We know that moving takes a lot of time - and a lot longer than you usually think it will! Just the packing itself is strenuous, let alone all of the planning and organisation that’s required to get a move off the ground. We’ve put together this realistic step-by-step timeline for you to follow for your big move to Germany.
When planning your move, a great place to start is with a to-do list of everything you need to accomplish in the run-up to moving day. It may sound like an obvious point, but you’d be surprised how many times people neglect to do this, and end up forgetting something really important! Our advice is to add every tiny single detail and get everyone in the family involved in all of the tasks that need tackling.
Once you have your list, assign each item a priority number: 1 for urgent, 2 for must not be forgotten and 3 for all the odd things that still need to be done but aren’t so urgent. This will help you focus and get all the urgent and time-sensitive tasks out of the way. There are so many moving parts to a move that a priority list will help keep you on track.
When it comes to packing, it’s quite tempting to just put everything in your home in boxes and bring it to the new place. You’ve probably been guilty of this in the past as well, packing away things you know you don’t want or need anymore, only to unpack them in the new house and put them straight to the back of the cupboard.
Moving is the perfect opportunity to declutter, so leave yourself plenty of time to go through what you own and get rid of some stuff. Our suggestion is to work room by room, organising things into piles like “keep”, “donate” and “resell”.
It may be tempting to lump all of your “keep items” together, but it’s a good idea to keep everything separate. Don’t make the mistake of jumbling all your items from different rooms together into the same boxes. Pack what you’ll be taking by room, starting with the items you use less often and putting your “must-have” items on top. Make sure all of your boxes are clearly labelled as well.
This process might take slightly longer but it will save you a lot of time hunting through boxes when you get to the other side, as you won’t be able to unpack everything instantly. Being able to quickly lay a hand on essentials like kitchen supplies and bedding will be a lifesaver when it comes to the first few days in your new home.
Make sure you set aside time to cancel utilities at your property. Some companies might need at least a few weeks’ notice, so it’s best to start looking into this sooner rather than later.
You also need to get your mail rerouted to your new address so that you don’t miss out on any post while you’re in the process of changing your address with your employer, bank, health insurance company, and everyone else. If you don’t have a permanent address set just yet, you can reroute your post to a trusted family member or friend who lives nearby. You can then reroute your post to your new permanent address at a later stage.
Once all your belongings have been packed up, it’s a good idea to have a final clean and tidy of your old home. As well as being a courtesy to the new homeowners, it will give you an opportunity to have a final check that nothing has been missed from your packing.
Now comes the fun part, unpacking and settling into your new home! No matter how far you’re moving, it will be an adjustment and unpacking alone may take a lot of time.
Moving into a new home is a big project, but if you break it down into simple steps and give yourself a realistic timeline you should alleviate some of that stress that naturally comes from a big move.