Moving house is an exciting experience, but it’s also a very time-consuming and costly one. You probably have so much to arrange that you just want to rush through it all and move into your new house. However, there’s a lot of money (and time) to be saved if you plan your big house move smartly. Here are some cost-effective and time-effective solutions to moving house.
Declutter your belongings
One of the best ways to save time and money in the moving process is to declutter your belongings. You’ll stand a better chance of getting a cheaper quote from moving companies if you have fewer things to transport to your new home. Of course, you can save even more money by getting your friends to help you move your belongings, but it’s better to get rid of things you don’t need anyway. It’ll save you time in the long-run. When you’re unpacking boxes at your new home, you don’t want to waste time (and space) unpacking all the useless clutter that you don’t want or need. Your new home should be an improvement on your old one. Save yourself some money and time by decluttering your belongings before you pack boxes and suitcases.
Make transportation arrangements
We mentioned moving companies briefly in the previous point, but every house move is different. If you’re moving to a different street in the same city then it’s relatively easy to arrange the transportation of your belongings; you could probably do it yourself in a few trips back and forth to save money. Of course, if you’re thinking of moving further, then you might want to consider alternative options. You should look into international shipping services if you’re thinking of moving overseas. Okay, it might not be as time-effective an option as transporting your belongings by flight. However, it’s much cheaper.
Furnish your new pad for free
One of the best ways to save yourself some money when moving house is to get yourself new furniture for free. If you took the advice in the previous point to declutter your existing home, then you might have disposed of old chairs or sofas that were past their prime. Of course, you don’t want a minimalistic home to the extent that there’s nothing in it. Do some online browsing to find free furnishings; sites such as Freecycle and Freegle are great options. It’s a much better solution to spending a fortune in a furniture store for brand new items. You could search for good-as-new sofas, beds, TVs, and even fridges without having to spend a thing. It could also be much more time-effective than waiting a few weeks for a store to deliver the goods to you. If you find somebody in the area of your new home who’s willing to give away something valuable then you could pick it up and have it in your household the same day. Just make sure you do your research and look out for the best deals — some free things aren’t worth having if they’re more worn out than the clutter you just threw away.
Switch providers
There’s a lot of money to be saved by switching providers in your new home. Don’t just stick with the gas or electricity provider that the current owners were using. You could save an astronomical amount on your monthly bill by switching; energy companies are always offering incentives to new customers. The existing energy provider that your house is using has no reason to offer a great deal or an incentive — you’re already using their services. In terms of saving time, make sure you switch providers a few weeks before you move into the new house. In terms of setting up a connection with a new internet provider, it’s not an instantaneous process. You don’t want to waste time without Wi-Fi access once you’ve already moved into the property.
Get your house insulated for free
Talking of energy bills, another way in which you could save money when moving house is to get your new home insulated for free. Insulating your house will help to trap heat in your home more effectively. This means that you can turn down the radiators and save yourself some money. But you might not have to spend a fortune to get the walls insulated. Some companies are obligated to do it for free because they have to meet energy efficiency requirements. Do some research because you might just be eligible for a free insulation. That could really save you money on your new household bills.
