Given adequate preparation, your moving day can be fun; you jump into your car, close the door on your old life and head towards your new place filled with excitement. This is especially true if you have enlisted the help of an experienced, skilled removal company for your house move.
We post a great deal about how to prepare properly in the run up to removals day, but what about when it comes to the moving day itself? Is there anything you need to do on the big day to help things run smoothly?
Here are five key tips for an easy and enjoyable removals day:
1. Prepare the car in your house
This may sound odd but it doesn’t mean what it sounds like! It means preparing what would go in your car and leaving it in one of your main rooms, for example the living room. This way you don’t have to worry about the insurance risk of leaving your car packed overnight but will benefit from being able to load the car very easily on the morning of removals day. Put the stuff that can be packed first at the front, and make sure your important documents and valuables – such as jewellery – are easily recognisable and secured.
The items listed in our Moving Day Survival Kit offer a good guide of what to keep with you on the day of your house move.
2. Stay secure
Moving day can be a security risk as your doors and windows will be open and you’ll have many people coming and going. It can be a good idea to have someone stationed at the major exits as a security measure.If this isn't possible you could secure all valuables away from public view and keep them with you at all times. Keeping your valuables and important items at a friend’s house in advance of the move is also a way to mitigate risk.
Making sure you've got a professional, uniformed removal company can also help you stay secure as it will be immediately obvious if anyone wandering around isn't working for you.
3. Keep pets at a family member’s house
Moving with pets isn’t impossible, but it’s not that easy and it may complicate matters on moving day if your pet is a bad traveller or reacts badly to the upheaval at your old or new house. Keeping them at a family member’s house not only reduces the risk of them getting upset but also makes the journey less stressful for you. Once you’ve arrived at your new house, or once you’ve unpacked the majority of your belongings, you can pick your pet up and settle them into your house far more easily.
4. Get by with a little help from your friends
Friends are like gold dust on moving day and the more you have around the more secure you’ll feel. It can be tough at first when you have a removals team coming and going and removing all your possessions, but having friends around you to help you feel safer and more at ease is a great way to help the day go smoothly. They can also help out with practical issues, such as loading the car or dealing with your kids, and may be able to provide accurate directions or deal with any last minute issues that would overwhelm you if you were on your own.
5. Take a break and make eating easy
Cooking and preparing food is a big ‘no no’ on removals day – you simply won’t have the time. Prepare some sandwiches the night before, the more the better really, and ensure you take them with you when it’s time to get into the car. The same goes for dinner when you get to your new house – if you can simply heat up a pre-made dish, things will be much easier for you, particularly if you have a family. Or even better, order a takeaway! Less clearing up, and no need to worry if you can't find the box with your cutlery and crockery - although don't forget to update your address if ordering online or through an app!
Make sure the kettle, mugs, milk, tea, coffee and biscuits are packed separately, so you have easy access to them throughout the day. Unloading is enough - you'll probably need a caffeine break before all the unpacking and organising starts!
Updated March 2020