Cleaning: It’s very tempting to start unpacking boxes immediately when you move in to your new property. The likelihood is, your new home will require a good vacuuming, dusting and a good, thorough scrubbing! Make sure floors and surfaces are clean before unpacking too many items.

Wear warm clothes: Unless you’ve pre-set the heating to be on for your arrival; it is likely that the bare house will be rather cold. Layers are a good option; you can add or remove them according to how you feel. Often, moving items and unpacking can get your heart pumping and warm you up quite quickly.

Your Overnight Bag

Socks, underwear & fresh clothing: Nobody likes to wear the same set of underwear for more than a day. Ensure that you’ve a few pairs packed, ready and easy to find. Moving in can be a dusty and dirty process. It also requires physical exertion meaning you will definitely want a fresh set for the next day too!

Pyjamas: As mentioned, the new house is likely to be relatively cold when you first move in. This is especially the case when moving in the winter. To avoid becoming stiff from draughts down your back; keep a pair of pyjamas ready and packed.

Toiletries: Within the first few days of having moved, you will most definitely need access to your toothbrush, toothpaste, flannel, soap, shampoo and shower gel. Baby wipes are also useful whether or not you have a child. Effective as make-up removal wipes as well as surface cleaners; they’re a handy item to have at the ready.

Toilet roll: Nobody wants to be caught short in terms of toilet roll. Make sure there’s a couple of rolls to see you through your first few days whilst you’re getting yourselves sorted.

Towels: Pretty self-explanatory – you will need towels for drying your hands after washing them, and drying after a shower.

Hairbrush and hair dryer: Especially if you’re moving in the winter, you’ll definitely want ready access to your hair dryer.

Electrical chargers: Keeping your phone topped up with its battery power is really quite important. Should you need it for emergency purposes or to call a taxi, order food or communicate with a work or family member about related matters, it’s really useful to have a readily available phone.

Scissors: An absolute must have for opening boxes, packaging and other such tasks.
First aid kit: Unpacking items can lead to injury. Unfortunately, it’s more common than you think. When moving into a new and bare property, there are plenty of areas that can cause cuts, grazes and other such injuries. Accidents can happen when unpacking – scissors can slip, items can be knocked or broken when arranging them.

Your Essentials Box(es)

Bedding: Families are likely to be tired after a day of packing, moving, cleaning and unpacking. Make sure everyone has some fresh bedding so that they can get a good night’s rest.

Food Utensils: Spoons, forks, knives and tea-towels are all likely to be needed in the first couple of days. Having a can-opener handy can be useful too. On your first night, it’s worth buying some easy-to-cook food with easy-to-dispose of packaging. This can be in the form of a takeaway, ready meal or a dish that does not require much cooking. The likelihood is, having an abundance to clean and organise will mean your first meal in your new home will be a nouveau cuisine dish of beans on toast or fish and chips! This also saves you from having to immediately unpack an assortment of pans, woks or oven trays.

Baby items

Moving is likely to be a tiring process for everyone involved – including children. To prevent toddler / baby meltdowns, make sure that their essentials are one of the first boxes to be unpacked. Food and drink materials, changing supplies, bedding and other such items should all be ready-to-hand. During the move, try your best to make the whole process as fun as possible for small children. Factor in time to reassure them, play with them and ask them to help you with certain tasks so that they can feel part of the process. Emphasise that this is their new home as much as yours. If family live close to where you are moving, it may also be worth having your parents look after your young child during the actual move itself.

Pet Food

Moving house is a stressful time for your pet. Having one of their favourite toys in the car with them when you move and having a bowl of their favourite food at your new home can make for a drastic difference in their mood. Again, like children, you should factor in time to reassure them and fuss them to make the process as stress free and enjoyable as possible.

Finally, try to keep things simple to begin with and not expect too much. Moving is one of the most exciting process a family or couple can undertake together however, it can easily become one of the most stressful if people begin to expect too much of each other or want the home to look ‘perfect’ straight away. Enjoying the moment, pitching in and not demanding too much from others will help to swerve potential arguments.
Congratulations on your new purchase!