Andrew Porter Blog

The kettle is the first item most people will unpack first when they finally get the keys to their new home. A poll of 2,000 homeowners, carried out by building firm Redrow, found 58 per cent of people in the UK reached for the kettle before doing anything else. It’s no surprise that after the stress of moving that most people want to take a quick break with a cup of tea and coffee before getting on with any more unpacking.

Moving house is a stressful experience for anyone but if you have autism, such a major change can be totally overwhelming. Figures from the National Autistic Society suggest more than 695,000 people in the UK are on the autism spectrum and the condition affects different people in different ways. But there are things you can do to make the process of moving house easier.

If you’re a parent, then making sure you live near a good school for your children is probably a top priority. But working out which school to send your child do can seem daunting, especially if you are new to the area. This week (w/c May 20) is Walk to School Week and with initiatives trying to encourage more people to ditch the car when it comes to the school run both to help the environment and tackle childhood obesity, it is more important than ever to live near your preferred school.

If you’re getting ready to sell your home, make sure you don’t neglect your garden. The outdoor space which comes with your property could be the key to attracting potential buyers. National Gardening Week, which runs from Monday, April 29 to Sunday, May 5 is the ideal time to pay attention to your garden and make sure it is sending the right message to people who are interested in your home.

Does your home look like a bombsite when the kids are off school for the Easter break? One way to keep the children busy over the holidays and reclaim your home from the clutter is to get them involved in your mission to create more space.

The number of people working for themselves is growing but does it make it more difficult to move house? Getting a mortgage is often believed to be more challenging if you are self-employed and don’t have a guaranteed wage going into your bank account every month. But with the latest official figures from the Office for National Statistics showing that the UK is now home to almost five million self-employed people, buying a home when you are your own boss is becoming much more commonplace. So what should you do if you need a mortgage and you are self-employed?

If your home is lacking in space or your cupboards are full to the brim with stuff, you may want to listen to the Japanese decluttering expert Marie Kondo. Her methods to trim down the amount of possessions we have in our homes have been gaining popularity ever since her bestselling book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up was published in 2014. Now she has earned herself even more fans around the world with her new Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. But how does Kondo suggest we create a happy, harmonious and happy home? And are there any ways to make the process of parting with your possessions a little less painful?

The Lake District is renowned around the world for its natural beauty and striking landscape. But what would it be like to actually live there? We help families from around the UK do just that, starting their new lives in the region every week. Here are four reasons to consider relocating to the Lake District.

Recently, two members of our management team went ‘back to their roots’ to carry out two European removals projects for our customers. Managing director Tim Aspey and Kendal site manager Stephen Gregson kept a diary of their week-long trip and we’re delighted to be able to share it with you to give you an insight into the day-to-day work of our crews.

More and more people from all over the world are considering moving to Australia, and that is not a surprise at all. When you consider all the things that Australia offers to its citizens, that wish is a very logical one. In a world full of air pollution, Australia is one of the places in the world that has the lowest levels of air pollution. In addition to this, the diversity of natural ecosystems should’ve made the point already. Australia has everything from tropical rainforests and sandy beaches, to snowy mountains and deserts.