Moving House and Saving Money – Can the Two Really Go Hand in Hand?

Moving house is without a doubt one of the most stressful things you’re likely to do in your lifetime. The organisation, the physical act of moving, the readjusting…and of course, the costs. Moving house is renowned for being one of the most expensive things you’re likely to do, simply because the costs add up so quickly without you even realizing it. Think about it, you’ve got removal vans, you need packing equipment, and of course chances are you’re likely to purchase some new bits and bobs for yourself along the way for your new home. But what if you’re looking to move home, and you’re on a budget? Can moving house and saving money really go hand in hand?

Cut the Costs on Your Selling Fees

First of all, you could look at alternative ways to sell your home. If you’re wanting to save money and wondering how to get your home sold quickly then all you really need to do is a little bit of research. There are so many options available nowadays, that there really isn’t any need to go down the traditional route of estate agents, and pay the extortion of their fees. Of course, if you’d rather do that, then that’s fine – it’s good to go with a company that you trust – but do explore your options first!

 There are quick sale companies who will value your home for free and buy it quickly for cash. As well as this, there are a plenty of online estate agents that offer a variety of packages for you to choose from, which include things such as legal fees, and photograph taking – depending on the company and package that you go for. Sometimes you can save a lot of money simply by doing your research and comparing alternative methods.

Declutter Prior to Moving

Now this is one that will save you not only money, but time too. If you declutter before you even start to pack and move, you save yourself a huge chunk of time that is usually taken doing this in the process, and ultimately a lot of stress. You’ll also save money on the removals because chances are that you’ll end up with less to transport to your new home. Sounds good, right?

The down side to this is the actual process of decluttering itself. A lot of the time people shy away from decluttering because it seems like a pretty monumental and endless task – and it’s boring. However if you want to do it as efficiently as possible, then all you need is a system. The best place to start is by ranking rooms in order of importance. That way you can make a schedule, and spend a day or an afternoon – however long it takes – per room. If you stick to the schedule you should get through it within a few weeks. Then when you’re in the process of decluttering, separate the said clutter into three sections:

1. Clutter that isn’t clutter at all. You forgot you had it, or it has sentimental value, so you’ll absolutely be keeping it,
2. Clutter that is no good to you, but could either be upcycled, donated, or given to family and friends. It’s not really clutter, but it’s of no use to you.
3. Clutter that is simply just that, clutter. This is the stuff to put in bin bags and take to the skip.

So there you have it. Decluttering could save you time AND money – who knew!

Don’t Hire Removal Men

Now this isn’t something that everybody can avoid – it really depends on the people that you have around you, and your own abilities. However, last but certainly not least, if you can, avoid hiring removal men, and get your friends and family on the case to help you! It’s amazing what people will do for you when they love you, or when you offer them takeaway pizza on the job. Either way it’ll save you money in the long run.

Of course, if you don’t have a friend with a van, you’ll still have to hire one. But it’s a LOT cheaper to hire a van on its own than it is to hire a van, and a team of removal staff for the day. If you have a lot of things to move, and you’re moving quite far, that’s bound to add up. You don’t only have to pay for their service, but also fuel costs too – and remember the heavier the load in the van, the more petrol it’ll use. Think smart, ask for help, and save money. It’s really quite simple.