For your convenience, we also provide this guide in a PDF that you can download and print out as a checklist for your moving preparations.
Introduction
So…You’re Moving! Congratulations.
Finding your new home and getting ready to move in is an exciting time.
Sometimes it can be hard work also. After all, you are about to move your whole life, family and worldly belongings to a new place, whether that’s local or across the country.
However, did you know that 60% of people say that moving home is the most stressful time they experienced in their lifetime?
That’s crazy right, maybe we overlook the fact since we move 100’s of houses a year. The brilliant thing is though, moving to a new house doesn’t have to be difficult or stressful at all.
What’s the Secret?
In a nutshell, the secret to a successful move is to be prepared, plan ahead and follow a few simple rules for moving.
In this guide, you will be given helpful moving checklists and guides such as:
- Packing your home
- Prior to moving
- Moving checklist
- Who to Notify
- Removal Companies
- Prior to moving
- Hints and Tips
- The Big Day
Prior to Moving….
The Weeks running up to Moving Day
Three Weeks Before Your Move
It’s better to start early and make arrangements for your move day in advance to stop the need of rushing around at the last minute.
Being organized will make moving home a pleasant experience, rather than a stressful day.
▢ Declutter your Home.
Before your move, it is the best time to have a clear out. There is no better feeling than moving into a new house without your extra baggage! Donate to your local charities or sell your unwanted items.
▢ Organise sitters for your children and pets.
Although some older children may want to be involved on the big day, moving can be quite a stressful time for young children. Arrange for friends or family to look after your kids until you’re all moved in. The same applies for pets, it can be a traumatic experience for many!
▢ Notify Relevant Companies of your Change of Address.
You would be surprised how many people leave this a little too late. Companies need time to switch you over to your new address, you want to ensure you give enough notice so that you don’t experience any downtime when moving into your new place. You want to notify the relevant people & Companies of your change in address such as: –
Utility Providers
- Post Office
- Satellite or Cable Provider
- Phone Provider
- Work
- Family
- DVLA
- Bank
- Insurance Providers
- School
- DWP – Or any other Benefit provider
TWO Weeks Before…
It’s getting closer! Don’t worry though, you have got all the menial out of the way. All you need to do is make some final arrangements ready for your current property for moving day.
▢ Confirm your Move with your chosen removal company.
Now is the time to make final confirmations with your moving company, Dates, Times and any paperwork wants to be signed and sent over. There is no worse feeling than leaving it too late and your planned mover being booked for your day.
▢ Start Packing unessential items.
Now is the time to make your move easy! Packing your belongings is the most important part and it is also one of the largest tasks. If you haven’t already, call your movers and purchase all the packaging you require and start packing any items you won’t require until you’re in your new home. Closets, drawers, books, garage, shed & lofts are all great place to start.
▢ Get the home ready for your new homeowners.
There is nothing worse than moving into a new home and not knowing how to use the boiler or what keys go where. It’s a great gesture to have a walk around your home and make sure you gather manuals for appliances and boiler. It’s also a great idea to label your house keys.
ONE Week Before Your Move…
▢ Defrost your Fridge Freezer.
You want to defrost your fridge/freezer before move day as moving them while frozen can cause damage to the item. Simply empty the contents and turn the appliance off. While its empty you might want to clean the insides as an empty and deforested fridge can induce unwanted odours that are hard to remove.
▢ Remove Fixtures and Fittings.
Unless your mover is carrying out this work, you will want to remove curtains, blinds, lampshades and other fixtures and fittings and pack them ready for moving. This also applies to disconnection of TV’s, set-top boxes and whitegoods.
▢ Pack the rest of your Belongings.
Now it’s time to pack the entire house into moving boxes, obviously, you want to leave anything you’re going to need on the moving day and the coming days such as medication, some food and drink, a change of clothes etc. Packing an overnight bag would be a great idea.
▢ Ensure prohibited goods are ready.
Some items are not covered by removals insurance, flammable goods such as petrol, gas canisters and flammable liquids will need to be moved independently. Make sure to drain any petrol-powered machines such as lawnmowers and ensure paints are packed in a sealed container so that you can transport these items without spillage.
THE BIG DAY HAS FINALLY ARRIVED…
Its’s time to move home! You have worked hard and its time to relax. Your movers will arrive shortly and take care of everything else; you have chosen to miss out on the heavy lifting, we don’t blame you either. However, there are a couple of things that may require your attention.
▢ Meter Readings:
You want to make sure you take readings of your gas, electric, water meters. We recommend taking a clear photo on your phone as it saves the date and reading itself. You can also include a written copy for your self and the new owners if you wish.
▢ Cut off Utilities:
If no one is moving into the new property right away, you may want to cut off the gas, electric and water from the mains. (If its cold weather or the property will be left unattended for a longer period you may want to leave the boiler running).
▢ Clean the Property:
Although you may have already cleaned the home prior to moving, once your movers start moving furniture, you will be able to get behind all the large units and pieces of furniture that are not accessible. Keep a few cleaning supplies and vacuum cleaner handy to give the property its final clean ready for the new owners.
▢ Secure the property:
Make sure you secure the property when leaving properly. Check that all doors and windows are locked, including garages, sheds, gates etc and all are secure.
Packing Guide…
How to pack your belonging like a pro
First things first, your Boxes!
Packing Materials are a must for anyone moving home, it’s pretty simple really though. You will need:
- Small, Medium and Large moving boxes (Double walled are best)
- Packing Paper
- Bubble wrap
- Packing Tape
- Marker Pens
- Speciality Boxes
You can also buy speciality packagings such as Mattress bags, television boxes, wine boxes, garment boxes and many more.
We can help you with your supplies by visiting our packaging store:
162 High Street, London Colney, AL21QF – Calling us on 01727 572 999
How to Pack a Box.
It’s important that you pack your belongings correctly. This means that items inside your boxes are wrapped in either packing paper or bubble wrap. If there are any voids in your box once packed, be sure to fill them with crumpled packing paper. Boxes should not be overloaded with weight, try to keep boxes below 15kg as these things will help your removal team on the day.
Labelling Boxes
Label your boxes with the room it is to go to and brief contents list, so you and your removals team know exactly where it goes. To make it easy for you we have a specially designed tape with the list of rooms and a contents box that you can write on.
Good Luck!
We hope your move goes as smoothly as possible.
Other Helpful Resources
As well as this moving guide, we also provide other helpful hints and tips for movers on our blog page.
Removal Company St Albans
We are an independent family run removals company based in St Albans and serve the whole M25 area and beyond.
If you have not already, you may wish to get in touch and have an informal chat regarding your up and coming move and how we can help.
For all your removal and storage needs:
Dream Team Movers Limited
365 High Street
London Colney
St Albans
Hertfordshire
AL2 1EA
For all your packaging supplies:
Dream Team Movers Limited
162 High Street
London Colney
St Albans
Hertfordshire
AL2 1QF