Moving House Checklist

3-4 weeks before you move

• Confirm the date of the move with us.
• Arrange childcare for the moving day – Moving with children can be stressful, but there are ways to manage the impact on them. Although older children may well want to be involved in your move, and even help you pack and organise some things, you may decide that it will be less stressful for younger children if you arrange for them to go to relatives or friends on the moving day.
• Make arrangements for moving your pets – Moving can be very disruptive for pets so you may want to ask a vet for specialist advice on taking care of your animals during the move.
• Take a full inventory and start sorting out your belongings.
• Clear out unwanted belongings – Planning a fresh start in your new home is an ideal time to clear out any unwanted belongings. You can give these items to friends and family, give them away with Freecycle, or hold a garage sale. Local charity shops will also welcome smaller items such as books, ornaments, some furniture or clothing.
• Get the essential moving supplies.
• Start packing items you don’t use very often and start emptying your freezer.

2 weeks before you move

• Notify your essential service providers, banks and any other financial institutions, about your move. You will need to arrange for water, gas and electricity meter readings on the day of your move. Make sure that all services are connected in your new home the day you move in.
• Have your telephone number transferred or changed.
• Arrange for your post to be redirected – Contact Royal Mail if you want to have your post redirected.
• Organise the disconnection and reconnection of domestic appliances, like your washing machine, cooker, and gas fires.
• Plan the moving day in detail.
• Decide how you are going to transport your valuable items, like jewellery, money, antiques, plants, and pets.
• Finalise everything with us. Confirm arrival dates, addresses, and think about parking facilities for the removal van.

1 week before you move

• Finish packing all non-essential items and clean the house thoroughly.
• Check attic, garage, and basement for items you might have forgotten.
• Put all important documents in one box or bag which you will move yourself – this should include passports, driving licenses, wills, birth certificates, insurance papers, cash and jewellery.
• Cancel any regular deliveries you have to your present home, like milk or newspapers.

The day before you move

• If you have ordered our professional packing service, you have to prepare some things to make the packing as fast as possible – You can usually leave drawers and trunks with their contents intact, provided there are no breakable items inside. If you do this, however, it is your responsibility to point out to the crew drawers, wardrobes, cupboards and other containers that have ‘out of sight’ items within.
• Liquids, oils and paints must be placed into sealed containers. We cannot transport inflammable material, so dispose of these safely.
• Defrost and clean your fridge and freezer. Follow the manufacturers’ instructions and empty and defrost your freezer/fridge at least 24 hours, preferably 48 hours, in advance of the move. If you do wish frozen food to be transported in your freezer set it at “fast freeze” for 24 hours before the move, and please note that in this circumstance, freezer and food are moved at your own risk.
• Washing machines. These should be unplumbed and should have a transit bar fitted. If you need assistance, contact your local plumber and service agent.
• General gas and electrical appliances. Have a qualified fitter disconnect gas and electrical appliances, and secure them appropriately for removal (e.g. fires, heaters, clocks, light fittings, T.V. aerial). Your cooker may be disconnected and reconnected on the removal day, although the removal crew are not allowed to do this. If a professional does it for you, it must be done early so it does not hold up the removal crew.
• Fixtures and fittings. Items attached to the fabric of the house should be detached in readiness. Take down and unfasten any items you intend to take such as:- curtains, curtain rails, pelmets, light fittings, shelving, picture hooks, cupboards, cabinets, etc. Carpets and floor coverings that are tacked or stuck down should be unfastened although the removal crew will lift them and re-lay but not refit them. Mirrors and pictures fastened to the wall should be unfastened, although the removal crew will take down (but not rehang) those hanging in the usual way.
• Self-assembly furniture. For Larger pieces of furniture such as wardrobes Manufacturers’ instructions suggest that this should travel in a disassembled state. Removers therefore take no responsibility if it is to be moved in an assembled state. They will strongly recommend that you should arrange for it to be dismantled yourself. Since this kind of furniture is designed to be assembled only once, if you require a remover to dismantle or reassemble it he will not guarantee its final condition
• Plants. Any plants should be prepared for travel the day before. Do not water them on the day of removal.
• Empty all bins; it is your responsibility to ensure that all bins are emptied of contents. Removal crew will not carry any type of receptical containing refuse. This is particularly important when your goods are due to go into storage for a period of time.
• Put together a ‘do not remove pile’ These should be packed (with the kettle, etc.) in a container marked “load last/unload first”, and should include items such as:- light bulbs, loo rolls, first aid kit, torch, matches, screwdriver, knife or pair of strong scissors, string, etc.

Moving day

You can now leave the hard work to us, but there are a few essential things you will need to take care of.

• Access. Arrange for clear access for the removal van at both ends of the move. If necessary contact the police if there is likely to be a nuisance to traffic. You will already have informed the remover if there are any restrictions or parking problems, especially at the delivery end.
• Be present when the movers arrive and answer their questions when necessary.
• Check the condition of your belongings as they are being loaded.
• Perform final checks before leaving your home – Make sure that meter readings are taken, that water and power supply are turned off, and that doors and windows are closed.
• Make sure that you are not leaving anything behind. Walk around your property, ideally with the foreman of our removal crew to check that nothing has been overlooked.
• Drop keys at the estate agents if you need to.
• Make sure that you have exchanged contact numbers with our removal team, and arrange a time to meet them at your new home.
• When you walk into your new home, don’t start unpacking right away. Give yourself some time to enjoy your new home, sit down and relax. The most stressful part of the move is over. Only start unpacking when you feel relaxed and energetic.
• If you have requested an unpacking service, please assist the crew to ensure that items are placed in the appropriate rooms. You will need to place items such as clothes into wardrobes and cupboards.
• Our removal crew will remove the majority of debris from packing materials, however if there are any left behind or you have asked to complete the unpacking, please contact us via the number on side of the box from your home number. We will then arrange for a convenient day to collect the materials so they can be recycled.