Scope: UK-wide planning guide. Practical considerations to adapt to your own home and circumstances.
Confirm the arrangements
Check the key collection process with the people handling your transaction. Share access information with the removal team: parking, stairs, lift bookings and any restrictions on the building. Keep contact numbers available offline. Ask what happens if access is delayed, including any waiting charges.
Pack for the first evening
Set aside a bag that travels with you rather than disappearing into the van. Include medication, chargers, documents, basic toiletries, a change of clothes and something simple to eat. Keep valuables and essential paperwork under your own control. Label a box with the items needed to make a bed and prepare a drink.
At the old home
- Walk through every room, cupboard and outdoor storage area.
- Record utility meter readings where relevant.
- Leave the agreed keys and any promised instructions in the agreed place.
- Check that belongings being removed match what was agreed in the sale.
- Keep a final photograph of readings and relevant handover details.
At the new home
Before unpacking everything, establish where the water stop tap, consumer unit and heating controls are. Locate existing instructions rather than experimenting with equipment you do not understand. Record starting meter readings and check the rooms against your immediate priorities. Report a significant unexpected issue through the appropriate professional channel.
Give the first week a smaller to-do list
Focus on safe access, sleeping, washing and preparing food. Update essential address records and arrange any services you need. Put decorating decisions on a separate list; living in the space briefly can reveal needs that were not apparent at a viewing. Leave time to recover from the move. A workable first night matters more than an entirely unpacked house.