Getting your house ready for your removal team

1. Find out what your removal company will be doing on the day

Removal companies offer lots of different services, so make sure you’re clear about what your team will be doing on the day. Will they be packing for you? Will they provide all the boxes and other materials? Do they dismantle your furniture? Will they provide rails or boxes with rails for hanging clothes? Find our early, as these services will make the process much quicker for you when moving day arrives, but might cost you more if you haven’t agreed to them beforehand.

2. Decide which items should stay, and what needs to go

To reduce the number of boxes that need to be transported on moving day, be honest about what you do and don’t need. See your move as an opportunity to declutter your home by donating or selling unwanted items in advance. Make sure everything is packed away and boxed up in advance of the removals team arriving to ensure the process runs smoothly on the day.

3. Create an inventory

While packing your belongings, make a detailed inventory. Also include a brief overview of what’s in each box, and remember to write down any specific marks or dents on your furniture before it goes in the van, so you can track any damage.

4. Ask what your removal team won’t transport

Certain items, such as fresh food, plants and flammable substances, will be off-limits for your removal team. Make sure you find out which items can’t be transported before you pack, so you can make alternative arrangements and avoid any last-minute flusters.

5. Don’t forget the everyday electricals

Before your removal team arrive, make sure your freezer has been completely defrosted. Then, unplug it and make sure there’s no uneaten food or items left inside. In preparation, make sure you have plenty of non-perishable food for the week leading up to the move. Also unplug any other electricals and if you have any complex electrical configurations, such as a sound system, take photographs of how the wires and plugs were set up to ensure you can get easily set up in your new home.

6. Make sure your kids (and pets) are being looked after

It’s worth making sure young children and pets are being looked after by friends or family elsewhere before the team starts loading up. With heavy furniture and boxes being moved around, it’s safer and easier to have the little ones out of harm’s way.

7. Take out extra insurance cover

If you have especially valuable items – perhaps an antique table or expensive sofa – you should take out extra insurance to cover your belongings in transit. Check any existing cover you have, and the insurance on offer from the removal company. To make sure a removals company is reputable and trustworthy, check to see if they are BAR (British Association of Removers) registered. This will give you confidence that they will carry out the job professionally and efficiently, looking after the most precious items with care from start to finish.