Although the reasons for moving home are usually positive, like moving to a larger property or a new job, the move itself can be traumatic. Use our tips to make the move go smoothly.
Packing
Use moving house as an opportunity to sort out your possessions. Throw away your rubbish and separate items that can be given to friends or charity shops.
Get boxes well in advance from local shops or supermarkets, and save newspapers for wrapping breakables. For more advice, take a look at our packing tips article.
DIY removals
If you’re moving your belongings yourself, start by hiring the right van – too small and you may need to make a few journeys, too big and you may have problems parking. It’s often cheaper to book vans on weekdays. But if you move at the weekends you may be able to make the most of special two-day hire rates.
Professional removal companies
Unless you have very few possessions, call in the professionals to help you move house. It will relieve some of the stress of the big move. You can arrange for it all to be done for you, and pay for the privilege, or you can do the packing yourself but leave the heavy stuff to the experts.
Checklis
thire a removal company at least two weeks before you move
use a removal company who is a member of the British Association of Removers
get at least three quotes before deciding which one to use
check if the company offers a discount on a weekday
check the fine print in your moving insurance
make a list of your possessions so you can check if you’ve left anything behind
It will help if you let the company know the following things:
the amount of furniture you’re moving, so it can choose an adequately sized truck and plan the number of journeys needed between your old and new homea rough guess of how many boxes the company needs to pack, so it can estimate how long it will take
the exact time you want the team to arrive
clear instructions and directions to your new property
arrange a parking space for the removal van
always tell the removal firm well in advance of pieces of furniture which won’t go through the door
make a plan of where the furniture needs to go in your new home
Additionally to this it is always adviseable to allow yourslef a couple of days overlap to ensure that you are able to move even if something goes wrong! This also allows some time to clean the property you are leaving thoroughly without being rushed.
