Moving out when selling your home
Declutter, stage and plan your move without losing your mind.
- Professional, vetted moversRegistered, insured and checked
- Compare the quotesPrice, reviews and what is included
- Free, no obligationYou choose who to book
- Decluttering early cuts both your viewing stress and your removal bill.
- Short-term storage can keep your home looking its best.
- Plan your move around likely exchange and completion dates.
Start with decluttering
Everything you sell, donate or recycle is one less item to move. Go room by room and be company. Start with the loft, garage and spare room.
Make the home easy to sell
- Clear surfaces and reduce furniture so rooms look bigger.
- Pack away personal items and photos.
- Fix small repairs and tidy the garden and front door.
Using storage
Moving boxes and spare furniture into short-term storage keeps the home tidy for viewings and makes the final move easier. See our guides to removals and storage and storage unit sizes.
Plan the move
- Get removal quotes while your sale is in progress.
- Be ready for a quick exchange or a slow one.
- Confirm date and timings once contracts are exchanged.
- Leave keys, manuals and warranties as agreed with your solicitor.
On the day
- Take final meter readings.
- Clean the property and check everything is cleared.
- Remove all rubbish. Do not leave anything behind that is not in the sale.
When you know your window, compare removal quotes and book early.
Related guides
- Moving house after buyingWhat happens between offer and keys, and when to book your removal company.
- The full cost of moving house in the UKEvery cost to budget for, from legal fees to the first night's takeaway.
- First-time buyer moving guideEverything to plan for your first move, in the right order.
- Downsizing: a practical guideHow to decide what to keep, and how to make the move gentle.
- All guides
The sale timeline and your move
When you sell, the date you move is tied to the legal process. The key stages are an accepted offer, the legal work, the exchange of contracts and completion. Until you exchange, either side can generally still withdraw. After you exchange, the date is fixed and both sides are legally bound. Most people book a removal company once the date is agreed, which is usually at or just before exchange, but you can compare quotes earlier. See the mortgage and moving timeline and completion day explained.
What you need to leave and what you can take
The contract usually lists the fixtures and fittings that stay with the property, and the items you can take. Fixtures, such as built-in wardrobes, fitted units, light fittings and the boiler, normally stay. Free-standing furniture, curtains and rugs usually go with you unless the contract says otherwise. Check the fittings and contents list so there is no dispute on the day.
Leave the home in the agreed condition
- Remove all of your belongings and rubbish, including from the loft, garage and garden.
- Leave the home clean.
- Leave all keys, remote controls, manuals and certificates for the buyer or the agent.
- Take final meter readings, and photograph them.
- Leave the instruction manuals and warranty details for appliances and the boiler.
- Make a note of the date and time you leave.
If your dates do not match
If you are selling and buying and the dates are a day or more apart, you have a gap. You can ask the buyer for a later completion, arrange short-term accommodation or use storage. Removal companies can store your belongings for a short time. A chain of buyers and sellers can mean a late completion, so choose a company that can be flexible on the day. See removals and storage.
Reduce the cost of the move
- Declutter before the move. It helps with viewings and cuts the cost of the removal.
- Sell or donate things you will not need.
- Ask for a quote that is flexible on time if completion is late in the day.
See house clearance when moving, downsizing and the moving house checklist.
Common questions
When should I book removals if I am selling?
Compare quotes early, and book as soon as your date is fixed, usually around exchange. Book earlier for busy dates.
What can I take when I sell my home?
Free-standing furniture and personal items, unless the contract says otherwise. Fixtures and fittings normally stay.
What if completion is delayed?
Tell your removal company as soon as you know. A flexible company can hold your booking, and storage can cover a short gap.
Buying and selling
