Eight top tips every home mover should know

Moving house is always going to have its stress points – but it’s our job to try and make the move itself as stress-free as possible.

According to this report, British homeowners move on average once every 11 years – so it’s understandable that the whole process can seem a little overwhelming. However, here at Britannia Turnbulls of Leeds, it’s something we do day in and day out. There’s not much we haven’t seen when it comes to removals in our 150-year history. Some of the stories we could tell…

We know how to get you safely moved from old house to new with the minimum amount of hassle, so you can get on with the job in hand – getting settled into your lovely new home!

So here are our insider top tips that every home mover should know.

1. Always choose a BAR registered removal firm. The British Association of Removers is our industry body and members have to be properly vetted and follow a code of conduct. It offers you much more in the way of reassurance and protection.
2. Don’t leave it to late to get a removal firm organised. Of course there’s every likelihood you won’t know your exact move date until a few weeks before it’s due to happen. However, it’s always worth choosing a removal firm in plenty of time and having them provide you with a quote. Check how long the quote is valid for, but it should give you enough time to go through the sales process. As soon as you know a possible move date, check your chosen firm’s availability and then you can get it booked in as soon as everyone in the chain is agreed.
3. If you’re struggling for time, consider a packing service. Packing can take a very long time, especially if you’re sorting as you go. But for professional packers, such as ourselves, you’d be amazed how quickly we can get things safely packed up and ready to go. It’s well worth considering if you’re struggling to get organised.
4. Don’t scrimp on boxes and packing materials. Cheap boxes will be a false economy. You want good quality boxes which will hold even heavier items securely. Make sure you also seal boxes, top and bottom, with good quality packing tape. The last thing you want is for everything to fall out as it’s being carried! You’ll also need plenty of bubble wrap or packing paper. Ask your removal company what specialist boxes or packing materials they can supply.
5. Consider pets and children ahead of the day. You may find having children or pets around on move day adds to the stress. You may be worried about them darting out of open doors or getting underfoot. If possible, and if you think it best for your family, consider whether it would be worth looking at pet or child care so they’re somewhere safe for move day itself.
6. Go overboard on labelling. We can’t over state this point. Make sure all boxes are clearly labelled with where they need to go in the new house – and for your own benefit, a quick summary of what’s inside. You’ll be grateful when it comes to trying to settle into your new home if you instantly know where things like kitchen equipment and bedding is and that it’s been left in the right room! It’s also best if you write on the top of boxes so the removers can see it as they’re carrying it.
7. Keep an ‘essentials’ box with you of things you might need. We always recommend you keep a box or bag of essentials with you in your transport. That might include tea and coffee, medicines, pet and baby foot, a torch, lightbulbs, toiletries, toilet roll, screwdriver, chargers and so on. Anything you really don’t want to be scrabbling around to find in the first 24 hours! You could also consider transporting your bedding and some nightclothes in your car if there’s space, so if things end up over running in terms of timings you can still crawl into bed and get some rest.
8. If the dates through the chain don’t tie up, don’t worry. If you end up having to move out of your house, but you can’t get into your new house for a few days (or longer), just speak to us. We can arrange to pack your belongings into the van as before, but instead of taking them straight to the new house, we take them to our secure storage centre and unload them as sealed crates. We then keep them safely there until you need us to deliver them back to you.

If you’re looking for a removal company in Leeds, why not get in touch?

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