There are many myths about moving house and you’ve probably heard horror stories about how stressful it is, but it really doesn’t need to be like that. Our blog will aim to debunk some of these myths and help you on your way.
You should move on a Friday
The first common myth about moving home: moving on a Friday. If that’s your set completion day, then so be it but try to avoid this date. It’s the most popular day in the week for moving and arguably the most convenient because you’ll have the weekend to unpack. However, you’ll be hard press to find an available removal company and if so, they tend to charge much more for Friday’s due to high demand. If you’re planning to do it yourself, friends and family will be reluctant to help if they have plans for that evening, which is likely. Also, finding a vehicle hire company that has an available van on a Friday will be more difficult. Try to move mid-week if possible.
Cheaper to do it all yourself
The second myth about moving home, that it’s cheaper as a DIY job. So, you’ve just spent a small fortune on a house deposit, surveyors, solicitors, estate agents and much more, and by this point you’re most likely trying to find ways to save yourself money. One way that will probably come to mind is hiring a van or a cheap man & van and moving yourself by enlisting friends and family to help.
But wait, sit down and have a think about the whole process – finding the packing materials, packing, dismantling furniture, hiring a van, loading, driving, unloading and finally, reassembling furniture. Even if you’re used to physical labour, it will be exhausting for you and everyone else involved. Also, it’s not uncommon for friends and family to cancel on you and then you’re stuck. What happens if you break that expensive TV or damage the heavy sofa? The ‘cheap’ move won’t be cheap anymore.
You shouldn’t look for a removal company until you’ve got a completion day
Never wait until your solicitors give you a completion day before making an enquiry with a removal company. Sometimes they don’t give a completion until a week before the move and that’s a very short amount of time to create a list of potential local removal companies, have them conduct a home survey, quote and then for you to make a decision.
It’s wise to have all the quotes in hand by the time your solicitor provides a completion date so you’re ready to choose a removal company that day. Also, some companies may be fully booked by the time a completion date is given to you so having a list of more than one removal company to choose from will save you a lot of stress and time. Don’t fall for this myth about moving home!
Save money by finding free packing materials from local shops
No, don’t do this and let us tell you why. As you’re no doubt aware, boxes come in all shapes and sizes and this isn’t a good thing when loading a van. If you’re self-moving and unless you’re very good at Tetris (like us), you’ll waste a lot of time stacking and restacking boxes, trying to be efficient with the space in the van.
Here’s a free tip: Get uniformed boxes of 2 sizes – large & small – and make sure the small boxes are half the size of the large boxes so they couple together without empty space between them.
Another thing to consider is the thickness of the boxes – single, double and triple walled. Never move with single-walled or the box at the bottom of the pile will crumple under the weight. Most shops know this and will offer you their single-walled boxes to get rid of them. Beggars can’t be choosers, but it’s certainly a shame to fall for this myth when moving home.
Then you need to get bubble wrap, packing paper and tape. You won’t find these for free and most retailers charge a lot for these items. It’s easier to hire a removal company who will loan you the boxes and provide non-reusables such as bubble wrap and tape at a reasonable cost, and even deliver them as we do for our customers. Sometimes we have used bubble wrap and give them to our customers for free. Our blog about which packing materials goes into much more detail and you’ll find it helpful for a successful move.
Don’t pack essentials until last day
Even If you’re a family of 4 or you’re a young couple, the ‘essentials’ are essentially the same, just in different quantities. You’ll only need food for the night before and the morning, enough cutlery for everyone in the property, one TV, clothes for moving day, some toiletries and if you have kids, maybe a book for them to read or a toy to play with. Everything else should be packed and ready to go. You don’t want to be packing in the morning of the move with so much other stuff to think about! And if you’re not ready, a removal company will likely charge more if they have to wait for the packing to be completed.
Your move is covered by home contents insurance
This can be a costly myth to fall for when moving home. Unless your contents insurance clearly states you’re covered for moving home, you’re probably not! There are plenty of insurance companies who can offer this type of cover but not at a cheap cost and you’ll need to spend time itemising everything which could be spent on packing. By choosing a removal company, they’ll provide this cover as part of the service.
All movers are the same
Now this is a common misconception, but an easy mistake to make. Most people’s understanding of a removal company is that they just pick it up and put it down but there’s a lot more that goes into the process for a successful move. One of the biggest factors that separates the good companies from the bad is planning. Any reputable removal company will clearly explain the process from start to finish and offer a timetable for packing, dismantling, moving and reassembling. If you call a company that doesn’t offer these details or even offers a home survey before providing a quote, avoid them.
But before you start calling around, make a list of local companies based on their reviews and focus on the 5-star companies first and work your way down. We’ve written a blog about choosing a removal company and that should guide you.
We, at Macro Removals, hope this blog has debunked some moving house myths and has helped your understanding of the process involved. If you’re looking for a trusted removals company for your home or office move, then get in touch with Macro Removals now.
Disclaimer – This blog should only be viewed as a guide. Macro Removals Ltd cannot be held responsible for any injuries, loss of earnings, or death as a result of following this guide.
