What Do I Need to do in the Week Before Moving House?
Oct 12. 2021
You’re a week away from the moving day, here’s a few useful pointers to make sure you’re on track for the big day:
- Draw up a plan for where you want the effects to be placed in your new property. Have a think about this and prepare in the week before the move. This will help the removal crews a lot on moving day.
- Plan where the removals van will park to load and unload. If there are any restrictions at either property it’s best to discuss this with the removals company as early on as possible and certainly before moving day itself. Take into account where you can park your own vehicles etc as each removal van will typically need 50ft of parking. The closer the van can park next to your property the better, as this will enable the crews to work as efficiently as possible and in bad weather, it will reduce the time your effects are exposed to the elements whilst they’re being loaded and unloaded.
- Finalise details with the moving company. In particular, if you’re moving long distance and it’s possible to supply the removals company with a spare key before the day of the move, it’s advantageous to do so to avoid the removal van arriving ahead of your own vehicle and having to wait. The crew will be able to carry on and ensure the move is completed on schedule. Also ensure that they have your mobile numbers etc in case they need to contact you during transit.
- Arrange child and pet care for moving day. If you have young children and certainly if you have pets they must be kept out of the way of the removal crews to ensure safety. It will be a busy day and would be best to organise for them to be looked after. Give friends and family enough notice if you need help.
- In the run up to moving day, you’ll need to run down frozen food and try to minimise perishable foods. Freezers need to be defrosted before transit, so this will need to be done in the week before moving day. It will need a good 24 hours, at least, to totally defrost.
- If you’re doing your own packing, by the time you’re a week away from moving day, most items should be packed up and you will be just using the essentials which will be packed last. Try to clean as many of the clear surfaces and empty cupboards etc as you can. This will make for clean and welcoming premises for your buyers and if you’re renting, this will be important to help secure the return of your deposit.
- This is also a good time to ensure that the utilities are set up at the new house. Contact all the utility companies for your new home to make sure the accounts are up-to-date, they have everything that they need from you so that you’re able to turn everything on in your new premises from the second you move in.
