have to sort out your insurance. Make sure you have enough moving boxes to safely transport your belongings.
Getting insured isn’t as difficult or confusing as you may think either, especially with Jaunt’s temporary car insurance. With Jaunt, you could get insured in minutes and be on the road in no time at all. The policy is super flexible too, so you could get insured on a car for 1 hour up to 28 days.
Another great advantage of this option is that if you do end up having an accident in another driver’s car, their no-claims bonus won’t be affected. Check out our short-term car insurance guide for more info.
Change of address
Ah, updating your address when moving house – it’s like conducting a proper orchestra of paperwork, isn’t it? Trust me, I’ve been there, and it’s dead easy to forget some important contacts in all the moving-day madness (picture yourself surrounded by boxes, scratching your head, wondering if you’ve told the bank!).
Here’s the thing, my friend – make yourself a brilliant checklist of everyone who needs your shiny new address, starting with the big players like your bank, credit card folks, and insurance companies (because nobody fancies their statements going on an unplanned holiday to your old place). Don’t forget to sort your TV licence, get yourself registered with the local council.
Now, here’s a proper clever move: arrange to redirect your mail for a few weeks to catch any post that’s still trying to find you at your old address (it’s like giving your mail a sat-nav update), and make sure to update your driver’s licence and passport whilst you’re at it.
By staying organised and ticking off each item on your change of address checklist like a champion, you’ll avoid those heart-stopping moments when important communications slip through the cracks, ensuring your transition to your new home is smoother than a fresh jar of peanut butter – brilliant, right?
Moving house checklist
Right then, a proper moving house checklist is your absolute best mate when it comes to keeping your sanity intact on the big day (trust me, I’ve seen grown adults reduced to tears over missing tape!):
Start by packing those non-essential bits and bobs well in advance – we’re talking sturdy boxes that could survive a small earthquake, and label each one like your life depends on it with room and contents (because “miscellaneous stuff” written in your mate’s handwriting at 2 AM is nobody’s friend).
As you get closer to the big moving day, make sure all those keys are ready for handover – fancy having a proper key ceremony, don’t we? – and take those final meter readings at your old place (because nobody fancies a surprise bill three months down the line).
Give your utility providers a proper heads-up and get those new accounts sorted for your new address – it’s like introducing your electricity and gas to their new home before you even arrive!
On the actual moving day, keep those essentials within arm’s reach – we’re talking tea (because what’s a British crisis without a cuppa?), snacks for when the hangry monster strikes, and those important documents that always seem to play hide and seek when you need them most.
Don’t forget to give your old place one final once-over to make sure nothing’s been left behind hiding in cupboards like a shy relative at a family gathering.
With some brilliant planning, double-checking all the details like a proper detective, you’ll be settling into your new home with all the keys to a absolutely smashing fresh start!
