How To Declutter Before Moving House

Moving home is one of the most stressful events in life, but there are ways to make the selling, buying and packing process a lot easier for yourself, starting with having a good declutter. 

When to start decluttering

If you really want to make an impact on the amount of belongings you have, it is a good idea to start getting rid of stuff even before you put your home on the market. 

This will give you a sense of how much space you will need in your next property, as you may not require as much storage as you currently have or you could use the extra space as an additional bedroom or hobby area. 

For instance, parents whose children have grown out of large plastic toys like ride-on diggers or play kitchens will be able to free up lots of room in their next residence. 

Another advantage of decluttering before selling your home is it makes your house look far more spacious, and therefore, makes it more appealing to prospective buyers. 

Removing items from window sills and worktops gives the illusion of more space, while at the same time viewers will not be worrying about storage as it’ll look as though there are plenty of cupboards and drawers to hide everyday belongings.

If you haven’t managed to declutter before selling your house, it is certainly worth doing so before you start packing for the move. That way you will have to put fewer items in the removal van and will not need to unpack as many things when you arrive in your new home. 

One room at a time

It can feel very overwhelming knowing you have to sort out everything in your house, which is why it is worth doing it one room at a time. 

When going through everything, divide them into five piles - things to keep, throw away, recycle, donate and sell. 

Choosing what to get rid of can be difficult, so it is important to ask whether you actually need an item or if you’re holding on to it for sentimental value. 

Lifestyle expert Catharina Bjorkman told Country Living: “If you’re struggling to decide what items should stay or go, think about whether they bring you joy or conjure up a happy memory. If the answer is no, then it needs to go.”

Clothes, toys, games and appliances that have been outgrown or discarded can be gotten rid of, as they are unlikely to be used in the new house if they haven’t been touched in months, or even years. 

Anything that hasn’t made the cut can either be sold, taken to the tip, recycled or donated. You could make some extra cash by selling items you no longer use, such as posting clothes on Vinted or toys on Facebook Marketplace, which could create an incentive for the family to get involved in decluttering. 

Alternatively, you could give some of the children’s belongings they no longer use to friends’ kids or charity, or advertise them for free on social media to anyone who could benefit from them. This will make you feel as though you are helping out other families by sorting through your own things. 

Once you have made progress with getting rid of items, you will feel a lot better about the move, knowing that everything you unpack will have a worthwhile place in your new home. 

2024 Could Be The Time To Move As Prices Start To Climb


The last couple of years have been tumultuous for the property market, with house prices declining and mortgage rates soaring. 

However, the tide could be turning, with property values beginning to creep up, which means more homeowners may be tempted to put their residence up for sale. 

2023 - a year of falling values

Lots of people who were thinking about moving home last year are likely to have put off their decision, as house prices dropped for nine months out of 12. By August 2023, they were 4.5 per cent lower than they were the previous August, according to the Halifax House Price Index. 

While things improved in the autumn, house prices were still below what they were the previous year. 

As prices kept dropping, this deterred vendors from putting their house or flat on the market, diminishing housing stock. This has eventually started to push values up, as demand for houses exceeds supply, which is why values are now increasing. 

Changes set to occur in 2024

This is why 2024 has started off well for sellers, with values 2.5 per cent higher than they were in January 2023. They are also the same proportion greater than they were during the previous quarter, and 1.3 per cent higher than in December 2023, which amounts to an average increase of £3,785 over the month.

Director of Halifax Mortgages Kim Kinnaird said: “The recent reduction of mortgage rates from lenders as competition picks up, alongside fading inflationary pressures and a still-resilient labour market has continued to increase confidence among buyers and sellers. This has resulted in a positive start to 2024’s housing market.”

What will happen in the future?

Although this is a good sign for the housing market, buyers and sellers have been warned to remain cautious. 

Interest rates are still higher than they were before, which is making it more challenging for homebuyers to be accepted for, and afford, a loan. 

At the same time, demand is still greater than supply, which could push prices higher even more. This means both first-time buyers and homemovers can expect to pay more for a new home in the coming months than they did last year. 

Despite this, Ms Kinnaird stated that values could also potentially fall due to a “backdrop of broader uncertainty in the economic environment”. 

With this ambiguity, those who are hoping to move up the property ladder may want to consider doing so sooner rather than later. 

By putting their house up for sale now, they are likely to secure a buyer easily due to the greater demand. At the same time, they can price their home higher than they could have last year, without having to spend much more on their next abode. 

Having to also factor in the cost of hiring a removal van, solicitors’ fees, conveyancing charges, and stamp duty, as well as rising mortgage rates, homemovers may want to start planning their relocation in case prices begin to rise even more. 

Are You Joining 1 Million Brits Expected To Move In 2024?

They often say that getting divorced and moving house are the two most stressful pursuits you can sign yourself up for and while we may not be able to help you out if you are going through marriage dissolution right now, we can definitely lend a helping hand if you’re relocating somewhere new!

You’re sure to want to make your move as quick, easy and as painless as you possibly can so you arrive at your new home in a positive frame of mind… and the good news is that there’s a huge amount you can do to facilitate this.

First of all, don’t leave everything to the last minute! Once you know you’re going and it’s a done deal no matter what, you can start to get ready to go, even before you have a firm moving date in mind.

