Moving house is one of life’s most stressful events, but with the right planning and a reliable partner like D&G Moves, it doesn’t have to be. As your trusted removal company in Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Wakefield, York and across Yorkshire, we’re here to help you navigate the process with ease. This month-by-month guide will help individuals and families alike prepare for a seamless transition to their new home.
2 Months Before Moving Day: The Home Removals Blueprint
This is the ideal time to lay the groundwork for a smooth move.
- Secure Your Moving Date: If you can. The earlier you book a removals company, especially for popular times like weekends or end-of-month, the better your availability and potentially lower costs. We do not charge a deposit, or charge cancellation fees so it’s best we have your expected move date in the diary and move it if it changes. Try and let us know at this stage if you wish to do all the packing and furniture dismantling yourself, just so we know roughly how long we’ll need an how many staff we’ll need on the job. We can also discuss waste removal and secure storage solutions, if required nearer the time.
- Declutter, Declutter, Declutter! This is your golden opportunity to get rid of anything you no longer need or want. Go through every room, cupboard, and attic space. Consider selling items online, donating to charity, or utilising council recycling collections for larger items. The less you move, the less you pay and the easier the process.
- Measure Up Your New Home: If possible, ask your estate agent if you can pop into your new property to measure rooms, doorways, and stairwells. This information will help you to know what needs dismantling prior to the move.
- Research & Notify Utilities: Start looking into broadband and energy providers for your new address. Give your current providers notice of your moving date (if you have this. Typically, 30 days is required, but some can be done further in advance).
- Plan for New Furniture: If you’re buying new furniture for your new home, order it now! Delivery times for sofas and beds can be several weeks.
- Start an “Important Documents” Folder: Gather passports, birth certificates, property deeds, mortgage details, insurance papers, and wills in one secure, easily accessible folder. This will be your moving day lifeline.
1 Month Before Moving Day: House Removals – Getting close
The countdown is on! Now’s the time to intensify your preparations.
- Start Packing Non-Essentials: Begin with items you don’t use daily, such as books, seasonal clothing, decorative items, the Christmas tree and items from the loft or garage. Label boxes clearly with their contents and the room they belong in at your new house. Remember, D&G Moves can supply strong boxes, tape, and bubble wrap, which can be added to your job if you book us! This ensures you have high-quality materials to protect your belongings.
- Redirect Your Post: Arrange for Royal Mail redirection. You can do this for 3, 6, or 12 months, and it’s a crucial step to avoid missing important mail. It takes at least five working days to set up, so don’t leave it to the last minute. If you are unsure where you are moving to maybe redirect your mail to a relatives short-term.
- Inform Key Organisations: Start notifying banks, credit card companies, insurance providers (home, car, life), your employer, pension provider, and any subscription services (magazines, online retailers) of your new address.
- Review Your Insurance Policies:
- Buildings Insurance: Crucially, contact your current buildings insurance provider. You don’t want to be paying for cover on a house you no longer own! Ensure coverage for your new property is in place from the day of completion.
- Contents Insurance: Review your current contents policy. You might need to adjust it based on what you’ve decluttered. If you are utilising D&G Moves’ secure storage solutions in between moves, rest assured that we have our own comprehensive insurance that will cover your items during this storage period, providing you with peace of mind. Discuss these details with us when you book.
- Car Insurance: Call them and provide the new address your car will be garaged, you never know it might decrease based on a number of factors.
- Pet Insurance: Always ensure your new address is the one they have listed. You may also need to change your vets details if you have move.
- Prepare for Pets and Children: If you have pets or young children, start making arrangements for their care on moving day. A familiar and calm environment away from the chaos will make it less stressful for everyone.
2 Weeks Before Moving Day: The Home Removals Final Push
The pace picks up! Focus on practicalities and last-minute details.
- Continue Packing: Pack more regularly used items, leaving only essentials for the final days. Ensure boxes are not overloaded – lots of smaller, manageable boxes are better than a few heavy ones.
- Dismantle Furniture (if not using our service): If you’re dismantling furniture yourself, start with non-essential pieces. Carefully bag and label all screws and fittings, keeping them with the relevant furniture.
- Reduce Food Supplies: Begin to use up food in your freezer and fridge. Plan meals that utilise existing ingredients to minimise waste on moving day.
- Confirm with D&G Moves (or your removal company): Touch base with us to confirm all details and timings for your moving day.
- Arrange Parking: Check with your local council if you need to arrange parking permits or suspensions for the removal lorry at both your old and new properties, and also let you know neighbours know in advance if they are going to be blocked in for any length of time.
- Create an “Essentials” Box: This is vital! Pack a separate box with everything you’ll need for your first night and morning in the new house. Think kettle, mugs, tea/coffee/sugar, snacks, take-away menu’s, plastic plates a few knives and forks, salt, pepper, toiletries, a change of clothes, phone chargers, important documents, medication, a basic toolkit, and even toilet paper!
1 Week Before Moving Day: House Removals – Tying Up Loose Ends
Almost there! These last few days are about final checks.
- Defrost Freezer and Fridge: Empty and defrost your freezer and fridge to prepare them for transport.
- Cancel Deliveries: Stop any regular deliveries like milk or newspapers.
- GP and Dentist: De-register with your current GP and dentist if you’re moving to a new area and research new ones.
- Final Declutter: Do one last sweep for anything you can still get rid of or recycle.
- Pack Remaining Items: Pack up everything but the absolute essentials.
Moving Day: The Home Removals Big Event!
With D&G Moves by your side, this day can be exciting, not exhausting.
- Meter Readings: Take final gas, electricity, and water meter readings at your old property and record them. Do the same immediately upon arrival at your new property.
- Final Walk-Through: Once everything is loaded, do a thorough walk-through of your old home to ensure nothing is left behind and that it’s clean and tidy for the new occupants.
- Hand Over Keys: Ensure all keys for your old property are handed over to the appropriate person (solicitor or estate agent).
- Direct D&G Moves: Our team will work efficiently and carefully. Direct us where you’d like boxes and furniture to go in your new home, utilising your pre-labelled boxes and room plan.
- Unpack Essentials Box: Once the kettle is on and you’ve had that well-deserved cuppa, start by unpacking your “essentials” box.
- Change Locks: Consider changing the locks on your new property for added peace of mind.
Moving house is a significant undertaking, but with this comprehensive checklist and the expert assistance of D&G Moves, you can look forward to a stress-free transition. Our friendly and efficient team is dedicated to making your moving process as straightforward and easy as possible. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote and let D&G Moves handle the heavy lifting!