The First few days

The first few days in your new house will feel just as if you're still packing – just you'll be unpacking and making a mess. Its impractical to even try to consider being organized and unpacked within one day, unless you have very few belongings, so you should try to unpack in the order you packed, or as close to it as possible – placing boxes in or near the room you're planning to unpack may be impractical, depending on the size of the house, but makes things easier.



Its perfectly acceptable not to unpack everything in the first few days – if you've moved to a new area, you may want to (or need to) explore and familiarize yourself with any public transport, local facilities, or shops in the area. You'll need to go out and buy at least the basics – saving the 'big shop' until you've unpacked your kitchen. You'll probably unpack that and your living room, and if you're not taking long off work, your home office first.



Unpacking takes place over six to twelve weeks, depending on your family, and you may find that you have to permanently store items in a garage, basement or attic, because there just isn't the room for them.



Most of your utilities should be on and connected for moving – but you may find that your Internet and phone, cable or satellite take several weeks to be reconnected. In these cases, you should make the most of the change, and unpack as much as you can. After a month or two, your life will be back into its work/life/sleep pattern so consider any break from it, if you can, a holiday of sorts. Once your utilities are all reconnected, you may find you have less time to unpack, so its good to get as much of it out of the way as possible.

If you are returning to work, outside the home, after a move, ensure you know your new route to work, and allow some extra time for the journey....just in case.

Small Office Moves

Moving when you work from home is a slightly more complicated – the home office is doubly hard to move – you're moving your work place AND your house.

So what can you do to make the move easier?



Moving your home office, like any other move, is all about packing the non essentials – if you aren't using your printer much, go ahead and box it, and some paper up – keep it handy so that you can pull it out and use it if you need it. If you do use it, but not your USB, or other parts of your computer often, consider packing them away as soon as you can.

You can also take this chance to clear out or decide whether anything is needing renewed. Got cartridges of ink that you want to recycle? Take them back or get them refilled as soon as you can – then pack em away – its one less job to deal with – and it will save you money if you use them to be refilled (if your cartridge supports that)



You'll also need to consider how you'll fulfill your duties whilst working from home – will you be able to work on your laptop? Or will your Internet connection be completely non-existent for the next month, whilst you close down one house and settle into a new one.



You'll also have to consider shipping issues – if you collect items regularly, you'll need to make arrangements for them – if you've got stock that's regularly sent to you, what will happen in the 'grey' area between your old house and new house, if there is one?



Moving your home office can be frustrating, and tiring, but well worth it in the long run – that corner you claimed in a rush when you started working from home could become a well planned nook in your new house, with a little imagination.

Rental contracts

When renting a house, you have to consider your own rights and needs before signing that lease. Leases protect tenants and landlords rights alike - these rights are laid out fully in any lease you sign.

Leases are considered legal contracts, so its important you know what you're signing and what you're giving up.



Your lease should contain your rent details, and how much grace you'll have if you have problems paying. Your lease will also detail who your landlord is and give you contact details for them. You'll need to consider what your lease should cover - whether you're allowed pets or to redecorate. It should outline what your responsibilities are to do with the house - whether you'll be responsible for the house - whether you'll be required to keep the garden, if you have one - what bills your rental cost covers, what taxes and fees to do with the house you'll be required to pay and how long your lease is for.



A short hold lease is 6 months, and other leases can last longer. An average of around a year is a good length, though it all depends on how comfortable you are with the idea of possibly moving again within 12 months. It should also detail how long it renews for, when it renews.



You'll need to ensure your notice period is a fair one - and get information on how that will work. Its always a good idea to make sure your landlord is responsible for any breakages, such as the heating, boiler, or plumbing - and that you are only responsible for minor breakages, if at all. Optional additions to your lease might include whether you're responsible for window breakages, and other minor things - and whether you need to take out insurance to cover your property or whether that's included.



The most important thing to remember about your lease is that you should be completely satisfied with it, and that it doesn't put you in a position that's unreasonable, or unmanageable. Good leases give you the power to live in the home comfortably, without paying the major bills, and those leases are also usually the most acceptable for both tenant and landlord.

Preparing your old house for sale

If you're selling your house, you have to do several things to ensure its ready for a smooth and easy sale. You can hire an estate agent, interior stager or complete sales teams to sell your house - or you can do it yourself.



Houses are considered to be easiest to sell when they are clean, tidy, free of clutter, and the walls are neutrally toned - some sites and experts suggest painting your walls white, others suggest that you should paint them with pale, neutral, matching colors. If this isn't possible, it is important to make sure your walls are clean - removing clutter and cleaning woodwork and painted walls, can give your room a much needed lift.



