Moving house at the best of times is stressful. In fact, it is considered to be one of the most stressful things to do in your life. Let alone in the middle of a countrywide lockdown. Our decision to continue with our house move during the COVID-19 pandemic is not one we have taken lightly.
We reserved our new house back in February eager to move to it as soon as possible. We are lucky enough to live in the north where you definitely get more house for your money. Therefore, it is a large detached house with enough space for our children not only now while they are small but as they grow up too.
COVID-19 & The Rules of Moving House
In light of the COVID-19 outbreak and spread, on the evening of 23rd March Boris made the announcement that only essential travel was allowed (work, groceries, medication). Therefore, was the possibility of moving house instantly off the cards? A mere 3 days later after a lot of phone calls and emails, we were given the green light to go ahead with the move. The government issued advice regarding home moving highlighting who should and who shouldn’t continue.
We were in the perfect situation, the house we are buying is a new build, therefore has never been occupied. Also, the housebuilder is buying our house (part-exchange), therefore no one is moving into our old house straight away. This means that the risk of spreading COVID-19 is minimal. If the new house had previously been occupied we obviously would not have taken the risk, especially with the children, no matter how small.
Packing
Packing with the kids around has been tricky, especially because of their age. If they were older, we’re sure that they would entertain themselves more, but as it stands they need constant supervision and like us to do with them whatever it is they are doing. Therefore, we have acted as a tag team to get things done. If we had been moving during normal times, the kids would have been at school and nursery giving us, full days to pack which would have probably halved the time it has actually taken.
As recycling centres are currently closed, a good clear out and declutter which is always recommended when you are moving home, has not really been possible. Instead, we have to take everything with us and we will dispose of it when we get the chance. To be honest there isn’t much as most of our furniture fits in the new house perfectly. There are just old clothes and ornaments we would have liked to be rid of. C’est la vie. A waste removal company would have been ideal at the time and something we will use if we ever move again in the future (although after the upheaval of this move, I personally think we will stay put for a long time!). You can find out more about what they offer and how their services allow you to spend more time and effort on the things you plan to pack and move.
Moving Day
The first thing we did was to hire a reliable moving company. Most offer free no-obligation quotes. Companies such as The Van Man will move anything from a single item to a full house, taking the stress out of moving regardless of the distance. We obviously had to ensure that our chosen company was able to work during the lockdown. If not, we would be stuck attempting to move ourselves, which with several pieces of heavy furniture and two small children in tow was not a prospect we were looking forward to even though we are only moving 20 minutes away.
The logistics of actually moving during lockdown are quite tricky, We all have to be out of the house for 8.00 am to allow the movers in. In normal times (which we hope we return to soon), we would not need to be out of the house, obviously, we wouldn’t want to be under the mover’s feet, however, we could be there to tell them what was going where at the other end. As we cannot do that, we have had to ensure that everything is labelled clearly as we will not be allowed in the new house at the other end while the movers are unpacking either. This means finding something (i.e. sitting in the car) for 5 – 7 hours, again something we are not relishing. But we are planning an amazing car picnic and epic games including Eye Spy in the hope we can keep the kids occupied and entertained.
Using Movers
Moving house during lockdown is not ideal and something we never anticipated when we originally reserved our new house, but it is what it is and we are sure it will be worth it in the end. Needless to say, using movers reduces the stress a lot and we wouldn’t hesitate to use them again for any future house moves (although we have already vowed we are never moving again.)
Moving House Checklist
- Confirm your moving date
- (If you are renting) give notice to your landlord
- Contact your utility suppliers (meter readings/notice of change of address)
- Electricity
- Gas
- Water
- Phone
- Broadband supplier
- Sky
- Get quotes from removal companies
- Have a big clear out (make piles for charity shop/recycling centre)
- (If existing homeowner) make a list of where everything is in your home (to give to the buyer)
- Stopcock (valve for controlling the main water supply)
- Instructions for appliances
- Gas and electricity meters
- Thermostat
- Fuse box
- Make a list of where everything is in your new home (ask the housebuilder/existing owners)
- Stopcock (valve for controlling the main water supply)
- Instructions for appliances
- Gas and electricity meters
- Thermostat
- Fuse box
- Pack and label/colour code boxes
- Let people know you’re moving
- Work
- Bank
- Insurance (Home, car, life, holiday etc)
- Pension
- Credit card
- The council (Council Tax)
- Electoral roll
- TV Licensing
- Doctor
- Dentist
- DVLA
- National Insurance / DSS offices
- Post redirection services (Post Office etc)
- Make an ‘essentials for moving day’ box
- Kettle, mugs, tea, coffee, milk and sugar
- Cleaning products
- Electronics chargers
- Toilet roll
- Duvet and bedding for the first night
- Keep important documents close to hand
- Passport
- Mortgage paperwork
- Move in to your new home
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