- Plan your packing - Go through the household to create priority lists, which will also help with listing any items you decide not to take.
- Don't pack unwanted items - Make a trip or two to charity shops, take a stall at one of many Surrey car boot sales, try ebay, or a real world auction. Packing and removing what you will unpack before packing again as unwanted is common but best avoided.
- With a packing list made - Work out what will be needed in terms of boxes, bubblewrap, tape and bring those home well in advance, along with saving newspapers, or suitable containers. There's no need for last minute headaches, not much fun either.
- Use good packing materials - A good specialist store, or removal company will supply boxes which are strong and other materials which protect well. Even so, try not to overfill your boxes so they are too heavy to move.
- Avoid damage and contamination - Keep anything which might be hazardous, or could stain other items, completely separate.
- Still make sure you are covered - With the best preparation in the world, accidents can happen. If you are packing yourselves make sure your household insurance covers as many eventualities as possible.
FARRER & FENWICKREMOVALS
Walton Office: 01932 253737 Guildford Line : 01483 256751
Moving and Packing
Making removals a better experience
A good percentage of our removals and storage customers prefer to have us pack for them, saving time and helping to ensure the safety of their possessions. We do however appreciate that many are happy to pack for themselves and offer a few suggestions:
Removals Day
By the time you have moved, if you are handling packing and unpacking yourself, the chances of completing the job the same day are not high. Your new home will be all the more enjoyable with a little preparation:
- Keep basics to hand - Coffee, tea, food for the day, a kettle, whatever else you may need in the kitchen to manage for 24 hours, particularly without preparation time.
- Pack overnight bags - Never any harm having these ready for each member of the family, treat the situation as if you were all going off to a log cabin for the night.
- Keep tools handy - Searching for a screwdriver can be more than a nuisance. Torches, lightbulbs, writing materials, mobile phones, toiletries and medication. All too easy to bury core needs if you don't explicitly separate them.
- Avoid domestic tasks - From washing clothes to washing the car, last minute cleaning, or popping to the dry cleaners. Making sure you have a 48 hour slot without those concerns is truly worthwhile.
- Load items in order - Point out to the removal company staff which boxes you would like to be readily available when you arrive and easy to locate later, they should be happy to order loading and unloading to suit.
Practical Packing
As well as listing items to be packed, make a list of tasks involved. Does the wardrobe need taking apart, fires removed, light fittings swapping over. Any assistance from tradesmen should be booked well in advance and tools you might need in place.
- Allow plenty of time - Packing will take time and the best way to ensure damage is not to allow this. Also useful to have spare time to look through unexpected finds and decide which you might like to keep, or regenerate.
- Deal with problem areas first - Attics, garages, sheds, or internal store rooms can take up more time than appears likely and more effort. Ensuring they are out of the way at an early stage can avoid your schedule going awry.
- One room at a time - Pack and finish each room where possible, including on the box labels which room they belong to. Much easier to recreate the household on arrival.
- Take labelling further - Apart from location within the house, label each box with details of the contents and degree of fragility. Apart from showing the need for care, this protects boxes which should not have others stacked on top.
- Wrap breakables thoroughly - Using extra paper, or bubblewrap, even a spare pillow or two is worth the trouble. Getting through a move with nothing damaged is an achievement but one which can happen with a degree of care.
- Protect all valuables - Documents and cash naturally should be in a safe place, yet the same applies to items which you feel are important. Family photos, personal gifts, even the cup you enjoy using, make sure they have a safe move as well.
We naturally wish everyone a safe move and a happy one. If we can help, by all means take a look at our information on removals in Surrey, or the pages covering Guildford area removals. Should you be moving by other means, we hope one or two of our suggestions on packing helped.
