If moving is one of the most stressful events in your life, don’t panic! Being prepared for this not very pleasing journey is half the battle. And to be prepared, I only mean to make a checklist and stick to it. But stick to the list, remember to stick to the list.
So, here are 3 main points with the most important things to make your moving experience seamless and maybe, even, pleasant.
Take a piece of paper, a pencil and a deep breath. Let’s go!
Preparation
1. To begin with, pick a moving day and exact time.
2. Avoid Fridays and bank holidays when removal companies are usually busy and even charge more money for their services. It is better to choose days in the middle of the week – less stressful.
3. If you are busy and have no time to carry the packing responsibilities all the way along, call the professionals. You can ask friends or relatives who have moved recently to recommend removal firms.
Packing
1. It is strongly recommended to double-check your possessions are insured for transit. Most removal companies provide this but it is best to check what it covers. Sometimes there are exclusions. For example, if you pack something by yourself it may not be covered by the removal firm's insurance. Also, if you have any precious items make notices and hang them on stuff you want to keep an eye on.
2. Before you move in, make sure your new apartment is clean. Hire a cleaning company or ask removal firm. Some of them arrange such services you need to check. Anyway, you won’t be happy to arrive at new place and start your new life by cleaning.
3. The day before the removal firm arrives, make total clear out. As my sister would say: throw all unnecessary stuff away (or I’ll come and do it by myself :)). If there are valuable items that you don’t need anymore, they can be auctioned or sold at any website which sells second-hand stuff. Other items can be donated or recycled. If nothing can be done – throw it away. No matter how hard it is, don’t take rubbish to a new apartment.
4. If you have children, ask someone to look after them or try to plan your moving while they are at school or busy at after-school classes, or both. If you have pets, ask your friends to look after them. If you decide to book them into kennels or a cattery, don’t send them with moving company. While moving, pets usually experience a big stress, so don’t raise it twice sending them with strangers.
5. Be nice and make a list for people who are moving into your property, such as instruction leaflets and service information for the heating, appliances (if there are any) recycling schemes and rubbish collection, anything related that you can remember.
6. Collect all the keys to your home, including those left with relatives or neighbors or any other strange people that newcomers won’t understand. Give the keys to your real estate agent or landlord, or leave to neighbors while having notified both.
7. It would be great to make a scale plan of each room in your new home to give to the removal professionals, so they know exactly where to put everything. But before that, make notes on each package so they can understand your message and take the right stuff in the right places.
8. The last, but not the least step is to have a serious conversation with your postman. Leave a new address where all your letters should be redirected.
Moving
1. Ensure the removal firm can enter your new home without problems. How awkward it is when removal firms arrive to unpack and the door is locked and no one has keys, or have the wrong keys. Make sure this won’t happen with you. And when you arrive check that the phone, security alarm, electricity, gas, central heating, water and of course the internet work properly.
2. Check whether all that things the apartment went with (curtains, carpets, etc.) are in. If something is missing from the list (and I hope you have it), contact your agent and resolve this situation immediately.
3. Change locks in your new apartment - you never know who the previous owners may have given spare keys to in the past. If you are too tired to do this the same day, put a big notice so tomorrow it is number one to do.
4. If everything went smoothly then there is nothing left to do, except collapse onto sofa and open a bottle of beer or else what you can find. Enjoy your stay at your new place.
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