17 moving tips - how to move smoothly and easily

We offer 17 tips for moving! This year we've helped both our mums move from house to flat, so we've gained a lot of valuable experience about moving. Here are our top tips for making your move as smooth as possible!

Our top tips for moving

Both our mums lived in large houses, and both had accumulated a lifetime of stuff. Moving was a challenge for both of us, not least because we are both just over 80 years old. We've learnt a lot about the noble art of moving that we'd like to share with you. Here are our top tips.

1. Planning the new home

Planning your new home is important! Thinking about what furniture and gadgets you will have, and where they will go, makes it easier to clear out and label everything for the move. Start with a drawing of the new apartment and place and attach small scale drawings of the furniture you intend to take with you.

2. Clean up in good time

A move is a great time to declutter. Who wants to bring "old crap" to their new home? Start early, so you have time to go through what needs to be thrown away, what can be donated and what you might be able to sell.

3. Make practical arrangements in good time

There are a lot of practical things to organise before a move, and if you start in good time it will be easier. For example, organise the moving notification to The tax authorities, change your address, contact your electricity supplier and telephone operator and take out home insurance for your new home.

4. hire a mover - moving company or many friends

Moving is a heavy job, so if you can, hire a removal company. It is of course possible to move on your own as well, but it is good to have many strong arms.

5. Organising lighting for moving in

When you move into your new apartment, especially in winter, you may need lighting in the rooms. Check the wiring for ceiling lights in your new apartment. Do you have any lights you can put up right away? If not, get light bulbs with a short plug that you can hang up when you arrive. Also bring a short ladder so you can reach the top.

6. wear comfortable clothes

When packing, moving and setting up, it's good to have comfortable, casual clothes that are easy to move around in. For example, you can check out stylish wind-resistant fleece jackets from Engelbert Strauss. Fleece is a very lightweight material that provides good protection against the cold while also having a climate-regulating function.

The material is also durable as long as you follow the care instructions, i.e. machine wash inside and out, avoid fabric softeners and let the garment air dry after washing. Engelbert Strauss offers clothes that are suitable for renovation and housework, for example, but also for outdoor activities (which there has been a lot of this year!) like camping or hiking.

7. Get plenty of moving boxes and tissue paper.

A lot of moving boxes are used, so make sure you get plenty of them. It's also a good idea to buy tissue paper (available on a roll!) to pack crockery and other delicate items. You can use newspaper, but the blackness means you have to wash everything after unpacking.

8. Don't pack too heavy

If you pack too heavily in moving boxes, it will be difficult to move them. When packing books, fill no more than half the box with books, and fill the rest with something lighter, such as pillows or duvets.

9. Pack plates standing up

We learnt from the removal company that plates should be packed upright to protect them best. Wrap them in tissue paper and then pack them tightly so that they lie still in the box.

10. Label boxes and furniture properly

Label the moving boxes with labels and write which room they are going to, which makes unpacking easier. You can label all your furniture in the same way. When labelling furniture, remember to use something with a light adhesive so that the furniture is not damaged, such as masking tape.

11. Make sure you have everything you need on the first day

Some things you want to find on the first day of unpacking, such as food, medicines, toothbrushes and bedding. Make sure you pack these things so you know where to find them.

12. pack valuables in a separate bag

Do you have valuables such as expensive jewellery? You may want to put these items in a separate bag and take care of them yourself during the move.

13. bring milk carton and rubbish bags

When you move into your new apartment, it's a good idea to spread milk carton, or something similar, on the floor. You probably don't want to get the floor dirty, and you don't want to take off or put on shoes while moving in. Also bring rubbish bags. There is a lot of rubbish when unpacking!

14. Unpack the essentials first

When unpacking, it's a good idea to prioritise what you need for the first few days. Focus on unpacking kitchenware, toiletries and clothes. Books, paintings and ornaments can be unpacked at your leisure on another day.

15. prioritising what needs to work

On your first day in your new home, it's also a good idea to focus on the technical equipment you need to make your life work. Make sure you get at least some lights up and get things like telephones, TVs and the internet working.

16. Get help with moving house cleaning

You can, of course, clean your home yourself, but it's a lot of work and can be difficult to do at the same time as getting organised in your new home. A professional company will also have the right equipment and know what needs to be done.

17. make sure to get the RUT deduction

Moving costs money, so make sure you get the RUT deduction if you are entitled to it. Among other things, you are entitled to RUT deductions for moving house cleaning and help with packing and unpacking.

What are your top tips for moving?

Do you have any good tips for moving? Let us know!