Your moving-day checklist

Moving day runs smoothly when the weeks before it don’t. Three to four weeks out, confirm your completion date, book a removals firm or van, and start decluttering room by room. The less you move, the cheaper and calmer it is.

Two weeks out, tell the people who need to know: your council for council tax, utilities, broadband, your bank, your GP and dentist, and the DVLA. Set up a mail redirect with Royal Mail so nothing important goes to your old address.

The week of the move, pack an essentials box you’ll want on the first night: kettle, mugs, phone chargers, toiletries, a change of clothes, and any medication. Label boxes by room so unloading is quick.

On the day, take meter readings at both properties, keep documents and valuables with you rather than in the van, and do a final walk-through of the old home. Once the keys are handed over, the next chapter is yours.