Moving house is hard enough, even if you have help or are using professional movers. There are so many things that get overlooked, so we’ve compiled a list of tips to help you move smarter.

1. Start as early as you can

As soon as you know you’re going to be moving house, have a spring clean. We all know how easy it is to gather more stuff than we really need. Give away unwanted items. Charity shops like the Salvation Army Family Store are always grateful for useful donations. If items are valuable, sell them on TradeMe no later than a month out from your move.

2. Eat down food supplies

Much like tip one, reduce the amount of food you have to move by eating down the contents of the cupboards. Challenge the keen cooks in the house to use what you have in the cupboards rather than buying ingredients. Make sure you eat down the fridge and freezer too. This will save you time and money on moving day.

3. Pack an essentials box

Pack one box with everything you’ll need when you arrive at your new home: a change of clothes, toiletries, phone chargers, bedding and any other essentials. Also remember you’ll need to eat and drink, so plan ahead here too. Many people get hungry and dehydrated on moving day because they forget to do this.

4. Smart labelling of boxes

Consider adopting a labelling system to help you find items faster. You could colour code boxes for certain rooms or note important items on the outside of the box.

5. Remember to change utilities

There’s nothing worse than having to wait to be connected to essential services. Make sure you get the electricity, gas, phone, internet and any other services connected so they’re working when you arrive.

6. Take photos

Our smartphones are great tools when moving house. Take photos of anything you need to remember how to reassemble or reconnect, such as the cables for your home entertainment system. Taking photos is especially important if you are renting. Take photos of every room in the house you’re leaving and every room of the house you’re moving to when you arrive. It will help if there is a dispute about damage.

7. Cleaning the kitchen and bathroom

We expect the house we’re moving to will be clean, but sadly this isn’t always the case. There’s enough to do with unpacking alone without having to do lots of cleaning too. If you can organise to get the kitchen and bathroom cleaned before you arrive, moving in will go much better. Consider hiring professional cleaners if possible. There’s nothing like a fresh start.

8. Defrost the refrigerator the day before you move

Even when making a short move across town, you’re likely to have a sloppy mess if you’ve forgotten to defrost the freezer in your refrigerator. Do this the day before.

We’ll post more tips about making your move easier in the future. In the meantime, if we can help with anything, feel free to get in touch.