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Moving between two homes: how to bridge the gap
Your old home has to be empty, but your new place isn't ready yet. The keys don't line up, the new build is delayed, or you want to renovate first without living in the mess. This guide shows how to bridge that in-between period smoothly: where your belongings and you can go, and what to arrange so you avoid surprises.
Moving tipsExternal storage
Moving
June 23, 2026
Luuk Kamman
6 min
Moving between two homes: how to bridge the gap
Your old home has to be empty, but your new place isn't ready yet. The keys don't line up, the new build is delayed, or you want to renovate first without living in the mess. This guide shows how to bridge that in-between period smoothly: where your belongings and you can go, and what to arrange so you avoid surprises.
Moving tips
External storage
Moving
June 23, 2026Luuk Kamman
MOVING BETWEEN TWO HOMES: THE SOLUTION
Short answer: most people split the move into two phases. What you need day to day goes with you to your temporary place, the rest goes into storage until your new home is ready. That avoids double trips, belongings scattered at family's place, and rushed decisions. Moving between two homes becomes a matter of planning rather than puzzling.
🔑 The keys of your old and new home don't line up
🏗️ Your new-build home isn't finished yet
🛠️ You want to renovate or lay a new floor first
🏠 Your rental is already ended, your bought home not yet available
1. SPLIT THE MOVE INTO TWO PHASES
Separate what you need now from what only comes back in your new home. Decluttering before the move saves a lot — see our decluttering guide as a starting point.
- With you to temporary place: clothing, basic kitchen, paperwork, laptop
- Into storage: furniture, books, seasonal items, decorations
- Saves hauling, space and stress at your temporary address
2. CHOOSE A TEMPORARY PLACE
Where you stay depends on how long it lasts.
- Short period (weeks): stay with family/parents/friends
- Longer period (1-6 months): rent something small temporarily — Airbnb, furnished or short-term rental
- The fewer belongings you take, the easier — that's why storage separates so well
3. STORE THE REST SAFELY
Put furniture and boxes in dry, climate-controlled, secure storage. More on how to pack it all in our packing guide.
- Label by room or type — easy to find on the second trip
- Disassemble large pieces — saves space in the unit
- Pack fragile items well — cover only applies to correctly packed items
- Climate-controlled storage — however long, no damage
4. PLAN THE SECOND TRIP
Once your new home is ready, the rest comes back — in one go. See our full playbook in the guide on moving with storage — with all timing and cost items.
WATCH FOR DOUBLE COSTS AND EMPTY-HOME RISK
In the meantime costs can double up — energy and fixed charges for two homes — and an empty house is more vulnerable to break-ins. For financing such a period (like a bridging loan), your mortgage adviser is the right person. For insurance when moving we have a dedicated guide. For your belongings, we make sure they're safe and climate-controlled until you can move on.
By Bram Jansen — Lead Storage Advisor at Inbox Storage. Updated: June 2026.
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WHAT TO ARRANGE BETWEEN TWO HOMES
Besides your belongings, there are a few practical things you don't want to forget when you're temporarily between addresses: your registration, your mail, your energy and water contracts and your insurance. The checklist below keeps it organised.
🏛️ Address change with the council — the BRP handles much automatically
📬 Mail-forwarding service for companies you'd easily forget
⚡ Energy, water and internet + meter readings on the right date
🛡️ Don't cancel your home contents insurance too early
REGISTRATION & ADDRESS
Address change with the council — both current and new. From 4 weeks ahead to at most 5 days after your move. Via the Personal Records Database (BRP) many authorities are informed automatically — see the Dutch Rijksoverheid for the exact legal deadlines.
MAIL & SUBSCRIPTIONS
Not everything runs through the council. Banks, insurers, your employer and subscriptions need your new (or temporary) address from you directly. A mail-forwarding service catches what you forget — handy exactly when you're living somewhere temporarily. See our dedicated guide on changing your address for the full list.
ENERGY, WATER & INTERNET
Arrange energy, water and internet in time — and note meter readings on departure and arrival. Costs can double if both homes are switched on (for instance while renovating). See our guide on switching utilities for the exact steps.
INSURANCE & EMPTY HOME
Don't cancel contents insurance too early — or you're uncovered. An empty home is also more prone to break-ins. More on insurance when moving (buildings, contents, liability) in our separate guide. At Inbox, only items packed according to instructions qualify for cover.
HOW TO BRIDGE IT WITH INBOX
We pick up the things you don't need right now at your door, keep them climate-controlled in our secure hub in Gouda, and bring them back as soon as your new home is ready — from one month and cancellable monthly. No van to rent, no belongings scattered at family's, no weekend lost on round trips. Calculate via what storage costs per month what the in-between would cost.
Two homes, one smooth in-between — you handle the paperwork, we keep your belongings.
Calculate your storage price in 60 seconds at Inbox Storage.
Storage that bridges the gap
We pick up your belongings at your door and keep them climate-controlled until your new home is ready — from one month.
- Throughout NL and Belgium
- Picked up & returned to your door
- Climate-controlled, secure storage
- Cancel monthly