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House Moving TIPS
How to move home with ease
Moving home is one of life's most stressful events. There is so much to arrange, oversee and do - from securing a parking space for your removal van to reading the meters. Here's are a few guidelines to help you move your things from one home to another.
Dump the junk before you move home
Before you move home get rid of your unwanted junk. This can be a daunting task if you're a clutter-bug, so concentrate on one area at a time. Make three piles: 'keep and use', 'give away or sell' and 'keep and store'. Turn unwanted items into cash at a car boot sale or on eBay, and give the rest to a charity shop. Invest in a shredder to deal with old paperwork.
Who will move your belongings?
Consider who is going to move your belongings. Get several quotes. Two-thirds of moves happen on Fridays, so a midweek move can be cheaper and less stressful. If you can, plan your removal four to six weeks before your move date. Do not wait until the exchange of contracts, which can often be the same week as your completion date. Choose a company belonging to the British Association of Removers or National Guild of Removers and Storers. By being members of a trade association they will have a set of trading conditions and a code of conduct, and will be fully insured....continues below
Getting the most from your removal company
Most removal companies will pack your items for you as well as transport them, although this will present an extra cost. Make sure you know what service you're getting for your money. Once you have verbally agreed to place your move with a removal company, a written quotation will be sent with an acceptance form for you to sign and return.
What your removal company will need to know
Let the removers know the amount of furniture you're moving; a rough guess of how many boxes the company needs to pack (if required); and the exact time you want the team to arrive on the move day itself. You also need to provide clear instructions and directions to your new property. Be sure to arrange a parking space for the removal van outside your new home and notify the removal company well in advance of pieces of furniture that won't go through any access doors.
Moving home - the DIY route
Make sure you book a van big enough to accommodate your items in one trip. It's often cheaper to book vans on weekdays but if you move at the weekend, you may be able to make the most of special two-day hire rates. Enlist in some help - friends of family can often be enlisted with the promise of a drink or two at the end of the day.
What to prepare in advance
It's worth packing an 'essentials' box that you can have instant access to when you get to your new home. This should travel with you and not with the removal team and is a great idea if you a relocating some distance. The box could include:
A duvet, sheets, towels, a kettle, coffee & tea, toilet rolls, soap, cleaning materials, a change of clothes, mobile phone charger, money, food disposable cups, sugar and powdered milkThere are some tasks you'll have responsibility for, such as dismantling self-assembly furniture and taking down curtains, fixtures and fittings. When it comes to houseplants, wrap them in newspaper to protect them from draughts and to prevent leaves from bruising. Once at your new property, stand them in the warm and don't unwrap them until all of your items have been moved in.
On the moving day itself
Make sure that children and pets are taken care of elsewhere and ensure that all essential documents are kept on your person. Everything will be loaded onto the back of the van and secured. Your home will then be checked thoroughly before the removers head off to your new home.
Don't forget to…
1.give your removal company a mobile phone number for you on the removal day
2.run down your freezer and fridge contents
3.book disconnection for your mains services
4.cancel all rental agreements
5.notify all your essential contacts of your new address
6.arrange to redirect your post
7.clear the loft
8.label your boxes with the name of the room they are to be placed in your new home
9.cancel home deliveries like milk and newspapers
10.drop your old keys, a spare sets, at the estate agents
11.send change of address cards to friends and relatives
12.leave valuable items and important documentation with someone trustworthy so they are not lost in the move