If your own moving day is coming up, there’s still plenty that could go wrong! The planning and prep isn’t over yet, and — thanks to our contributing writer Maja Davies — we have insightful advice for you that will help you navigate the moving day with a little less stress. Thanks to Maja’s helpful series The Moving Diaries, exclusive to Home Club ME, we now feel prepared to handle the logistics of moving home, effectively plan a budget, decorate with finesse, and even get a handle on any emotions that may threaten to boil over! In her final diary instalment, below, Maja reveals her top dos and don’ts for the big day which will help you and your hard-working moving team too.  

The Moving Diaries Finale

It is finally here! The movers have arrived, the boxes are getting packed, you switch off your coffee machine for the last time and it is go, go, go. Your moving day will arrive with a rollercoaster of emotions, a jam-packed schedule and big expectations. I can guarantee you this, no matter how much you prepare it will rarely all go to plan. Follow these tips that I learnt from my own moving day experiences and hopefully they will help you through the day as smoothly as possible. 

*DO pack an overnight bag

Collect all the essentials that you will need during your final days in your old home, such as toothpaste, a clean change of clothes, shampoo, toilet paper, your phone charger and clean bedding. The last thing you want to be doing at the end of a long moving day is spending time and energy rummaging through boxes looking for your pjs. Put these essentials in your car so that you know where they are at all times. 

*DO order food for the movers

Our move began at 8am and didn’t finish until 8pm. The movers had a quick lunch break but otherwise I never saw them eat anything, so by 6pm we ordered pizza for everyone. We also prepared a cooler with snacks and drinks on site which they could help themselves to during the day. It was highly appreciated. 

*DON’T go to the office

Or should I say, DO take time off work. One of the wonderful things about moving house in Dubai is that the moving company handles the entire move. They pack your items, wrap them, move them and in some cases even help you unpack. Technically, you could probably make yourself scarce for a few hours if you needed to. I would recommend taking the day off work anyway, so that you are on hand for any questions and directions needed (not to mention making sure the movers help themselves to the snacks and water provided). Moving on a Saturday is popular as it is the weekend, but I would still suggest taking the next day off work so you can start unpacking the essentials in peace. 

*DO have cash on hand for tips 

This isn’t essential but it is a nice way to thank the movers and anyone else who is helpful during the process. 

*DO have your floor plan to hand

This will help guide the movers as to where everything goes in your new home. Better yet, you could make a large copy of the floor plan and stick it to a wall by the entrance to your villa or apartment to the movers have an easy-to-see guide. 

*DO keep it fun

Put on some music, make sure there are refreshments to hand for everyone, greet your movers and ask for their names. This will keep the atmosphere light and fun and will help to make conversation as the day goes on.

*DON’T spend all night unpacking

I get it, you are in the new place and it is exciting and all you want to do is start ripping open boxes and putting your new home together. Don’t do this. As soon as the movers left we unpacked the essentials for the night (grabbing the pre-packed bag from the car), had a shower and then popped open a bottle of bubbly that we had brought in a cooler. It was a nice way to end what had been a very stressful day. 

*One final thought…

Last but not least, when I asked my husband for his most important piece of moving advice he simply said: “Everything is double. It is twice as expensive, takes twice as long and is twice as stressful as you think it is going to be. Do it at your own risk.” I am not sure how helpful this is, but he does have a point. Moving is always going to be more complicated and cost more than you expect, so take your time, plan well and delegate what you can. In the end, we love our new property and we wouldn’t have had it any other way. Good luck!

If you’re about to move home and you’ve found the advice from Maja’s series The Moving Diaries helpful, let us know! Post about your moving adventures on Instagram and tag @homeclubme. If you’re looking for more inspiration, check out Maja’s insightful feature about how to budget well for your move, find contemporary home décor ideas, and check out our list of approved vendors.