DPH Removals Moving House Checklist
"Through experience we have found that a smooth stress-free move is all about being well packed, prepared and organised".
The best way to achieve a smooth running house, office of shop move is to make use of our many years of removals experience. Over time we have seen most mistakes that our customers have made, that could have been avoided with more thorough planning.
To this end we have complied a moving house checklist for you, including many helpful tips below.
Your Preparation
- Familiarise yourself with the contents of our moving house checklist
- Think and plan well ahead, do not leave everything to the last minute before the move.
- Take some time to sort through your belongings and have a good clear-out. Do a car boot sale or two, donate items to charity or sell them online.
- OR move some items to our Manor Road Storage temporarily.
- We offer the option of full insurance for your removal
- Check as well that your contents insurance will cover damage and breakages during the move.
- Decide what you will be calling the rooms at your new house, so we/you can match the box labelling to them. Some are obvious e.g. kitchen, but we often have different names for a living room such as lounge, front room, snug etc.
- OR you give each room/area a number and use this as the coding on your boxes.
- Make your list of people and companies to contact about your change of address. We sell ‘Change of Address cards‘ to help make it easy for you to tell people.
- Start early as packing up a house always takes much longer than anticipated.
- If you have an attic, then that is a good place to sort out first.
- Your garden may seem to not have much in it, but the contents of sheds and garages, plus potted plants can soon mount up into a lot of items
DPH Removals Packing Services
We offer our customers three packing services options:
1.
DPH Removals can quote to do your packing for you. Our service includes your packing materials, plus packing by our fully trained Porters who will pack your possessions safely and correctly.
- If you are using DPH Removals to do your packing for you then you will need to allow appropriate time for us to do so. Small packing jobs can be carried out on the day of removal whilst larger jobs may require us to begin packing a few days before your removal day.
- Make a packing plan on paper, or use our Packing Planner Spreadsheet, and stick to your plan.
- OR you give each room/area a number and use this as the coding on your boxes.
2.
You can pack yourself but get your packaging materials and advice from DPH Removals.
- Follow the steps for 1. Above.
- If you show us your packing plan, we will be able to advise on the quantity of packaging materials needed.
3.
You can pack yourself using packaging materials you obtain yourself. This may seem like the cheapest option but can often be a false economy when the wrong kind of boxes etc. are used and fail on moving day.
- Calculate how many boxes you will need and get them from a reputable source.
- Please make sure boxes are strong enough to be fit for purpose. For example, crisp boxes from the shops are for transporting crisps and not your valuable possessions.
- Work out what other materials you will need, such as strong tape, bubble wrap, and self-seal bags for keeping nuts and bolts together.
As moving house, office or shop is likely to be something you do not do very often, it is always sensible to seek professional guidance with packing. If you are in any doubt or have questions, we will be happy to advise you.
Packing Tips
- Print out your moving house checklist
- Spend some time considering how you are going to pack your possessions.
- Books are easy but heavy, valuables need careful wrapping and will take time, and some furniture may need to be dismantled.
- Ensure that your boxes are correctly taped at the bottom, are filled to the top and then taped closed.
- Boxes that are then stacked up will bear weight better when they have been filled to capacity so always do this, even if it means filling remaining space with pillows, towels, blankets, etc.
- Always pack heavy items in small boxes. It will make transporting them easier. Also, keep the weight of all boxes to a manageable weight to avoid any back injuries.
- Do not fill large boxes with heavy items as they will be too heavy to move. Save these for lightweight kitchen items, lamps etc.
- Always pack heavier items at the bottom of the box and lighter items on top to prevent the heavy items from damaging the lighter ones.
- Good strong refuse sacks are good for duvets and soft items and help keep the costs of your packing low; these also come in handy when packing the truck to fill in any awkward shape gaps.
- Label all boxes with the name or number of the rooms they are destined for. This makes life a lot easier at the new premises.
- OR you can choose one or two rooms at your new location to place all of your boxes in. This makes re-assembly and re-adjusting of furniture much easier. You can then grab one box at a time and take it to its location and unpack it at your leisure.
- Put all hazardous materials, such as paint, bleach and aerosols, into a separate box and keep them away from the rest of your possessions.
- Pack one room at a time, clearly labelling each box with details of its contents and the room to where it is destined.
- Boxes will need to be stacked in the removal vehicle, so clearly label boxes that contain breakables so that they are not placed at the bottom of a stack.
- Pillows and blankets are also useful for wrapping valuables and protecting furniture prone to dents and scratches.
- Stick red coloured tape on boxes containing essential items to easily locate
How To Videos
Creating Custom Size Boxes
Packing Unusual Shaped Items
Packing Larger Items
Being Organised
- Keep your moving house checklist handy at all times
- Consider what will you need to be able to find quickly on moving day.
- Pack an ‘essentials’ box for the first night in your new home and carry it with you rather than in the removals truck. Easy access to coffee, tea, snacks, cups and a kettle may be welcome soon after you arrive. As will plates, utensils and a kitchen cloth.
- Prepare an overnight bag for everyone in the family, and make sure that there are enough toiletries for everyone.
- Carry some toilet rolls, tissues and wipes with you.
- Other useful items that should be kept close to hand are your phone chargers, torch, first-aid kit including pain relievers, pencil and paper, re-closable plastic bags and a small tool kit.
- If moving to a new house with pets, then be sure to keep their food and bowls with you. At DPH Removals we will always pack any pet essentials, such as their beds, on to the truck last.
- If moving to a new house with small children, then be sure to keep their food and feeding essentials with you. At DPH Removals we will always pack any child essentials, such as their highchair, cot or toddler bed, on to the truck last.
- Pack important documents together, such as birth and marriage certificates, and keep them in a safe place.
- If possible, finish any laundry well before you move to avoid packing damp clothes. Keep a separate box/bag for dirty washing.
- Make sure the boxes containing items you need the least are loaded on to our removal trucks first.
Moving Day Essentials
On the actual moving day there are certain things on your moving house checklist that you will need to be easily available.