Moving - Hints & Tips

Check Measurements
Does everything fit into your new home? Furniture that is in your existing home may not fit into your new home, and it’s best to know this before you move so you can sell or donate any unwanted items. Take some time to measure stair wells, hall widths and doorways and work out whether the larger items of furniture (sofa, dresser, wardrobe, American Fridge Freezers etc.) will fit through them. Wardrobes especially are regularly purchased as “flat pack items”, assembled upstairs in position but then cannot be moved back down the stairs as one. Many American Fridge Freezers require either the household door or the Fridge Freezer’s doors itself to be removed. This can take a lot of time. There would be nothing worse than leaving furniture outside your new home on moving day.

Access Restrictions
It is essential that we know about all access restrictions at both your existing property and your new property which we will not have viewed. This could be from a no parking restriction at the front of the house, no direct access to the garden, narrow doors to an awkward staircase. Please remember we will want to reverse as close to your main access door as possible both to load and unload. Please remember to park your vehicle directly outside your property or use cones to keep the area clear the night before your move and notify your neighbours so they leave the space free. It could cause major issues and delays if we cannot park outside your property.

If you have extra items you suddenly decide that you want transported please do notify us prior to your moving day as this may affect packing times, space and may lead to unexpected extra costs.

Colour Code
Colour code the rooms in your new home. A good tip is to use the Estate Agents building layout floor plan. You can now start planning what rooms will be used for once you move. With this plan in mind, you can allocate a colour to each of the rooms in the new house (green = kitchen, red = living room etc.) and add those colours onto your floor plan. Now simply add a coloured sticker onto each box and then in your new home, put a sheet of that coloured paper on the corresponding door. That way, we will know exactly which room to place each box in. Do the same with large items of furniture. Simply mark on the floor plan where you would like them placed.

Label Electrics
If you take a look behind your living room TV, you will see a mass of wires and plugs – working perfectly for you but confusing to say the least. A really great tip is to get some coloured stickers and stick the same colour to each socket and each end of the cable – so that you can easily set all technical items up again in your new home. Also take a photo of the setup as a backup so you can have a visual reminder as well.

Hazardous Materials
Certain items cannot be transported by us, such as tins of paint, hazardous materials or liquids, flammable liquids, pressurized containers etc. This is due to insurance reasons (please seek advice prior to the day). All other liquids must be in sealed containers that are clearly labelled.

Safe Packing
Don't forget to consider the safety of your removals team and yourself - not only with the heaviness of boxes but the things you're moving within them such as sharp objects. If you're packing up garden equipment, be sure to clean it and package it safely. Large gardening equipment like lawnmowers or petrol-fueled tools need to be emptied and cleaned before being transported. If you're packing knives, wrap them carefully and note the contents on the box.

Washing Machines and Dishwashers
These items need to be drained and disconnected. We can provide this service for a minimal fee but this must be agreed with us prior to your moving day.

Fridges/Fridge Freezers.
All food needs to be removed from the fridge, as well as any loose glass shelves. Frozen food should be run down as much as possible but can stay within the freezer.

Cookers
Please ensure these have been disconnected from their hard wired electrical or gas supply. This needs to be carried out by a qualified technician and is not a service we can provide. Please ensure all loose fittings have been removed and stored in a safe place.

Furniture
Please ensure all furniture that requires “flat packing” has been as we will be running on a tight schedule on your moving day. Ensure that all cupboards and drawers are empty unless agreed otherwise agreed with us prior to your moving day. Small units such as bedside cabinets do not need clearing out as we will simple shrink wrap the drawers shut. On agreement, clothes drawers can be left full as we will take these out individually then replace them within the unit inside the van for transportation. Again, please agree this prior to your moving day.

Small Items
All small items must be within sturdy boxes or bags. Please use any suitcases you have for coats etc. that are not kept with a drawer unit. Bedding and soft items can be sealed within heavy duty bin bags. All items must have been removed from the loft prior the move day unless otherwise agreed.