Phil Spencer's tips to reduce stress and costs when moving

Despite the nation feeling the pinch of living costs, the number of home moves are actually rising as TwentyCi reports a month-on-month increase in home rentals. Interestingly, UK-based tech company AnyVan, reports a whopping 60% increase in home removals compared to that of pre-pandemic (2019), further showcasing the increased need for flexible transport offerings.

As the nation looks to cut costs where possible, AnyVan has partnered with Move iQ’s, Phil Spencer, to create a new six-episode series ‘Move Home Like a Pro With AnyVan’ released weekly on Move iQ’s YouTube channel and The Move iQ podcast. As part of the partnership, Phil and AnyVan have revealed the five top tips to help the nation move as efficiently as possible - saving costs and stress!

Move iQ’s, Phil Spencer, commented “Having worked with AnyVan since we launched Move iQ we’re delighted to bring you this new series where we tap into their expertise and share valuable advice and home moving hacks that will help our audiences save time and money. It’s a process people often dread, but buying or renting a new home is also incredibly exciting and moving into it should be fun too. The fact that sustainability sits at the core of what AnyVan does is also a massive bonus and another reason we recommend them via our website.”

Angus Elphinstone, Founder of AnyVan said: "Home removals are an integral part of AnyVan’s business and with the cost of living at an all-time high, creating affordable solutions to an already expensive process is more important than ever before. We're delighted to bring this series to consumers with Move iQ to spread an efficiency and sustainability message which is so important to us. Our offering is designed with affordability in mind and we're excited that technology has allowed us to make the process more efficient for people during a stressful time.”  

Phil Spencer’s Top Tips to move Like a Pro

Declutter: Moving less stuff will invariably save money as well as time and stress. Using a spreadsheet, write a moving checklist of everything you own, including your electronics, furniture, clothes and home accessories. Next, sort these belongings into three groups, from this you can box up what you need to pack, take photos of items you want to sell, and then bag up what you can take to a local charity shop.

Book ahead: Saving money when moving home critically comes down to how early you start and how prepared you are. When it comes down to the move day itself, booking ahead of time, as you would for a flight or a hotel, is an easy way to save. There are plenty of new, innovative companies that can help make moving house cheaper and easier with advanced bookings. 

Hire a van: Using professionals means you get your costs upfront and with no membership fees necessary. Due to the rise in vehicle hires, hiring a van by yourself will cost you a similar amount to hiring a driver and with companies such as AnyVan you get a two-person team that is skilled in moving which will make your day run a lot smoother and reduce risk of your items getting damaged. Even more, AnyVan works alongside the World Land Trust to balance all the CO2 their vans produce.

Overestimate your inventory list:  Create a full list of your inventory and then allow yourself roughly 20% more than what you have planned for, so if you think realistically you are going to need 60 boxes, give yourself 75. It’s easy to forget shoes in the closet or boxes in the attic. 

Upcycle old items: If you're the crafty type, you could upcycle items you don't need into something you do. I've seen people repurpose the backs of chairs into wall shelves, chipped mugs into tea towel storage, and even suitcases turned into tables. If your current wood furniture doesn't fit the plans for your new home, why not invest in some chalk paint to spruce it up to save money on new furniture, there are lots of options you can take so your items don't end up in the rubbish.