Once the elation of buying a new home has worn off, the reality of the monumental task of relocating all your belongings from one residence to the next can be rather daunting. With all the packing and planning that comes with such a change, it can be easy to forget to do essential tasks that are necessary for the change of address.
According to Jan Myburgh, General Manager of Harcourts Real Estate South Africa,
“Moving houses is far more complex than simply packing your possessions into boxes and sending them to the new property. A useful tip to those planning on moving in the future is to work from a ‘Moving Checklist’. A methodical weekly checklist will help to establish everything that needs to be done before the big day arrives. ”
Examples of important tasks that should be done well in advance are things such as the organising of removal vans. It is best to receive quotes from a number of companies as each offer different terms of service. A month before moving, all relevant companies should be notified of your change of address to allow them necessary time to update their records. This list would include the bank, insurance companies, tax departments, credit card providers and shops where accounts are held. It is also never too early to begin collecting boxes to pack belongings in. A great place to find such boxes at no cost is to ask your local supermarket to give you their discarded ones.
In the final weeks before the move remember to cancel services to the old residence after the moving date; these services would include water, electricity, telephone, DSTV, internet, with mail and newspapers to be forwarded to the new address. The arrangement of these services must then be organised at the new residence. At this time start packing items that will not be needed for the next few couple of weeks, take down curtains or blinds and do any small maintenance jobs or cleaning before time runs out.
The week before the move, confirm dates, time and location with the removal company, as well as moving-in times with the previous owners of the new home. At this stage the majority of belongings should be packed, leaving only the necessary everyday items untouched. It is also suggested that pets are not around on the day of the move so arrangements as to where they will go should be made.
“The day before a move is probably the most stressful as most people feel that there is too much left to do with far too little time to do it. To avoid chaos at a later stage, make sure that all boxes are correctly labelled with the room they are to be moved to. Also pack a box with the most essential items within and label it as such. This box will be useful when you initially arrive and should contain items such the kettle, mugs, coffee, snacks, clean towels, toilet paper, etc,” states Myburgh.
Individuals should pack a bag containing personal luggage which should consist of a few sets of clothing, toiletries, valuable jewellery and most importantly all personal documents. It would be a disaster to misplace those in the confusion of the move.
Myburgh concludes, “ In those last moments before leaving the house do one last look around the house to ensure that nothing has been left behind, make sure that the water and electricity is off, with all windows and doors securely latched. Remember to leave a note for the new owners with your new address should any mail arrive in your absence. Lastly, hand over your old home’s keys to your estate agent and depart to make happy memories else where.”
