Removals and Storage

…for your moving day:

1. Prepare a box of ‘essentials’ - i.e. coffee, tea, sugar, a few mugs, toilet paper, mobile phone charger, local takeaway menu’s and a bottle of wine - and keep it in the car so it doesn’t get lost amongst your other belongings on the day.
   You will definitely need this for that first evening (and maybe second and third) when you’re unpacking your things, and everything is just generally hectic.
2. Save important ‘on-the-day’ numbers in your phone, don’t just write them down.
   Your removal company’s number is most important, just in case you need to get hold of them. Perhaps you could take down the number of your local storage company, locksmith’s and cleaners too - you never know what could go wrong!
3. Carefully secure your pets and try to keep them calm during the move.
   The last thing you want is a runaway dog, or your removal men being attacked by a stressed out cat.
4. Keep a few toy, books and some food unpacked for your children, and designate them an empty room to play in, or give them a small task to keep them occupied, during the move. Moving day can be very boring or confusing for the little ones, so a little free space goes a long way (and hopefully they will be less upset when they see their things being hauled into a van!).
5. Don’t freak out.
   Stay calm, drink lots of fluids and eat regularly. Moving is hectic and stressful (and it can be upsetting seeing all your memories packed into boxes) but stay calm and remember that in a weeks time when everything is over and unpacked, you will have a lovely new home to fill with new memories.

Good Luck!

10 things to remember before the removals van comes - or how to not stay friends with your  soon to be ex neighbours

1. Pack the cat, or leave the little vicious creature behind.

2. Wear clean undies, you new house will notice, or you might get hit by the removal van.

3. Give the postman a leaving present (wink wink). Or the milkman, you choose but don’t be over generous

4. Set fire to your neighbours fence, the one you don’t like obviously, claim it’s an accident.

5. Leave a note for the new people, claim the house is haunted and you couldn’t stand it any longer.

6. Remember your stash from under the floorboard in the cupboard. No explanation required.

7. Deliberately over stuff the bin, even though collection isn’t until next week.

8. Remove all the light bulbs; the person in your new house might have done the same.

9. Stand naked in your garden, it might be the last chance you get. Alternatively, put out the wheelie bin with just a kitchen apron on.

10. Infest the garden pond with something that will eat the fist, i.e. a crocodile. If no crocodile available, buy a piranha or a shark from the local pet store. Set up a hidden video camera.

When moving home you must remember to tell people who have your old address what the new one will be. Important people to inform your change of address are the bank and any other financial establishments who have your details.

Of course tell your family and friends too.

The telephone company should be told which day you will move so that you can arrange to pay right up to the last day of residence and also you should tell them or the new company at the new address, when you are moving in to that address.

The gas company should be told about the move for the same reason and the electric company. Also tell the water company. All these utilities must be paid up to the last day and the new area companies should be informed if they are different.

Don’t forget the council tax people. Your TV license can be stopped on the day you move and a new one started for the new address. If you have bought a whole year’s license, you can send it back for refund on the remaining months.

Arrange with the local post office to forward your mail that may filter through and make sure to inform the people who are still writing to the old address that you have moved. If you have a TV service or internet connection paid for to the old house, tell the companies so that they can set you up at the new one and you can just hopefully continue where you left off but in a new area. You don’t want to be paying for someone else to have those facilities.

 Some removal companies will move a full fridge or freezer but it isn’t too much bother really just to empty them gradually leading up to the move and defrost them ready. That way they will be fresh and clean when they get to the new building. You can put any remaining cold things in a cool box. Before you go, check the roof space to see that you haven’t left anything in there that you will regret. Once you vacate for the last time, anything remaining becomes the next owner’s property.

Also check sheds and garage. Turn off any taps and switch off all the electrical sockets and the heating and lights. Lock the door and leave the key at the arranged place.

Happy moving day:)

Moving house can be a stressful time. Here are some tips to make it easier:

(1) Arrange for redirection of mail in advance, to avoid a delay in receiving important items like bills.

(2) If you have deliveries made to the house such as milk or newspapers, give several weeks notice to cancel them, and rearrange them for your new address.

(3) Arrange to have your meters read in your current address, and pay the final bills.

(4) When packing, try and pack items in boxes according the rooms they are from.

(5) Have a good clear out before you move; give unwanted items to charity shops.

(6) Make sure that your belongings are insured when in transit.

(7) Arrange for telephone, internet and television to be connected in your new address.

(8) Give out your new address to all relevant companies, such as banks and credit card companies, and your family and friends.

(9) Have a cash float available to deal with unexpected expenses.

(10) When you arrive, check for loss or damage immediately.

Almost 75% of homeowners in the UK have taken the decision to move house at least four times and have added or reduced their mortgage repayments in the process.

A third of the population are changing address on a regular basis in pursuit of their ideal home and by the time homeowners reach the age of 65, they will have lived in at least six or more properties in the pursuit of finding their little corner of the world that they can truly call home.

Looking at current house prices, each homeowner will have spent anywhere in the region of £1.2 million from continually moving home including costs like removal services.

The trend for moving home on a regular basis has become so noticeable that the Brits have been described as a nation of ‘home hoppers’.

What are the main reasons for moving house?
Well, many are striving to climb the property ladder, whilst others move house to be closer to family and friends. The desire for a larger home is also hot on the list for ‘home hoppers’ and one in four cited career or work as the main reason to move house. Elderly home owners want to move house in order to downsize and 25% of pensioners are looking for smaller houses, bungalows or flats now that their offspring have flown the nest.

The region most known for ‘home hopping’ can be found in East Anglia, Yorkshire and Humberside where half the residents in this area move house each year.

The size of a property increases with age and decreases at around 55 when most homeowners complete the circle and start looking for smaller properties once again.

The younger generation love to move house and during the past twelve months over 50% of 25 to 34 year olds have had a change of address.

Moving home is a back breaking process and involves even more work when you have been living in the same house for a number of years.

It is amazing how much junk you accumulate so you need to be ruthless when deciding what you are going to throw away when you’re moving house. Magazines soon mount up and are a very heavy burden, so toss them aside along with any old cheque books, papers receipts and out of date bills/accounts. CDs which are never listened to could make a trip to the charity shop along with old videotapes which are no longer watched and clothing that has lost its appeal etc.

A good way to offload unused brick-a-brack is to hold a moving home garage sale. This will give you the opportunity to make a bit of spare cash and lighten the load in the removal van. Remember a removal van hire usually charges by the amount of space that you take up, so only take items that you use and need.

Keep reminding yourself that moving home is a good thing and it will give you a chance to clear out the old and make way for the new. Positive thoughts about a home move will make the process so much easier and not so emotionally draining. The following quote will also come in handy; ‘Move as little as possible to be comfortable’.

When you finally make your home move, you will notice that your new home is full of the old tenant’s vibes and energies. A good moving home tip is to scatter salt over all of the carpets and leave it there for several hours. Feng Shui experts say that the salt will absorb this excess energy which can then be vacuumed up. Be sure to empty the dust bag immediately afterwards and throw it into the outside rubbish bin.