Stay ahead of the pack with our expert duo
Are you moving house soon? Well don’t panic – we have an essential guide to make the no1 cause of family stress a walk in the park.
Experts Kath Woods and Zoe Miller run All About The Move, a bespoke home-moving company.
Here, they give us their essential tips and insider secrets to make YOUR move a breeze.
1 Declutter
Only take with you what you need or love. Start many weeks before your moving day as it is very time consuming process, but also liberating, streamlining all the long-forgotten items that you have not looked at since your last move. Take digital records of memories.
2 Fix unfinished DIY jobs
Dripping taps, blown light bulbs paint touch-ups. Get them done.
3 Get organised
Run down freezer contents a month before the move. Remember to defrost it the night before. Pack a cleaning caddy and include sturdy bin liners, marker pen, old towels, and put a fresh bag in your vacuum cleaner so everything is to hand and ready for last-minute tidy ups in the old house and to get started in your new one.
4 Set a budget for removals and do your research
Who will give you additional services for the same amount of money?
Also ensure you check insurance, Covid policies and all small print.
5 Get packing
Start early. It always takes much longer than you think. Pack by category rather than by room. Label by category and room, and number the order that the boxes should be unpacked. For example put all artwork, mirrors, pictures and frames into one pile. When you move into your new house it will make choosing what goes where so much easier as it’s not pre-judged on which room it was in before. This also keeps fragile items together in the removals van.
6 Pack a case for each family member with essentials for at least two days
These should be taken in your car. Also have bedding and towels for each person in individual tied-up bundles. Any delays or issues with getting keys will not be a problem as you will have everything you need to hand.
7 Separate clothes into categories too
Fold clothes at the packing stage so when you unpack they are already beautifully folded and ready to go into drawers.
8 Have a safe box Safely pack all your valuables, important documents and paperwork in a separate container. Keep separate and personally take them with you to the new home.
9 Bag it
If dismantling furniture, put all the hardware in labelled Ziploc bags and label each bag for the correct piece of furniture. Tape leads and extension leads to the electric unit they come from. Take a picture of the back before disconnecting the leads so you can easily put back together.
10 Fill smaller boxes with heavier items
Pack in different ways to suit different rooms and their contents. Kitchen: Pack dishes vertically. Toiletries: To stop leaks, unscrew top, cover neck of bottle with cling film then screw top back on.
All About The Move is the bespoke home removals service which takes the hassle out of moving. Kath, Zoe and their team will pack up your old home, clean the property and move everything to your new home, where they will clean, unpack and leave you to relax.
They can arrange repairs or decorating at either home for an additional charge. Prices start from just £300 for a one-bedroom move. l For further information go to www.allaboutthemove.co.uk