One of the biggest dilemmas you face is working out if and where all the furniture from your current home will fit into your new place.

Here are our tips for making the process as smooth as possible.

Get organised early

Officially buying your home might be a laborious process, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do lots of the groundwork in advance. Start planning what you want to take with you and where it will go in your new home. Also, think about whether pieces of furniture will make it out of your house (and into the new one) in one piece or whether they’ll have to be returned to flat-pack form.

Measure up

Before you’ve completed on your house purchase, ask your estate agent if you can go into the property to take some measurements. Take measurements of room sizes, door and window locations and any furniture that will be staying, such as bathroom suites and kitchens.

With the aid of some graph paper and primary school maths skills you didn’t know you still had, you can use the information you’ve collected to create a detailed plan of your new home. And you can add your existing furniture to the diagrams.

Ditch the misfits

The wonky flat-pack coffee table, the wardrobe that doesn’t hold all your clothes and the huge TV stand that once housed a VCR are probably all surplus to requirements. Use your house move as an opportunity to get rid of some deadwood.

There’s no point moving something you don’t really want in your new home. If you do, there’s a chance it will just become, well, part of the furniture once again.

Start thinking about decor

Pondering the interior design of your home might influence your thinking when it comes to deciding what to ditch before the move. If something has gone horribly out of fashion or just won’t be in keeping with your ideas for your new home, it’s best to let it go.

Plan the big pieces in advance

If you’re going to put your own stamp on your new abode with a new kitchen, fitted wardrobes or brand new bathroom suite, plan everything before your move. It’s much easier if you can get the big things in place before the rest of your stuff arrives. That way all your lovely new storage space is waiting for you when you move in.

Share your own house move tips below