Finding out your offer has been accepted on the home you've pinned your hopes on is a great feeling. But, now the starter pistol has been fired, the race is on.

Move Day itself might be several months away yet – but there are plenty of ways to be getting prepared right now.

From appointing a solicitor and embarking on a clear-out, to confirming your mortgage and getting homebuyer's protection insurance in place – the earlier you get cracking, the easier your Move will be.

The run-up to exchange of contracts with the seller of your new home is the busiest time of all during the homebuying process. So being organised now is especially important.

You'll need to think about commissioning a survey on the home you are buying, as well as working with your solicitor to answer queries the one you might be selling.

Other tasks could involve booking in tradespeople for major works and starting to audit your household bills so you're ready to switch to cheaper providers when you get to your new home.

Reaching the point of exchanging contract is a major milestone in the homebuying process. Not only does it mean the deal is pretty much sealed, you'll also get a fixed completion date.

This means you can start firming up final Move plans, such as booking in a removal company, getting home insurance in place (bear in mind you'll need buildings cover from the point of exchange) and setting an activation date for broadband in your new home.

While you might be able to relax a little more after exchange, it's still not time to take your eye off the ball.

As soon as all funds (such stamp duty, legal fees and the cash from your mortgage lender required to buy your new home) have been received by your seller's solicitor, you've reached completion.

This means the house – and the keys to it – are yours. Congratulations!

But completion also signals Move Day itself. And being 100% ready and on the start line will give you the best chance of making it run as smoothly as possible.

You can breathe easy once you're in – but you're not quite finished yet. Now's the time to get online and ensure your new monthly household bills are as cheap as possible. That means everything from broadband and TV to gas and electricity.

After all, your new home will be more welcoming still if costs you up to £100s a year less to run.