Tag Archives: moving

Moving with children can be a very stressful time. Trying to allow for their schedules, needs and energy levels can be a huge drain on your own time and energy while at the same time, trying to move home – something most of us only do a handful of times in a lifetime!

Having moved so many times that I’ve actually lost count, and the last 17 with three children, I thought I’d share with you here my own personal dos and don’ts so you can learn by my mistakes!

Do involve children in the move by getting them to pack and label their own possessions. Turn it into a game and make it a positive, fun experience.

Don’t rush them into ‘loving’ their new home and life. The move wasn’t their idea and they may not have known about your decision until it was all cut and dried! Give them time to get used to it, and before long, their old home will be a distant, if affectionate, memory.

Do create a countdown chart on the wall. Make it colourful and fun, and encourage them to cross off the days as you get closer to moving day.

Don’t forget that young children get tired and whiny easily and when you’re stressed out on moving day, your patience may fray! Consider roping in family and friends to look after them, and give yourself the chance to focus on the move without distraction.

Do have children pack their most special items in a small case that travels with you in the car. You really don’t want to be opening boxes at midnight when you’re tired to look for their cuddly toy, blanket or other favourite thing. Having their familiar possessions around them will also help them feel at home more quickly and give you all the peaceful night’s sleep you need.

I’d love to hear any of your own moving tips – with children or otherwise! Leave me a comment.

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.

A friend of mine has her house on the market. It’s a beautiful home, a true Grand Design; all glass and chrome, with stylish touches and contemporary gadgets. It’s been for sale for a few months now, in an area where properties usually fly off the shelves, but hers hasn’t attracted any offers yet. Surprising, not least because my friend is actually an estate agent. But it’s not the house that’s the issue. Let me explain:

When you’re selling your home, you need to be fully motivated to move. After all, there are a lot of hoops to jump through, and challenges to face, along the way. From preparing your home for each viewing, to dealing with disappointing feedback, low offers and harsh surveyors’ reports, to putting your life on hold for months, and sometimes longer, until you finally get the keys to your new home.

To have the energy to rise to these challenges, you really have to be determined to sell your house. Over the years I’ve met with hundreds of sellers, and I’ve identified two elements that have to be present in order to sell effectively: they are, pain and desire.

Pain – to sell your home, there must be a really strong reason why your house – once perhaps your dream home – is no longer right for you. It could be that you have six children and only two bedrooms, or that your partner can’t manage the stairs any more. Perhaps the garden has become too much of a worry, or simply that the house isn’t in the right location for a new job or school. Whatever the reason, it has to be tangible, and you need to be able to express it. Without the pain of your current home, it’s very difficult to separate yourself emotionally from it enough to make the break and sell it.

Desire – where are you moving to? And why are you moving? Is it to be closer to family? Or to release some capital so that you can fulfill a lifetime dream of travelling, or buying a boat? Perhaps you have an amazing job offer, one that will offer you a better standard of living in your new home. Or maybe you are longing for space; more bedrooms, walk-in wardrobe, ensuite bathroom and large garden. Your desire has to be achievable, and something to really get excited about for you to keep your eye on the prize.

I asked my friend, the estate agent, why she is selling her beautiful home. “Oh I just fancied a change,” she explained.

And where were they moving to? “We haven’t decided yet, nothing has really grabbed me,” she replied.

Until my friend digs deep enough to find the pain in her current home, and then finds a dream home she can desire with all her heart, she’s going to find that buyers for her current home are scarce. Once she finds her pain, and her desire, I’m certain that a buyer will magically appear. After all, her home is someone else’s dream home. Just as her next dream home is out there waiting for her.

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.

After the thrill of finding that perfect place to live and the hassle of filling out all the paperwork comes the dread and realisation of what it all means…moving day! What should be a happy and exciting time can quickly switch to a stressful experience if things start to take a turn for the worse. Not running on time and poor organisation can lead to a miserable day which is why we have put together this handy little guide on what you should be thinking about when you come to moving home.

Using A Removal Company

One of the first things people often ask when they decide to move home is, “Should I use a removal company?” The answer, if you are looking for a less stressful time, would be a resounding “Yes!”

Reputable companies like Hadley and Ottaway removals can really provide invaluable experience and take the hassle out of loading and unloading a vehicle, moving boxes and furniture around, and providing general tips and advice. Having a removal company will save you plenty of time and keep you free to think about all the other things you need to do.

Plan In Advance

Planning in advance is essential to making sure that your moving day goes as smoothly as it can and it starts with packing boxes. Once you have filled a box make sure that you label it on the side and top with the room it is going in and the contents, this means that when you arrive at your new destination you can unload your boxes to the right room and not have to keep reshuffling.

It’s also worth using freezer bags to store all the screws and fixings for any furniture that you have dismantled. Securely attach it to relevant item with tape, then when it comes to re-building you will have everything that you need.

Tips For When You Arrive

Getting to your new property and throwing everything in can seem tempting, but there are a few things you might want to consider before you start.

Check all the fixtures and fittings that were included in the sale are still there – this is the perfect opportunity as the house is nice and empty
Take metre readings – you don’t want to be charged for any gas, electric or water you didn’t use
Cover any hardwood floors with flat packed cardboard boxes – this will prevent any scratching occurring while you are putting things in their new place
Use dust sheets to protect carpets – if it’s a wet day then you don’t want to dirt being traipsed through your house
Have some spare light bulbs – there is nothing worse than getting to your new house and finding that you can’t see what you are doing so make sure you carry a few spare bulbs
Bring the furniture in first – this means you won’t be putting boxes in the way of the bigger items and have to move them

Once you have done all of that then you are ready to begin moving everything into the right room – see we told you labelling those boxes would pay off!

If you’d like my help to sell your home more effectively, please answer a few short questions here and if I think I can help you, I’ll be in touch.