How to Prepare for a House Move

Starting early: the eight-week advantage

The difference between a stressful house move and a manageable one almost always comes down to when you start preparing. Begin at least a few weeks before your moving date. Early preparation lets you declutter without rushing, sort paperwork at your own pace, and handle the dozens of small tasks that get forgotten in a last-minute scramble.

Book any time off work well in advance. Moving on a weekday is often more straightforward than a weekend, and having a full day rather than a half-day reduces pressure. If you have children or pets, arrange care for them on moving day so you can focus entirely on the move itself.

Decluttering room by room

Moving everything you own is expensive, slow, and often pointless. Before you pack a single box, go through each room and separate items into four categories: keep, donate, sell, and dispose. Be ruthless — if you have not used something in a year and it holds no sentimental value, it should not make the journey to your new home.

Charity shops, online marketplaces, and local recycling centres can each handle a different category. The less you move, the smaller the van you need, the less time it takes, and the lower the effort for everyone involved. Start this process at least three weeks ahead.

Packing with a system

Pack one room at a time and label every box with the room it belongs to at the destination, plus a brief list of contents. Use the same labelling system on all four sides as well as the top so you can identify boxes no matter how they are stacked. Colour-coded labels or tape make this even faster when unloading.

Pack heavy items like books in small boxes — they are easier to carry and less likely to split. Use wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes to save time unpacking. Wrap fragile items individually in packing paper or bubble wrap, and fill any empty space in the box with crumpled paper to prevent movement. Keep a separate 'essentials' box with kettle, tea, phone chargers, and toiletries for the first night.

Handling fragile and valuable items

Anything irreplaceable — documents, jewellery, family photographs, hard drives with important data — should travel with you personally, not in the van. For fragile items that do need to go in the van, use double-walled boxes rather than single-wall supermarket boxes. Wrap each piece individually and separate them with plenty of cushioning material.

Mirrors, framed artwork, and glass tabletops need special handling. Use glass-specific packing tape in a cross pattern to reduce the risk of shattering, then wrap the piece in bubble wrap and sandwich it between two sheets of corrugated cardboard. Mark these boxes clearly as fragile and tell the driver where they are when loading.

Notifying the right people

Update your address with banks, insurers, the DVLA for both your driving licence and vehicle registration, your GP surgery, and any subscription services well before moving day. Set up a Royal Mail redirection for at least three months to catch anything you miss. Take final meter readings for gas, electricity, and water on the day you leave and on the day you arrive at the new property.

If you have children, notify their current and new schools. For pet owners, update microchip details and register with a vet near your new address. The more admin you complete before moving day, the more headspace you will have for the physical move itself.

Preparing the new property

If possible, visit the new property the day before the move to check that utilities are working, the keys all operate smoothly, and there are no surprises like a blocked driveway or a broken doorbell. Clean the kitchen and bathroom before furniture arrives — it is far harder to deep-clean once boxes are stacked everywhere.

Plan where large furniture will go in advance. Mark out positions with masking tape on the floor so that on moving day, the driver knows exactly where to place each piece. This avoids heavy items being moved multiple times and keeps the day flowing.

What to tell the driver before the day

When you post your job on Vanloop, include the full addresses of both properties with postcodes, the number of floors at each end, any parking restrictions or permit requirements, and a realistic sense of how much there is to move. Photos of the larger items and any tight access points are genuinely helpful.

If you have packed yourself, let the driver know which boxes are fragile and which are heavy. If there are items the driver should not move — perhaps you are transporting them yourself — point these out before loading begins. Clear communication upfront makes moving day faster and removes surprises for everyone.

On the day: keeping things moving

Clear the path from the front door to the van before the driver arrives. Keep a walkway free of boxes, furniture, and obstacles. Have payment and any agreed access details ready. If you have arranged for the driver to help carry items, point out the heavy pieces and any awkward turns ahead of time.

Do a final walk-through of the empty property to check cupboards, lofts, sheds, and garden areas. Lock all windows and doors, turn off the heating, and take the final meter reading. At the new property, direct boxes to the right rooms as they come off the van rather than stacking everything in a hallway and sorting later.

If you have a long drive ahead to reach your new home, plan the timing so the van arrives with you rather than hours before or after. The driver needs someone to let them in and direct unloading. Coordinate departure times and factor in stops for fuel, food, and traffic so both you and the driver reach the destination within a reasonable window of each other.

More questions

How far in advance should I start preparing for a house move?

Ideally four to eight weeks before your moving date. The first two weeks should focus on decluttering and admin — address changes, utility notifications, school transfers. The next two on packing non-essentials. The final week on packing everyday items and preparing the properties at both ends.

Should I pack myself or ask the driver to help with packing?

Most people pack their own belongings because you know what is valuable, fragile, or personal. If you need help with loading and unloading only, describe this in your Vanloop job posting. Drivers will quote based on how much labour is involved, so be clear about what you need.

What packing materials do I really need?

Double-walled cardboard boxes in a few different sizes, packing paper or bubble wrap for fragile items, heavy-duty packing tape, and marker pens for labelling. Wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes and mattress bags are worth getting too. Avoid using supermarket boxes for heavy or fragile items as they are not strong enough.

How do I handle a move with children or pets?

Arrange childcare or pet care for moving day itself. The noise, open doors, and unfamiliar activity can be stressful for children and dangerous for pets. Pack a separate bag of essentials — snacks, toys, nappies, leads, and comfort items — and keep it with you rather than in the van.

What happens if my completion date is delayed?

Flexibility helps. When posting on Vanloop, mention if your dates might shift — some drivers are more flexible than others. If a delay happens after you have accepted a quote, contact the driver as early as possible. Most drivers understand that property chains can shift and will try to accommodate a revised date if given enough notice.