No matter what the situation, moving house is a big task. Whether you’re moving a few doors down or relocating to a whole new city, there is lots to consider when it comes to moving, with each and every move requiring lots of planning and organisation. Below we have put together a handy checklist to help you prepare for your moving day.
Find the right moving company
First and foremost, it is important to find the best removals company for you. Relocating to a new home is a big task; you will want to make sure that the company you choose to go with understands your requirements and offers the services that you need. For example, if you are looking to move something heavy and valuable, such as a piano, you should check that the house removal company you choose has experience with this.
You may think that moving house and all of your belongings single-handedly will save you money, however this is a very difficult task that should be considered carefully. A removals company will have the correct equipment, the right sized van and the expertise to get all of your belongings from A to B with no trouble – something that can be difficult to do yourself.
When choosing a suitable company to help you with your relocation you should check that they offer:
- A survey appointment. To ensure that the removals company has a clear understanding of your requirements and the size of your move, you should make sure that they offer an initial survey. During this visit the company will be able to work out what size van you will need, any special equipment that will be required on the day of the move and how they plan to remove everything from your house.
- A quote. Before you agree to anything, be sure to get a quote from the company. It is also a good idea to shop around and get quotes from other removal companies too, in order to get the best price and value.
- Packing materials and services. Opting for a company that offers packing services will make your move so much easier. They will have experience with packing fragile items as well as larger difficult items and will be able to provide the suitable materials (such as tape, cardboard boxes, crates and bubble wrap).
- Storage space. Handy storage solutions can make your move a lot easier, which is why it is good to look for a company that offers storage as an additional service. Moving house is a pretty hefty task; therefore, moving items that you do not need every day into storage so that you can focus on organising the rest of your home can help. Your new home may not be completely ready yet or you may not have worked out where everything will go. This is where storage can very much come in handy.
Organise your belongings and pre-pack as much as possible
Once you have found a suitable moving company near you and set a date, it is time to start preparing for the big move. Packing up your entire home can be quite a daunting task; where do you even start?
Our advice is to start packing up the rooms that you use the least in your home, such as the guest bathroom or bedroom. When packing, make sure that you label boxes to make the unpacking process in your new home far easier. If you are packing up fragile items, it is wise to label them as fragile so that both you and the removals company know which items to be particularly careful with when packing and unpacking.
Lastly, pack a box of essentials that are easy to access for your first day and night in your new home. This box should include things that you will need for your first 24 hours including toothbrushes, toothpaste, pyjamas, chargers, toilet paper, towels, bin bags, snacks and a basic first aid kit. Don’t forget to pack a bottle of bubbly too, to celebrate your big move!
Don’t forget to let authorities know that you are moving
While packing up your house and ensuring everything is organised accordingly, it can be easy to forget about the important bits. Make sure that you inform all of the essential services of your relocation. Here is a list of who you will want to let know that you are moving address:
- Your employer. This is particularly important for your payroll.
- National Insurance. You will need to update your national insurance information as this is how you are identified by the government.
- Council tax. You should update your council tax if you are moving address; this can easily be done on a relevant gov.uk site.
- Schools. If you have children, you should let the school know that you are moving address. This is important as they will require your up-to-date address should they need to contact you.
- Inland Revenue. When changing address, you should always inform Inland Revenue as they need to know a correct address for your taxes.
As well as informing the appropriate authorities, you will also need to remember to terminate utilities such as gas, electricity and water. After all, you will not want your name and details to be associated with other people’s bills. Also remember to cancel (or update) any subscriptions that are associated with your old address.
Don’t forget to organise your waste disposal
Another factor that can often be overlooked in the stress and chaos of a house move is cleaning and waste disposal. When sorting through your house for your big move, you will more than likely come across items that you no longer use, things that you do not want and probably a lot of junk. Chances are, you won’t want to lug all of this to the new house so, instead, organise how you are going to dispose of these items in advance.
Put aside all of the items that are reusable (such as tools, toys, pieces of furniture, clothes, etc) and donate them to your local charity shop. If you think anything is worth selling, then try to do this ahead of your big move as you do want to bring unwanted items to your new house. For general junk, you should set aside some time for a trip to the local skip.
Arrowpak International: your first-choice house moving company for removal services
Here at Arrowpak International, we have been offering reliable and trustworthy removals services across the globe for almost 40 years. Our friendly and trained team of expert removalists have the skills, experience and knowledge to make your move as hassle-free as possible.
We provide an experienced packing service and are able to supply you with all of the packing materials that you need, making your experience that little bit easier. At Arrowpak International we also offer effective storage space and solutions, helping to keep your household items safe while you relocate.
Whether you are simply moving a street across or to a country on the other side of the world, Arrowpak International can help. We have other 30 years of experience in international removals and will always go above and beyond to ensure that your move is smooth and stress-free.
For more information about the services that we offer, visit our website. Alternatively, request a survey appointment today.
