Finest Tips for a Seamless House Move
Moving into your new property can seem challenging, considering the multiple tasks required to make everything fall into place perfectly, but this doesn’t have to be the case. You can create a simple moving process with a step-by-step approach and sound planning.
At Finest Van, we have assisted many families, friends, and individuals from all walks of life in transitioning into their new homes smoothly and provided a positive, memorable moving experience for them, where many have recommended us to their family and friends. No job is too big.
To share our moving expertise, we have carefully compiled a list of our finest tips, aimed not only at making your move more manageable but also setting you in good stead for a seamless house move:
Planning & Preparation
Congratulations on finding your new place and embarking on this exciting moving journey! The key to a successful move is early planning. Once you have a date for your house move, it's best to start planning and preparing as soon as possible. The earlier you start, the more in control you'll feel. Create a checklist of your moving tasks and a step-by-step timeline of all the essential functions that must be completed and ready for moving day.
A typical moving checklist would include:
- Decluttering & Organising
- Collecting packing materials
- Packing and essentials
- Storage solutions
- Notifying utility suppliers
- Hiring movers
- Arranging for parking
- Arranging for transportation
- Arranging for child or pet care
- Important Contacts
Organisation, Decluttering & Storage Solutions
‘Use it, love it, or lose it.’ Out with the old, in with the new… Decluttering isn’t just about clearing space - it’s also about creating a new space, physically and mentally, in your new home; creating a sanctuary you can call home where you are surrounded by the belongings you need or love. If you are seeking a reshuffle in your new place, and are looking to depart with unwanted items, it might be an excellent opportunity to sell, donate or recycle them.
Parting ways with unwanted goods will reduce the number of items that need to be packed and save you that much-needed space. When decluttering, ask yourself: Do I need it? Is it of sentimental value? Could I live without it? Could it be useful to somebody else? These questions should prove helpful when deciding what stays and what goes.
If you are moving and uncertain you want to part ways with certain belongings or don’t have the space temporarily, placing these belongings into storage would provide you with a secure and flexible option to arrange your possessions, giving you more time to gradually sort through and move these items at your own pace without the pressures of any moving dates. If you are downsizing, especially decluttering and storing items, it can help you realise what you genuinely need and distinguish between items you no longer need. It can often indicate items you can realistically live without.
Placing your items into storage can help you to visually see, rethink and optimise your current and new living spaces. Why not transform your de-cluttered attic into a new cosy lounge area or your now clutter-free garage into an inviting gym area! It’s all about creating the most of a cosy little haven with the space you have!
Finest Tip:
1. At Finest Van, we can provide you with storage and waste disposal services at competitive prices, ensuring this is another task ticked off your checklist. From the smallest of silver spoons to the largest of dog-eaten sofas. You can call us for a free, no-obligation quote, personalised to your requirements.
Quality Packing Materials
Quality packing materials are essential to protect your belongings during transit. No one wants their possessions falling out of the bottom of a box. Bubble wrap or packing paper should be used for exceptionally fragile items such as glassware, mirrors, and frames. Vacuum-sealed and heavy-duty bags for clothing items can work wonders in keeping them compact and tidy. Investing in these supplies is a small price to pay for the safety of your belongings.
Packing supplies should include:
- Moving boxes (professional grade)
- Packing tape
- Bubble wrap
- Packing paper / Newspaper
- Marker pens and labels
Finest Tips:
1. If you pop by your local store, you can take unwanted stock boxes that you can use for your packing, which can help you cut costs. Make sure that these boxes are sturdy, double-walled ply cardboard.
2. Packing your boxes to a comfortable weight and not overfilling them will make them much more manageable when lifting and manoeuvring.
3. For extra protection, lining your moving boxes with packing paper and filling any gaps with packing paper can help to keep all the items within the box compact, ensuring minimal movement and reducing the risk of breakages during transit.
Labelling & Packing Your Boxes
Creating an inventory list and clearly labelling boxes with their contents and the room they belong to, or simply placing coloured labels on the boxes with the allocated room they belong to in your new home, will make the unloading process much easier and more efficient for you and the movers. Label the top and side of your boxes. It can save you time when searching for specific items. Strategically sifting through and packing each room in your house, completely one room at a time, will make everything more organised, keeping all the items together and ensuring no personal belongings are accidentally missed.
In our experience, packing and sorting all your household items can often take longer than one may think. Most people tend not to realise how much stuff they have until everything is taken out and requires sorting and packing. Last-minute packing can bring about unnecessary stress and can even lead to items getting lost and broken. It’s always good to start decluttering as early as you can.
Finest Tips:
1. Pack your everyday essentials and important documents last and clearly label them so they can be unpacked first.
2. Items from your refrigerator and freezer, including food and drinks, should be packed on the moving day in appropriate bags.
