Published on Monday, 30 July 2012
Moving is tricky. Even when you've hired a perfectly qualified and reputable removals specialist in your area, there are a lot of things that can go wrong along the way. Even more worrying, your work does not end at hiring the removals company, because their services will only go so far. The fact is, you will have to do the majority of the packing yourself, as well as supervise the entire process. You will have to take care of all of your personal belongings, any pets that will be transported, your own transportation and a host of other challenges along the way. But where exactly does your work end and the removers begin? This article will aim to answer precisely this questions.
1. First of all, you will have to take care of almost all the packing. This means any personal belongings, furniture, small appliances, decorations, rugs, plants and the like will be your responsibility. Some removers do offer packing services for these things, but that will set you back more money-wise and it is simply not necessary if you have a few people to help you. This means that all of the organization involved in packing will be in your hands. You will have to plan everything in advance and it helps in this situation if you have a system. The best way to go about removals and packing is the "room by room" approach, meaning you should clear out one room at a time. While doing this, you may want to pack the smallest items first, then the larger ones, then the large furniture and so on. If you're having your removals done professionally, the removers will be able to uninstall any large appliances or built-in fixtures. They may also be able to take off and pack any shelves, wall art and similar items as well as pack them, so you do not need to worry about this. The carpeting, particularly if it consists of large, full floor carpets can also be handled by the removers, however, you will need to discuss all of this in advance.
2. The employees of the removal company will move your things into your new place, and they can move it into specific rooms as well, instead of dropping everything off in the hallway. However, to do this, they will need specific instructions or explicitly labeled boxes. A good idea is to use a system of colour coordination. This is fairly simple - just label each room in your new home with a different colour and then put the same colour labels on the corresponding boxes. Whatever organizational system you end up using, however, make sure to explain it to the removers once they arrive to avoid any confusion.
3. After everything is taken out of your house or flat and before you leave yourself, make sure to check each room individually for anything left behind. The removers will take good care of your things most of the time, but it never hurts to make sure that everything is in order. And do not forget that you will also have to arrange for your own transportation, along with any pets you own.
4. Remember to keep a few personal items, some "basic necessities", if you will, with you. This, of course, includes the typical things you need every time you leave the house, as well as some refreshments for the road and a sort of "survival kit" with items to spend your first night comfortably, in case you arrive at your new place too late to go shopping or to unpack.
