After a rainy August Bank Holiday, new research from British Gas marking the busiest time of the year for moving home has been released, revealing that 19% of UK adults take more than a month to find a place for everything in the home, with most spending almost two hours over the next two weeks searching for essential items hidden away in boxes.
Home and Garden on Female First
Talking to over 2,000 UK adults, the research also reveals that for men, getting comfortable on the sofa and watching television is key, with women instead preferring to hang pictures, make cups of tea and clean the house from top to bottom.
Though it can be a lot of fun to move, people spend an average of an hour fixing unforeseen problems including broken plumbing and boilers, with an average of 40 minutes per household also spent searching for equipment such as electricty and gas meters, the stopcock and thermostats.
One of British Gas' 10,000 engineers Vicky Johnson comments: "Our priority is helping to keep customers' homes - new and old - warm and working, especially in the run-up to winter. I've seen it all when it comes to visiting customers in their new homes, and I'm always happy to help check appliances and boilers, as I know how important it is to help people feel cosy and settled."
Property expert Phil Spencer adds: "There's no getting around the fact that moving home can be stressful and time-consuming, but it's also an adventure - a clear moment in time that you won't forget and I think that's hugely exciting. I've planned my fair share of home moves, and always ensure I've done as much as possible in advance so I can get unpacked and start making my house a home as soon as I've waved off the removal van!"
Phil also gave some top tips for those hoping to get settled in a brand new home.
- Preparation is key: Moving house is a significant moment in time and you can never do enough forward planning. I definitely think the more you can do in advance the better, and if you're feeling stressed then give your friends a call and rope in as much help as you can!
- Don't forget the little things: The first thing I do once I've entered a new house, before facing the mammoth task of unpacking, is make myself a nice cup of tea. I always pack a small box of essential items, which include a tea bag, cup and kettle as you can never underestimate how the small things, such as drinking a cup of tea, can help you feel at home.
- Have a home-cooked meal: The temptation when immersed in the task of moving can be to rely on take-out for dinner - but don't underestimate the power of some homemade comfort food in boosting your energy levels and making you feel at home!
- Make it personal: It can be easy to leave objects like photographs, candles and trinkets unpacked for weeks on end, but these small items can have a big impact in making a property feel like home - whether that's lighting your favourite scented candle or pinning the kids' drawings to the fridge. You could even consider packing a selection of these things into a separate box, so you can easily find them after moving in.
- Redirect your post: This is the task I dread as it can seem like a big exercise; but if you don't remember to let the Royal Mail know that you've changed address, how will all your house-warming cards from friends and family reach you?!
- Make your bed: When unpacking my bedroom items I always make sure I make my bed first, as by the end of moving day you're likely to be very tired and the last thing you'll want is another job before you can relax and go to sleep!
- Check your thermostat and set your hot water schedule: After a long day of moving, my favourite way to end the day is with a nice hot shower. When I get into my new house I always make sure I locate the new thermostat and set a schedule to fit our family routine. (And if you'd like the flexibility of being able to control you heating and hot water through your smartphone, you could look into a product such as Hive Active Heating - which allows you to do just that! www.hivehome.com/)
- Don't forget the basics: There are some quick and easy things you can do to ensure your new home is warm and working, which the previous owners may not have got round to. These include:
- Bleed your radiators: If your radiators have cold spots, this means you have air in the system, so bleed them using a radiator key to ensure they're working efficiently.
- Block the breeze: Make sure all of your home's windows and doors seal properly to stop warm air escaping, and close doors behind you to keep draughts to a minimum. For windows and doors which don't seal, a draught excluder is a cheap alternative which you can buy from most DIY stores - or create your own by filling an old jumper sleeve or pair of tights with dry rice!
- Check your boiler: Check to make sure your boiler is working properly, and is running efficiently. If you have a pressure gauge make sure the boiler is at the right pressure and top-up as necessary.
- Take meter readings: Make a note of the readings on your gas and electricity meters. If your new home doesn't have smart meters already installed, why not consider upgrading so that you always receive accurate bills, without having to take manual readings? Find out more about smart meters at: www.britishgas.co.uk/smartmeters
- Check alarms: Test your carbon monoxide and smoke alarms to make sure they're working properly and the batteries don't need replacing.
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