If you're de-cluttering, you can also begin packing whilst doing so, but considering some houses sell up to three months before you're planning on moving OR up to a year after you've moved, its also important not to plan to sell straight away, unless your house is in a highly sought after area, and you've got a good, competitive price. If not, you might be in for quite a wait on selling your house - and you also have to find a new place to move to yourself.



Estate agents, and Realtors do a great job of selling houses, but in an ever increasingly competitive market, you have to do very unique things to sell your house - it has been reported that some people are offering new cars, or paying the tax on your house for the first year of your stay in the new house. The housing market is always expanding, but you can't sell just anything - dilapidated houses can't simply be considered 'fixer uppers' and all houses for sale have to meet ever increasing stringent codes - or have new owners that will fix these to meet those codes.

Painting, and Decorating

Painting, decorating and other ways to make sure your house is in a good condition to sell.



House selling has become a very competitive market, and though people are desperate in some areas to buy a house, its important you take care to ensure that the you've done all you can to make your house as attractive, safe and saleable as possible.



It is said that the average house buyer has no vision – which means you need to make their 'envisioning' themselves within the house as easy as possible.

Dark paintwork is a definite turn off – as are stained, worn or smelly carpets – both of which need to be taken care of.



On the latter, you could offer an 'allowance' or remove a fraction of the house costs for carpets – or, if you can, invest yourself and replace them, to allow a possibly higher sale price. Walls should be painted off white, or antique white – or possibly very pale and pastel shades if you're planning on redecorating – you may have no option if your walls are stained, marked or damaged.



Its also a good time to ensure that everything that you've been meaning to repair is taken care of is actually done – a faulty stair tread, banister or fence in the garden may only be a minor annoyance to you, but can be a danger to anyone looking at the house.



Its hard to sell your house without help, but one of the biggest tips you can take to ensure your house sells is to make sure you've removed your 'imprint'. Looking at the house impartially, remove anything that screams 'my personality' and 'my personal space'.



Things like photos, pieces of unique artwork, and ornaments and more can be removed before people come to view the house. Remember – they want to buy the house, not feel how you lived there, so if you haven't finished boxing up your non essentials by the time you start showing them the house, its time to consider whether you really need the clutter still unpacked – or whether its time to put it in the bin.

Packing Time

Most rooms take around two days to pack, but sometimes you also have to do other 'chores' such as repairs, painting, or replacing old or worn items before moving. Some people do that whilst planning to move, others move out and leave their house for a landlord or landlady - others still move from one housing association house to another.



It’s important to also remember that you will NOT want to pack your whole house in a week, given the choice. Packing is dull for most people - it takes a lot of time that you might want to spend elsewhere. And while it, and de-cluttering while you go, is an essential aspect of moving, there are a few things you can do to make the time go faster.



Clear out your biggest cupboards first - you can store boxes and other packed items in there - and those cupboards may just be full of clutter too - once you've cleared the cupboards, sweep and wipe down the surfaces and then use those cleared spaces for the boxes you're not using now and won't use until after your move. Pack items you know you won't need first - it might seem obvious, but packing up and pouting away your winter clothes in summer, or putting away your hobby stuff stored in the bottom of your closet is a must.



It means you're not living out of boxes for the duration of your packing, and it also means that you'll be able to store those boxes. Get rid of your children's old clothes and toys BEFORE you pack - its easy to pack around small children, harder to sneak their favorite outgrown things into the bin whilst they aren't looking.



It’s important to remember though that space wins over sentimentality, every time, and if you're going to keep something ensure its for the right reasons. Packing might take a while, but remember, if you're organized and mark your boxes while packing, your unpacking won't take nearly as long.

Packing Order

Optimal packing order is based entirely on preference. Some people like to pack their living room last - some like to pack rooms in two lots - one round to remove the non essentials, and one round to complete packing, others still like to pack where they can, when they can.



Deciding on what's unimportant and can be packed first is a good place to start. After de-cluttering thoroughly, packing any books, and out of season clothes, you can start deciding on a packing schedule. Your packing schedule should take into account any redecorating or repairs you want to undertake - and should also allow for anything you need to use.



These essentials should be packed over the last day, so don't leave out too much - or you'll find it very difficult to finish packing in time. Wardrobes, your garage, and shed can be packed as one of your first tasks - if you don't use your garage and its secure, you could then store any boxes there, or in cupboards.



Books, videos and DVD's are a good place to start, leaving your essentials out until you are about to move. Packing your bedrooms, toys, and clothes should take place over the four weeks preceding your move, but you may want to consider packing as much as you can and keeping out only essentials. Home offices should keep only the times they need to complete and fulfill orders over the duration of the move - and pack anything that you don't use as often.



Packing your dishes, cutlery and cooking utensils is probably best kept for last, alongside any of your home office materials you use regularly - over the morning of your move if you can - as is anything like shampoo, toiletries and work uniforms and equipment you use for your work. Packing might take over four weeks, but its worth it