Moving house can be a stressful and expensive experience. Along with real estate fees, listing costs and transportation of all of your furniture, there are many little things that crop up and can leave your budget in the red.

If you’re moving house, there are a few things you can do to save yourself time, stress and money:

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Declutter

Most people have a huge build up of “stuff” that they collect and save when they should really get rid of it. The first step is to go through every room in your house and decide whether or not you’ll need to take each item to your new home. This is a great opportunity to start fresh and also a chance to have a good clear out.

Get your whole family involved and consider whether that old chair that you’ve never liked, that jacket you’ve never worn, and the books your kids never read need to come along to the near house.

Once you’ve got a list of items that you’re ready to get rid of, it’s time for the next step.

Make some money

While you’re likely to find that there are plenty of things that need to head straight to the trash, many people forget that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Consider having a yard sale so you can get rid of some of your junk, or list the nicer stuff on eBay and see how much you can get for it. It’s a good idea to do this a few weeks before you begin having open homes, as you’ll be able to free up a lot of space and remove clutter, making your home look bigger and more restful.

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Shop Around

All delivery companies are not created equal, which is why it’s smart to shop around. Use a websites like Shiplywhich allows you to quickly and easily get quotes from rated delivery companies. This means you can see at a glance how much each company will charge you to move your bulky and heavy items and you can be sure you’re getting the best price. And because the companies are rated, you can also be sure that your furniture is in the best of hands.

Choose new furniture

If you’ve gotten rid of some of your furniture because it’s either old or it just doesn’t suit the new house, you’re probably going to need to choose some more suitable furniture. This doesn’t need to be a hassle or cost thousands of dollars, and in fact you can find great deals online on sites like eBay and Craigslist, or can even look for second-hand options.

Head to some yard sales or thrift stores, and you may just find a perfect chair or table that just needs a little TLC and maybe some DIY to have it looking like new again. You may want to wait until you’ve moved into the new place so you can be sure you have room for your new furniture.