Moving House This Year? Here are 8 Top Tips

From Packing to Protection: 8 Top Tips for Moving House

If you’re moving house this year, you’re probably feeling mixed emotions. Whether you’re buying your first home, upsizing for a growing family, or settling into a new community, it’s an exciting, hopeful time.

But if you’ve ever stood in the middle of half-packed boxes, wondering where the kettle’s disappeared to, you know it can be a little overwhelming too. The good news is that a little planning goes a long way, especially if you have time on your side. Here are eight practical tips to help make your move as smooth and stress-free as possible.

1. Write your to-do list

In theory, moving house is just a matter of boxing up, transporting, and unpacking your belongings. As anybody who’s been through the process knows, the reality is much more complicated than that. There’s a lot to do, and much of it has to be done in a certain order.

It helps to write down the steps and tick them off, one by one. That way the swirl of thoughts can get out of your head and down on paper. Here are some basics to get you started:

Confirm your moving date with your solicitor or estate agent
Arrange home insurance to begin from the day you take ownership
Book your removal company or arrange transport
Arrange time off work and childcare/petcare for moving day
Inform banks, schools, etc. of your change of address
Measure large furniture, doorways, and access points
Begin packing non-essential items
Set aside valuables, passports, and medication to travel with you

2. Declutter before you pack

Moving home is a great excuse to get honest with yourself about what you really need. There’s no point in hauling dusty appliances, ill-fitting clothes, and long-abandoned toys from one house to another.

Before you put something into a box, ask yourself: “Do I want to unpack this in my new home?”. If the answer is no, consider donating the item to charity or passing it along to family members. You could even try selling it online, which might help offset the costs of the move.

When you clear out unwanted clutter, you’ll spend less time packing, your removal costs might be lower, and your new home will feel fresher and more spacious from day one.

3. Keep important documents and items together

Moving day has a habit of making paperwork and precious items disappear. The best way to avoid a panicked search through dozens of boxes is to create one clearly labelled, zippable document wallet and use it for important documents and valuables such as:

Passports and other forms of ID
Mortgage or rental documents
Birth or marriage certificates
GP or medical cards
Keys and alarm codes
Jewellery or sentimental items

Keep this wallet sealed and safely stored with you at all times, instead of packing it into the moving van or truck.

4. Pack a “first- night” box

After a full day of lifting heavy furniture, assembling new beds, and trying to figure out a different central heating system, the last thing you’re going to want to do is hunt through 14 boxes to find your phone charger.

Avoid this problem by packing your essentials separately, in an easy to carry bag or suitcase. Try to imagine what you and your family might need for your first 24 hours, including:

Medication
Phone, laptop, and iPad chargers
Basic toiletries (and toilet roll!)
Pyjamas and any beloved cuddly toys
Fresh clothes for the next day
Tea, coffee, and snacks

The last bit is vital: you’d be surprised how good that first cup of tea will taste when you can finally say goodbye to the removal team, close the door, and sit down in the kitchen of your new home.

5. Get to know your new home before you arrive

If it’s possible to collect the keys and gain access early, it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with your new property before the hustle and bustle of moving day.

Take half an hour or so to walk around the building and take note of the location of the fuse board, internet connection point, and gas or water shut-off valves (if applicable). Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms and make a note to replace the batteries or replace the units if needed.

If you encounter any emergency problems like blocked drains or toilets, broken external glass, or damaged door locks or keys, you may be able to get help fast through the RedClick 24/7 Emergency Home Repair helpline. This benefit, included in our combined buildings and content cover, covers call-out fees, labour, and materials up to €260 per incident (for up to four incidents per year). Acceptance criteria, terms and conditions apply.

6. Update your address officially

Getting the timing right is tricky, but you will need to update your address as soon as possible after you move. Missing bank cards, renewal notices, and hospital appointment cards can make life very complicated very quickly.

Make a checklist of the most important organisations and people to update. That might include the Revenue Commissioners, the electoral roll, and your bank, insurance provider, employer, GP, children’s school or creche, and any utility companies or subscription services you use regularly.

Even with the best of intentions, you’ll probably forget someone or something, though. That’s where An Post’s Mail Redirection Service can help. It automatically forwards mail addressed to your old home to your new address. You can select the period of time you want to cover, for a small fee, depending on whether you’re redirecting to an Irish or overseas address.

7. Don’t forget to update your insurance

In the mountain of admin that goes with moving house, it’s all too easy to overlook this task, but that could leave you in a very precarious position.

It’s vital that you update an existing policy or take out a new home insurance policy in advance of taking ownership of a new home. This is particularly important as there might be a period in which the house is empty, which could increase the risk of damage or burglary. There are conditions on unoccupied properties, so it’s worth discussing your plans with your insurer, especially if you’re planning to conduct renovations or schedule deep cleaning before you move in.

When you make contact, make sure you give your insurance company as much information as possible about your new location, any security features, and high-value contents you will have in your home. Every property is different, especially when it comes to rebuilding costs, and you don’t want to risk being underinsured.

8. Meet your neighbours

It might not happen overnight, but building a community is a great way to make a new house feel like a forever home. Start small, with a simple wave or hello, and when the opportunity arises, introduce yourself to your neighbours.

They’re usually a great source of local knowledge, like the quickest school routes, the most reliable tradespeople, and which bins go out on which day. You might be asked to join a residents’ WhatsApp or Facebook group too, which can be a great (if occasionally noisy) resource.

Build connections by offering to help out where you can, whether it’s taking a turn to mow communal grass or getting involved in organised community clean-ups.

Moving house is a big step, especially if you have little ones in tow. Take your time to settle in slowly, make new friends, and gradually build a new life in your new home. Reach out to RedClick if you need support, whether it’s great value home insurance, Emergency Home Repair assistance or to review your cover.

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