Moving house is expensive. But it’s not just the mortgage and deposit that come as a financial burden. Even the cost of moving in and of itself can add a significant sum to your         overall bill.

According to Really Moving, the average cost of removals in 2016 for a four bedroom house was £682. While you may hold little sway over the price you pay for your new home, removals is one area where you can save money. Find out how to bring removal costs down with these simple tips.

Book removals far in advance

If you want to get the best deal on removals, you have to plan ahead. Compare quotes from multiple removal firms well ahead of time to find a deal that suits you. Being early is key, as many firms will raise their prices as the moving date gets closer.

The complicated buying process often leaves final moving dates up in the air, only to be confirmed at very short notice. Clearly, this makes booking removals in advance very difficult. There is, however, a way around this. Many moving firms will give quotes based on provisional move dates, often keeping the figures valid for the following 28 days.

To keep your moving costs down, it’s best to book removals as soon as you have an estimated date in mind. It’s never a problem to phone up and reschedule as soon as you know exactly when you’ll move.

 Make sure there are no hidden costs

Though many removal firms are transparent with their costs, there is a chance there may be additional costs hidden within the price of your move. You can save on services like packing and unpacking by doing them yourself. Some removal firms will also charge for providing packing materials. Again, this can be avoided by simply providing packing materials of your own.

If you’re moving in London, AnyVan point out that you might want to check if your removals company will pay the congestion fee if necessary. If they will not, you may find yourself in for another additional charge.

You should also be aware of ‘waiting time charges’ before your removal day. Though infrequently discussed, these fees can make a lot of difference to your final moving bill. Not every removal firm will charge them, but these charges are calculated based on the amount of time a van has to wait before it can access your property. In most cases, this will only be applicable should any unreasonable holdup occur. To avoid them, it is important to ensure you are ready on moving day, and that you will not be responsible for holding up your movers.

 Cut down on your possessions

Since removal costs vary based on the amount of cargo vans carry, The Spruce advise it is in your best interest to bring as little as you can with you when you move. There are several ways to heed this. Start by looking at what you can move in your own vehicle. Smaller things like pots and pans or books can be packed into boxes and loaded into your own boot for transport.

Secondly, it’s worth deciding if some of your possessions could be housed in storage while you move into your new home. Alternatively, you could do away with some belongings altogether. If you’re downsizing, this is particularly important; ridding your life of large and bulky items will be essential to fitting into your new home, and as a consequence your removal bill will end up significantly lower.

Even if you are not moving into a smaller property, cutting down on your possessions could still be advisable. Adopting a more minimalist lifestyle is becoming increasingly popular, with many homeowners taking advice from Marie Kondo and other interior designers, all of whom advocate reducing one’s possessions to only the essentials as a way of improving life.