8 Essential Things to do when moving house in 2026
- Jan 4, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 23
Thinking of moving home this year? Take a look at my top tips to help you plan your move, reduce stress and get your home ready for a successful sale.
By Sue Spencer | KonMari Consultant | Professional Home Organiser, Hampshire UK | Published: January 2024 | Updated 23rd March 2026
Decluttering before a move often feels like "one more unnecessary task" on an already overflowing to-do list. However, as a professional organiser, I promise you that being organised now will save you hours of exhaustion and hundreds of pounds in removal costs later.
Here's my expert roadmap for a calm and organised home move.
In this blog - a moving expert's top tips for moving house
- Phase 3: Packing and Removal Logistics
- Unpacking in your new home
The benefits of getting organised and decluttering before moving house
Moving home is the perfect opportunity to declutter and sort through your belongings.
It will help you organise your home and prepare your house for sale – a clutter-free home will be more attractive to prospective buyers.
You’ll only pack items that you love, need and use for your new home. This will save time and money, reducing packing and removal costs.
It will be easier to unpack in your new home and find a place for everything as the things you take will already be organised.
Plan your move
Create a detailed, step-by-step plan outlining weekly tasks leading up to your moving day. This keep you on track and help to prevent any last-minute stress as your move date approaches.
Consider bringing in a professional to help with moving house. A professional organiser can stage your home for sale, manage your move, assist with decluttering, and help you unpack and set up your new home.
Phase 1: Preparing for your house move
1. Start thinking about how you’ll live in your new home. One of the first things I ask clients moving to a new home is how they want their new place to look and feel, and how they're going to live in it. This is the heart of the KonMari Method - considering your Ideal Lifestyle.
Here are some helpful questions to think about:
What attracted you to your new home? Consider this as you decide what to pack and how to optimise the space.
How do you want to arrange and use each room?
Do you need a space to work from home (See my WFH organisation tips)?
Will you be entertaining or hosting guests?
Don’t overlook this step, it’s your guide to deciding what to take to your new home and will help you declutter furniture and items (outgrown toys, unused linens, dishes, glasses and clothes) before the move.
Take videos or pictures of each room from different angles in your new home. This will help you plan each room's layout and remind you where electrical sockets and light switches are.
Ask the estate agent for a property floorplan and measure your own furniture so you can confidently decide how things will fit in the living room and bedrooms. This will help you decide what furniture you need before the move. There’s nothing worse than arriving at your new home and having too much furniture that it's crowded (or equally too little that it feels empty).
2 Create a Moving Command Centre - moving is 50% physical and 50% admin. Dedicate a file and/or digital folder to your move (and keep it updated).
Create an Inventory of all your furniture:
It’s useful to make a room-by-room list of the furniture you’ll be taking. You can share this with removal firms when they provide a quote, and it will highlight the items that need to be discarded (given to family, sold or recycled) before the move.
Keep on top of your Paperwork:
Keep all your contracts, surveys and utility information in one place.
Pro Tip: Keep your most important personal documents (passports, birth certificates etc) in your own car with you on moving day. (See more about important paperwork in Paperwork & Admin).
Phase 2 The Pre-Move Purge
Begin decluttering as soon as you decide to move home. This frees up space in your home, making it more spacious and attractive to potential buyers. You'll save time and money when you move, as you won’t be packing items you don't need. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve helped people unpack in their new home and they’ve said “Oh I don’t need that anymore” or, even worse, we’ve discovered an empty box of cornflakes packed by the removals team.
Think about big and small items separately.
It's easy to focus on decluttering large items of furniture, but don't overlook items in wardrobes and cupboards around your home. These little items quickly add up, filling boxes and creating extra work when it comes to unpacking and finding space in your new home.
What to do with items you no longer need when you are moving home?
Things you no longer need can be;
Offered to family and friends first
Sold on eBay, Facebook or through an auction house
Offered to charity – many like British Heart Foundation or local hospice charities will collect furniture and electrical items from your home.
Declutter by category
It's much easier to see that you have 15 spare duvet sets when you look at them all together rather than discovering them cupboard by cupboard. Decluttering by category reveals duplicates and the volume of similar items, making it easier to confidently decide what to discard.
The rule: If it doesn't Spark Joy or serve a vital function in your new life, don't pay a removal team to carry it. Questions to ask yourself as you declutter:
· Do I love it or use it?
· When did I last use it?
· Would I buy it again?
Use my declutter checklist to get started and tick off each category one step at a time. It will help you see your progress and stay on track. Download your checklist here.
Shop from your stock & book a grocery shop
In the fortnight before your move, stop your weekly 'big shop'. Use up items in your freezer and kitchen cupboards and discard anything that's out of date. It's much easier to move with light cupboards and start afresh with a grocery delivery the first morning in your new home.
Phase 3: Packing and Removal Logistics
If you are using a removal company, contact a few once your chain is complete. Getting a quote puts you in their system and makes it easier to secure your moving date. If your budget allows, a professional packing service is a game-changer. They usually pack the day before, meaning that your can live normally until the very last minute.
Pack as you go
If you’re packing yourself, invest in good quality packing materials and bubble wrap to safely transport your possessions. The IKEA moving box range (DUNDERGUBBE) is a reasonably priced option.
Start early by packing items you definitely won’t need, like Christmas decorations or out-of-season clothes. As you get closer to moving day, pack similar items together and label the boxes with their main contents and their destination in your new home. Label both the top and side of each box (as boxes are often stacked on top of each other) – this makes it quicker to unpack and settle into your new home.
If you're putting boxes into storage, create an inventory and place any boxes you may need access to at the front of the storage unit.
THE moving day box (your survival kit) - a box that stays with you, containing essentials like:
Kettle, mugs, tea/coffee and biscuits
Phone chargers and car keys
Basic tools (for assembling furniture)
Bed linens and toiletries for your first night
Keep your laptop, valuables, important financial and personal documents with you so you know they're safe.
Unpacking in your new home
It can feel overwhelming as boxes and furniture are unloaded into your new home, so focus on two things: Beds and the kitchen. If the beds are made and you can make a cup of tea (or find the wine glasses to go with a takeaway), then the first night will feel like a success, no matter how many boxes are still stacked in the hallway. It's easier to unpack over the following days once the removal team has gone and things are quieter.
Updated March 2026
Moving and Downsizing Support in Hampshire
Moving is one of life's biggest transitions. If you’re planning a move or have recently moved in and still have boxes to unpack, find out how I can help you with my moving home service here - click below to book a call and learn more.
Are you ready to start living A Life More Organised?
I’m Sue, a professional home organiser and KonMari Consultant based in Hampshire, UK.
I trained with Marie Kondo and the KonMari team and help busy people declutter, organise and simplify their homes so they can get on with the important job of enjoying life.
For a no-obligation chat about how I can help, please get in touch
m: 07740 782575 www.alifemoreorganised.co.uk
I'd love to keep in touch - why not follow me on Instagram or join in the conversation in my Facebook group Rightsize your home - helping families declutter, organise or downsize
