We have covered elements of moving home during a recession before but considering the recent news of a “double-dip recession” – a very quaint way of phrasing it – things are continuing to go wrong with the economy. With the erratic fluctuations in the markets it has become clear that many people are deciding or choosing to rent over buy or altogether move overseas to where they feel there may be a better housing market or economic atmosphere.
It’s tough times and nothing has changed substantially enough in the UK to say otherwise.
Trek Removals specialises in home removals in London and removals in the UK. Our goal is to make life easier for home movers and to provide a service that will elate the fears of moving during tough economic times.
So how does one successfully move during a recession?
Well, people’s moving budgets are a lot tighter than they would have been four or five years ago therefore many people are deciding to go with cheap removal solutions and hire “man with a van” independent removals. The other option to go “cheap” is by DIY’ing the home removal and renting a van for themselves. These options are, of course, options for everyone to consider, but they do come with risks attached.
What are the risks?
If you move home yourself, unless you are an experienced mover (or have moved many times before) you will find that headaches are multiplied and sometimes that leads to a worse experience overall that can cost you in the long run. Breakage and damage is far more likely to occur in amateur hands as is losing items, encountering scheduling problems, delays and last-minute problems. We have written comprehensive blogs on how to SUCCESSFULLY move home in a DIY capacity which we suggest you read for your own edification, if you are determined to move home in this fashion.
What about independent removal experts?
Well, hiring cheap, budget independent removal men can be its own can of worms waiting to get opened up. It is often a very risky prospect indeed. Unless you have strong recommendations from family or friends then you can never be certain how reliable, honest or professional these men are going to be until the actual move. Considering that we are talking about transporting everything you own to a new destination you need to be absolutely certain that your life’s belongings are in safe hands. Cowboy removal firms are increasingly, and worryingly, more and more common
So what is the best thing to do?
Plan ahead. Collect recommendations or ask advice from those you know who have moved recently and who they used for the home removal or how they accomplished it. Make sure that you know what you are moving by creating your own inventory list (always a must-do) because you need to know wht is going with you and what is staying behind/being scrapped/entered into storage.
If you decide to go with a professional removal company then you need to start getting quotes. Who offers you the best deal at the best price? Are they reliable? Do they have an established reputation? What facilities/transport do they have at their disposal?
These are all essential questions.
Through planning, researching and knowing exactly what you need moved, where to and when, you cover your bases and all of these steps cost you absolutely NOTHING.
Be prepared, that’s our best advice.
Recession times are tough but through careful planning and research you can find the right removal company for you. Contact us if you would like a free moving quote.
It’s no secret that modern life is stressful – so much pressure, so much to do, so little time. What, then, is the single most stressful experience anyone can go through? Divorce? Bereavement? No, some studies suggest that title goes to moving house.
The whole experience is wrought with potential stressors, from the struggle of finding a new house to the search for a buyer to take your previous dwelling off your hands. The crux of the matter, though, comes with the actual move – packing your belongings away, deciding what goes with you and what gets left behind or thrown away, and physically relocating them to your new abode. Surely it makes sense, therefore, to leave as much of this stage as possible to the professionals – so put your feet up, have a well-earned cup of tea or coffee and let Trek Removals do all the hard work for you.
We offer a bespoke approach to our removals service and will gladly do as much as you, the customer, require – whether this be a total relocation or simple advice. We aim to make the whole process as smooth as possible as we completely understand how stressful the event of moving house can be. With a focus on customer service and care, we treat your valuables with nothing less than the best attention.
To find out what we can do for you, simply call us on 0800 1389 242 or fill in our online quote request form and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. We will either send an immediate quote or arrange a visit from one of our friendly expert estimators who will be able to speak directly with you about your requirements and work out exactly what you need.
We at Trek Removals build our service entirely around the customer, and can pack any amount of your possessions on your behalf – from simply employing our years of packing experience to safely stow away your delicate breakables to packing away all the contents of your house. Using a purpose made selection of protective packaging which is recyclable (where possible) we ensure that our service cares for both you and the environment.
We’re experts in specialist removals and have dealt with everything you can imagine already – from antique ornaments to priceless paintings and grand pianos, and we take pride in our ability to work around the most seemingly difficult of storage and removal problems.
Our service includes a variety of storage options too, so if you need to redecorate your new home before you move in, we can keep hold of your furniture for you. We can even clean your old home and prepare it for its new owners or tenants on your behalf. In essence, we can take care of as much of the moving process as you require. With Trek Removals, where there’s a will there’s a way – and we always have a way.
