Moving house hacks – 10 secret tricks only removals professionals know about
Moving house needn’t be stressful if you get organised and follow our step-by-step checklist. But for a really smart move, try these clever hacks…
Pre-Move Hacks
1. Get a removals quote even if you don’t yet have a moving date
Don’t worry if your moving date is doubtful, go ahead and get a removals survey and quote as early as possible. That way you’ll have a set price to book in, even if your date is only confirmed late.
2. Ask your removals firm to sort out your parking reservations
One irritating practical feature of moving house can be making sure you have the correct parking reservations for a lorry or van, according to the local regulations. Your remover may well be able to handle this for you at minimal extra cost – try them.
3. Deliver new furniture direct to storage
If you’re kitting out your new home with new furniture, don’t fill up your current house or be forced to go for weeks without a sofa after you move. Have things sent direct to your removers’ storage facilities in the weeks running up to move, ready to be put in place on day one.
4. Declutter in storage
This is especially useful for people downsizing late in life. Have everything moved to storage and declutter from there. It’s less stressful than trying to do it in the home, and will give you a good idea of what you can realistically live without.
Packing Hacks
5. Mark the tape, not the box
When boxing things up, use a marker pen to note the contents and room they’ll end up in – but write on the tape. That way boxes can be reused when you peel it off.
6. Use colour-coded stickers for complex moves
If your stuff is going to multiple locations use coloured stickers on boxes and furniture to indicate the destination (e.g. red = storage, blue = Bristol house, yellow = Islington flat).
7. Take photos of your electrical set-ups
If you’ve got snaps of your electrical wiring, plugs etc, you can quickly recreate your set-ups in your new home.
8. Create an ‘open first’ box
Close to your moving day, pack a box with all the things you’ll be glad to have straight away. Include: bedding, towels, plates, mugs, crockery, pots and pans and your alarm clock, and label it ‘Open First’.
Moving Day Hacks
9. Take a Moving Day Toolkit with you in the car
When you arrive at the new house there may be various little practical jobs to do and problems to solve. Make sure you have the following in the car with you: a selection of lightbulbs; a vacuum cleaner and cleaning materials; some basic tools (screwdriver, hammer, allen key, pliers, wrench).
10. Show your removals crew around your new home
Tell your removers which room belongs to which person – as long as the boxes are labelled correctly, unpacking will be a breeze.
And a bonus hack to make your first few days a bit easier…
11. Get your dinner delivered
Google the local takeaways before you arrive for the first night, and do an online grocery shop to arrive the next morning, so you don’t have to spend half your first day at the supermarket.
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