Decluttering the house is a great first step to take, allowing you to get rid of any excess belongings you no longer have any use for or that you’ve outgrown. Try to be as ruthless as you can while keeping those belongings that hold a special place in your heart. 

Also think about the floorplan of your new home… you may well find that what works in your current house won’t fit naturally once you move, so you can use this as a great opportunity to get rid of furniture and home furnishings that won’t go. Just remember - the less stuff you have, the easier it will be to move!

Once you’ve decluttered and taken everything you don’t want or need to the tip or the local charity shop, you can then start thinking about packing. Of course, your house removal company may well be able to help you with boxing everything up but you can certainly get a good head start before moving day arrives, making it all a lot more efficient.

Don’t forget to make sure that all your breakable items are well wrapped up in something protective. Bubble wrap really comes into its own here, of course, but you can save money and make packing more efficient if you use your clothes to protect your more precious possessions.

It’s also certainly worth thinking about what you’ll need when you get to your new house while you’re packing. What supplies will you need to make use of first upon arrival? 

Pack these in a well-labelled box so they’re easy to find and also consider packing a box of absolute essentials so you’re not hunting around looking for items when you’re tired after a long day of lugging belongings from one location to another.

And finally, you’re sure to be exhausted and starving after moving day is done, so perhaps do yourself a favour the week or two before the big day by cooking up some delicious and nutritious meals to put in the freezer. With a bit of prep, you’ll ensure that you’ve got something healthy that’s ready to go without any hassle at all.

Moving house can be an expensive time, with estate agent’s fees, redecorating, and new furniture purchases to contend with. It’s definitely not a time when you want incur to unnecessary charges, simply because you didn’t wrap up the bills properly on your old home. Here’s some essential things to tick off your list before the big day.
 
Inform your energy supplier
If you do not tell your energy company before you move out, you could be overcharged, or even end up paying for energy you did not use. Something to avoid, especially as energy bills are soaring for householders at the moment. Tell your supplier in advance when you are moving out, and submit a final meter reading on the day.
 
Be sure to pass on the new address, or let them know if you change your email address, so that they can send you the final bill. Your account may be in credit, so if you are not sticking with the same provider, you will be due a refund. If it is in debit, pay it off promptly to avoid incurring interest charges.
 
You may be charged an early exit from your energy contract if you change providers before your deal is up. Some providers will let you carry over your tariff to a new property. However, shop around for the best deals, as sometimes you may still be paying less, even after the exit fee is taken into account.
 
Take the water meter readings
Another important admin chore not to overlook is the water meter readings. Take a photo so that you have it stored in your phone, rather than have to rely on a scrap of paper that will no doubt go missing! This is important, to avoid being unfairly charged for the next occupant’s usage and standing charges.
 
Remember to take all the meter readings in the new house on the day that you move in, and check if the energy and water supplies need to be reactivated. If the agent doesn’t know who the existing supplier is and you are struggling to find out, you can contact the Distribution Network Operator, who will be able to tell you.
 
You are not obliged to have a water meter installed if you don’t want one, and some people prefer to pay a fixed monthly charge. Generally, people who live alone tend to save money with a meter, and large families who use lots of water may be better off with a fixed charge.
 
Inform your local council
Finally, it’s important to transfer your council tax correctly, or you could face a financial penalty. Tell the council in advance the date you are moving out and your new address. They will also probably ask for the name of the new occupant, or the agent dealing with the sale or transfer of tenants.
 
Bear in mind that if you are leaving your current property empty, you may continue to be charged the full rate of council tax, depending on the rules in your area.
 
If you are looking for Man And Van Removals Wakefield, talk to us today.
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The phrase “it’s grim up north” is a well-worn saying, but it’s clearly one many Londoners appear to have seen through, according to a new survey.

Data from Experian shared with the i newspaper has revealed that people from the capital have been swapping urban myths for rural dreams by seeking to move away from the concrete jungle, with several alternatives in the shires proving particularly popular.

While four of the top ten areas people moved away from between September 2019 and February 2022 were London boroughs, rural areas saw the most incomers, with Selby in Yorkshire being one of the most popular of all, running neck-and-neck for the lead with Tewkesbury in the Cotswolds.

The pandemic has been cited as the key reason removal companies in Yorkshire have been busy, as the need for social distancing and the increasing availability of remote working has meant living in easy commuting distance of a city centre office has been of less importance.
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Associate Professor in Economics and Finance of the Built Environment at University College London Dr Nikodem Szumilo told the i this has been a classic case of ”urban flight”.

He explained: “If people were able to live from home but not able to enjoy the amenities they get in the city they simply moved away.”

Now that the restrictions have been removed and the threat of Covid is much diminished, life has become more normal for most. The question will be whether the movement away from cities was a short-term thing.

Of course, if people are now ready to move back into urban areas, that could benefit cities in Yorkshire like Leeds, where large-scale development is taking place in and around the city centre and the population as a whole has risen over the past decade.

In 2020, Leeds was estimated to have a population of 800,000, the largest of any single local authority in the UK bar Birmingham. This was up from 751,000 in the 2011 census.

The 2021 census figures will be published later this year, providing a more precise figure for the city’s population and those of Yorkshire’s other towns and cities.