Are you planning to move house? Wondering if there’s an easier way to do things? We’ve rounded up fourteen of the best apps that are designed to help you find the right house, prepare for moving day and settle into your brand new home. 
 

Finding the right property

 1. Mortgage Calculator UK (free on Android and iOS)  

How much the bank will lend you, and how much you can realistically afford to repay every month might be very different amounts! Bearing in mind that you’ll have bills to pay and need to do things like eat, you can use this app to work out how much you should borrow, rather than how much you could borrow. The app also lets you see how much your monthly payments will change if the interest rates change over time. Given that your mortgage will take at least 25 years to repay, this is a vital consideration.

  2. Rightmove UK or Zoopla UK (both free on Android and iOS)

Once you know how much you can comfortably borrow, you can start looking for your ideal house (or perhaps not ideal; perhaps just one you can afford). These handy apps not only let you search by area and budget, they can also give you information about local schools and public transport links.

 3. ViaMichelin (free on Android and iOS)

Handy real-time GPS maps that will let you work out how long it’s likely to take you to commute to work each day from your new home. It can also calculate how much your fuel will cost. 

 4. Bikemap (free on Android and iOS)

Want to know if you can cycle to work from your new home? Or just a keen cyclist who likes to take the bike out at the weekends? This app will show you local cycling routes and has voice navigation to help you find your way en route.

 5. Air Quality by Plume Labs (free on Android and iOS)

If air quality is an important issue for you (for example if you or your children have asthma, or even if you just want to make sure your children can play outside in clean air) then use this app to check for the air quality around any new home you’re interested in buying. 
 

Getting ready to move

 6. Moving Checklist Pro (no longer available)

This is an American app but it can be easily customised to make it relevant to a UK move. Rather than getting overwhelmed by the sheer number of things you need to do between now and moving day, assign tasks such as booking the removals firm, informing utilities providers and buying packing materials, to particular days or weeks to make them seem more manageable. It’s very satisfying to tick these off your list! 

 7. Moving App — Moving Checklist (free on Android)

Another checklist app that will help you to get organised week by week, and it has a really useful packing component, too. Take note of what’s in each box, and print box labels so that you’ll be able to find things quickly and easily when you arrive in your new home.

8. Decluttering apps

The less you own, the less you’ll have to move. Keep your moving day costs down (and your carbon footprint smaller) by selling or gifting anything that won’t fit into your new home, or that you no longer need or want. Try: 

• eBay (free on Android and iOS), 
• Gone For Good (free on Android and iOS) - local charities (just inside the M25 for now) will collect your unwanted furniture and give it a new home,
• Salvation Army Family Store (free on Android and iOS): schedule a time for them to collect your donations of clothes, toys or furniture.
• Freegle (free on Android and iOS) - list your stuff for free; people who want it will come and collect it at an arranged time. 

If you want to decorate or renovate your new home before moving in properly, you could always move excess belongings into a self storage unit with us for a few days or weeks, so don’t feel like you need to get rid of more than you’re comfortable with. 

 9. Sortly Home Inventory (free on Android and iOS)

This app lets you photograph and record details such as serial numbers for pretty much everything you own. This is a good idea to do anyway, in case of fire or burglary, but most of us don’t get around to being this organised: when you’re moving house, though, you’re going to be packing everything up, so you may as well catalogue it as you do so. This information is invaluable if ever you have to make an insurance claim.
 

Settling In

10. iHandy Level (free on Android and iOS)

This is a spirit level on your phone — amazingly simple idea, yet so helpful when hanging pictures or installing shelves.

11. Around Me (free on Android and iOS)

This is a good tool for finding out where all your local amenities are, from the best bakeries, bars and restaurants to the nearest hospital and petrol station. 

12. Photo Measures (£4.69 on Android and iOS) and Dulux Visualizer (free on Android and iOS)

These apps are great for planning how you want your new home to look. Photo Measures allows you to photograph the rooms of your home and/or items of furniture, add your own measurements to them and make it easy to shop for furniture and furnishings. The Dulux Visualizer helps you to choose a paint scheme that you’ll love.

 13. Dairydrop (Free on Android and iOS)

Want to reduce your use of plastic? Why not see if there’s a dairy near you that can deliver your milk in glass bottles? Some will also deliver eggs, juice and non-dairy milk.

 14. WhatsApp

You’ve probably already got this on your phone anyway. If you’re moving into a new neighbourhood, it’s a great idea to set up a group WhatsApp with your new neighbours so you can keep in touch about local events, or share concerns any of you may have about local issues. Take a bottle of wine or some flowers, introduce yourselves and your neighbours may become your new best friends — or they’ll at least be able to tell you about when your bins are collected!

And if you still prefer a good old hard copy you can download our printable moving house checklist to help get you organised and keep you focussed.