Is moving an art or a science, it’s actually a bit of both, learn more with our top ten house moving tips!

Essential advice for moving house

We know that removals are daunting and there is a lot to consider. Read through this guide and if you follow the advice for moving house within, hopefully, the move will become much less daunting!

1)    Plan effectively – create a removals project folder

You cannot plan enough with a house move. The old project management adage applies “If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail”. We would recommend buying a lever arch file or folder and having all your important house move documentation inside in a “removals project folder”. Creating a simple spreadsheet is an excellent idea and if you include everything mentioned below you will be off to an excellent start!

2)    Create a checklist

Having a checklist, ideally within your project folder and on a spreadsheet is ideal. It is all a part of the planning process and will help you to manage the project and not forget about too many tasks. It’s impractical to cover everything here, so why not read our guide “Comprehensive Checklist for Moving House in the UK”, everything you need to know is included here!

3)    Find a top-quality removal company

Naturally, choosing a top-quality removals company is vital. They need to be a trusted partner, an ally, a company that will transport your “worldly goods”. What pleases one customer, might displease another – “you pay your money and make your choice”.

Some of the most important criteria to consider would be:

• Appealing payment & contractual terms (e.g., accept card payments and policies on cancellations and waiting periods, etc.,)
• Attractive insurance terms and cover with upgrade options
• Availability of a free-of-charge survey
• Consistently good online reviews from trustworthy sources
• Friendly disposition of staff and
• Packing service availability and also you can buy packing materials from them

4)    Book a removals date

Book your date for removals as far in advance as is practicable, ideally, 3-6 months in advance. If you have less time, it’s manageable, but you need to manage your stress levels. Booking early is helps avoid losing out on your removal company of choice and it also gives a date to focus upon. Longer lead times reduce stress and give time to earn finance whilst also packing and decluttering.

5)    Get everything in writing

Keep your move “ship shape” and business-like. Before the move it’s important to get your move date in writing (letter or email), an acceptance form defining the removals to be completed and also a receipt for your deposit (especially if you paid in cash). In general, pay by card as proof of transaction and ask for a receipt for all transactions.

6)    Declutter

Clutter, clutter, clutter there is way too much of it in almost every household. Be honest with yourself, do you need to take everything with you? Be ruthless and declutter, you will have less to pack! Clutter can be given to friends or family (particularly family keepsakes), donate to charity, sell, or dispose of straight to the rubbish tip.

Check the expiry dates on everything including food items, the spice rack, and the bathroom. Obviously, anything that is past its expiry date needs to be thrown! You will be surprised how much this mounts up. If you need support for a declutter, consider hiring a van and man service, who can help with various aspects including boxing/packing, loading the van, and removing clutter to various locations.

7)    Buy top-quality packing materials and equipment

If you have the budget or if timescales are against you, it is always a great idea to use the packing service of your removal company. If you are packing yourself though, do not skimp on the quality of packing materials and equipment.

Again, often it makes sense to buy packing materials from the removal company, after all, they use them all the time. They can usually supply cost-effectively as well as buy them in bulk.

There are many items you will need, just a few examples include bubble wrap, cardboard (or plastic) boxes or crates (small, medium, and large), corrugated paper, fabric blankets, foam packing sheets, labels, marker pens, masking tape, scissors, Sellotape, and storage bags, etc.,

8)    Pack early and label

Our general advice is to pack as early as possible and use labels. Packing late is one of the main causes of stress in a house move. Of course, you cannot pack everything because you still need to live, but pack away whatever you can.

Always use labels, so you know which room each box needs to be taken to. You do not want the job of moving lots of boxes around the house later on. Additionally, labels help you find items quickly, e.g., kitchen items, which you might need more quickly.

Have a strategy when packing. In general, pack heavier items into small boxes (e.g., books) and lighter items (e.g., pillows) into larger boxes. This makes moving the boxes easier. Always pack heavier items at the bottom of boxes, try to fill boxes as much as possible to avoid contents moving about and ensure they are taped securely.

9)    Take special care of valuable and fragile items

Extra care is needed when moving fragile items. Valuable and fragile items including documents, fine art, collections, and gold & silver bars may need to be insured separately as their value may exceed the removal companies’ Goods in Transit insurance. In some cases, owners may prefer to move these items personally, they are often light and easy to move (e.g., a large stamp collection).

Some valuable items may also be fragile. In general, fragile items like crockery, glassware, pottery, etc., need to be wrapped carefully and the box clearly marked with FRAGILE in bold text (perhaps with a marker pen).

10) Notify everybody of your move

Notifying everybody is really important for ensuring the smooth running of your life after the move. Notify interested parties such as central government, DVLA, employers, financial organisations, friends & family, health agencies, household service providers, insurance companies, a landlord (if renting), leisure organisations, local council, Royal Mail (for redirecting post), TV licensing and utility companies.

We cannot do the topic justice here, so please read our “Moving House Notification Checklist” blog article for detailed guidance on this topic.

Expert Moves contact us about house moving tips

We hope you have found our house moving tips valuable. If you are in need of professional support, make sure you choose Expert Moves as your removal company of choice. Why not speak to us whilst deciding about which company to choose?

Call Expert Moves today on 0333 090 7997 (landline) or 07405 648478 (mobile) to discuss your removals contract. We will call you if you complete our contact form (and then we would also have all your contact information). Receive a FREE quotation for a house move when you complete our instant quote removal form.

 

Image Credits: Darlene Alderson, Andrea Piacquadio, Karolina Grabowska and Ketut Subiyanto