Getting Help & Assistance
Feeling overwhelmed by the amount of packing you need to do? Don't be afraid to ask for help. Whether it's from family, friends, or professionals, getting assistance with packing can make the process quicker, provide practical and moral support, and ease the burden on you. Remember, you don't have to do it all alone.
If you don’t have the option of assistance from family or friends to help you pack your personal belongings or require a few fragile and awkward items to be wrapped, handled and transported with the utmost care, have no fear, Finest Van offers full and partial professional packing services to cater to your specific requirements at competitive prices, with full insurance and liability coverage. Our Finest team of professional packers and movers can aid in taking away the mental strain of packing off your shoulders and onto ours, leaving you with one less task to think about. We want you to focus on the more essential things: you and your new home!
If you decide to book a packing service with Finest Van we always provide high-quality moving boxes and materials for your move. Moreover, once your move is complete and your items have been unpacked, we can arrange for a free collection of the boxes at a mutually convenient time. Simples!
Contact Your Utility Suppliers
Before you get caught up in all the packing and excitement of moving, it’s vital to notify your utility suppliers of your change of address so everything can be ready as soon as you move into your new home. Who doesn’t want their Wi-Fi up and running right from the off so they can sit back and relax, watching their favourite streaming service or answering those last few work emails?
- Your utility suppliers can include:
- Water, Gas, and Electricity
- Council Tax
- Billing Address
- Broadband and phone suppliers
Book Child or Pet Care
You, of course, want the move to continue on this smooth path, so if you have any children or pets that are vulnerable or too young, you should have time allocated for their care so they are out of any distractions or harm’s way.
Arrange Parking Reservations
Reserving parking for your removal company as close as you can to the main entrance of your building can make all the difference in terms of a quicker and more efficient load and unload time. Parking can be reserved through your local council. If there isn’t parking directly outside your property, it is essential to consider this when booking the amount of time required for your move, as the further the walking distance to and from your property to the van, the longer the load time. Sometimes, a longer walking distance can be inevitable (such as when living on a busy main road). Rest assured, removal specialists are well-versed with this scenario and will always find the most efficient parking place. Additionally, removal specialists are usually fit and strong, and they are not afraid to put in a good shift, no matter the walking distance.
For your peace of mind, your removal company will be more than happy to discuss the parking situation with you when booking your move. Based on your circumstances, they may also suggest pre-booking more time for your move, as this may prove cheaper than if the moving time goes outside the scheduled time frame on the day, which would be more costly.
Finest Tip:
1. Placing bins in the space outside your property, the evening before or on the morning of your move, can be a great way to deter other vehicles from parking there.
Arranging Transportation to Your New Abode
Don’t forget about the most crucial person moving... you! We know not everybody drives or has access to a vehicle, so there are a few options for travelling to your new home:
- On the day of your move, you can ask your removal company if you can catch a lift with them in the front cabin. However, this is likely limited to one person in the van if there are two moving specialists, and is only available for short journeys.
- Ask a friend or family member, or seek alternate means of travel, especially if you are moving further afield to a new town/city, such as public transport or pre-booking a train, taxi or ZipCar.
Keep to Hand Important Contacts
It’s always a good idea to keep important contacts to hand in case you need to get in touch and vice versa, such as:
- Estate Agents
- Landlord
- Removal Company
- Child & Pet care
- Family & Friends
- Place of Employment
- Utility Suppliers
- Local Council
Your Mental-wellness & Mental-wellbeing
Moving can be exhaustive physically and emotionally, and taking care of number one - YOU - is vital. Getting enough rest before your moving day, taking breaks, and staying hydrated during your move will help you stay relaxed, focused, calm-headed, and power you to reach the summit of moving mountains. You’ve reached a new milestone in your life, so well done! It’s moving day. Let your moving specialists do what they do best, as your belongings are now in good hands. Enjoy and embrace your moving experience!
Finest Tips:
1. If you have any questions or concerns, you can always speak with family, friends and your removal company, who will be more than happy to discuss any concerns.
2. Don’t forget the keys to your new place!
Conclusion
At Finest Van, we’ve been in the business for over fifteen years, so we truly understand that moving houseis a significant achievement. This article is intended to be a guide to help prepare you for some of the complexities of moving home. We want your moving experience to be as seamless and as stress-free as possible.
If you choose to book your moving journey with us at Finest Van, our experienced team of specialists will provide you with only the finest moving services. From the smallest of intricacies, packing, to the careful handling of cherished fragile items, and secure and efficient transporting of your possessions, you can be rest assured in the knowledge we will quite literally alleviate the weight of moving off your shoulders and onto ours, providing you with the seamless moving experience you deserve. We wish you the very best with your moving journey.
From your friendly neighbourhood, Finest Van. Happy Moving Day!