In this final blog in the packing-up series Trek Removals takes you to the last place in your home that needs taking care of and packing up – the loft/attic space. The reason why we say “last place” is because not every home will have a loft and if they do, the task of going up there and sifting through the accumulation of stuff from over the years is very daunting indeed. You may have to sort through over a decade’s worth of items.
You’ll need to do a reconnaissance mission up there to know how much you have stored away and from that recon you need to get ready to de-clutter and pack shortly afterwards.
Ask yourself;
What items/furniture have you found up there?
Out of all of it is there anything you want to keep?
Do you want to throw out the rest or put it into storage?
Once you have established the answers to these questions and you have inventoried your goods (making a list is important especially if you have lot up there) then it’s time to start packing.
We can provide you with the packing materials you need to safely and securely wrap, pack and tie-up your belongings. Of course, we also offer a full packing and unpacking option with our removals service. There might not be enough space in your new home for all the boxes of belongings that you have accumulated over the years so there will definitely be the need to catalogue and sift through what is worth keeping and what is worth throwing away or putting into storage.
Trek Removals once again can provide a solution for you with our removals storage option where your unwanted’s can be kept in a storage unit for safekeeping until the time comes that you might need them again.
Be very careful when navigating your loft space and packing up the things in there as lofts can often be dangerous environments where there is no real solid footing. It is best advised to go through your loft with a second person to help you in case of an accident or emergency.
Use new, collapsed boxes and bubble wrap to insulate and fully protect any valuables or fragile items you unearth from the dusty depths of the loft.
Items you might find up there can vary between the recently placed to the long forgotten including:
- Books
- Tapes/Records/Videos/DVDs
- Toys
- Household appliances
- Old furniture
- Pictures/photos/albums
- Jewellery
- Paperwork/documents
- Electricals (TV’s, radios, toasters, VCRs, DVD players, computer consoles)
- Clothes/shoes
- Treasure maps!
And those are just the things we could think of!
The loft is a place used for storage and when it comes to your home removal you need to be ready to know what are the keepers and what are the non-keepers.
For more information on home removals in London or any home removals in the UK please get in touch with us at Trek Removals and we will give you a free moving quote. Thanks for reading the ‘The Trek Removals Guide to packing-up’ and remember you can always ask for our help during any stage of your move!
In the last blog we gave you the tips on packing up the bedroom in time for removal day. In this latest blog Trek Removals tells you what packing needs to be done for the dreaded Garage and Shed.
Removal companies generally offer a removal service that includes packing up your household goods for you. Trek Removals specialises in London removals, commercial storage services and packing. If you don’t fancy doing the hard work let us do it for you!
That said, we understand when people prefer to do the packing themselves, which is why we are continuing with our blog series on packing up the individual rooms and items. We have already taken you through packing up the Lounge, the Kitchen and the Bedroom, now it is time to really get your hands dirty and pack-up the garage and shed.
Some homes might not have both, but if you live in a house, you will most likely have a garage. The items that are stored in a shed or garage are often similar. It’s where a lot of junk and dirt can accumulate too.
First task is to sift through the garage/shed and unearth the items and objects you no longer need or want, and chuck them out! The less mess and clutter the better. You want a fresher start when you move into your new home.
If you own a bicycle make sure you loosen, lower and turn the handlebars at right angles to save space. Clean and cover the bicycle chains and the pedals with corrugated card to protect other items from being snagged.
Any sharp objects such as garden shears or tools should corked and bubble wrapped in many layers.
Drain the fuel and oil from lawn mowers and any other machinery before packing them away. Remove blades and place them in sturdy boxes. Mark properly. You don’t want to forget where you store your sharp objects when it comes to unpacking, it could easily lead to a nasty accident.
Drain your garden hoses, coil them up and then pack them in boxes. Secure any brooms, shovels, and other long-handled tools together with handywrap. Make sure the binding around the wrap is tight.
If you use the garage or shed for any additional storage of items make sure to catalogue, wrap and label them accordingly.
Trek Removals and storage services are always on hand to help you by supplying materials, helping you pack and transport your furniture/goods to your new home, particularly if you require a London move.
In the last two blogs Trek Removals discussed packing-up the Lounge and packing-up the Kitchen, slowly making our way through the home until each room has been covered for you. We take you through the big London removal step by step and the services that we as a removal company provide if you prefer professional packing for all your household goods.
In this blog we are going to take you through to the bedroom now and go through what needs to be packed and how.
Bedrooms can be invariably difficult to sort through. If you have wardrobes and chest of drawers filled with all sorts, packing and removal can be increasingly more tricky than necessary. Sort through your essentials and separate what you are taking from what you are leaving or throwing out first.
Sort through your clothes, coats, suits and shoes. It is best to move these items via suitcases and bags. Fold them up and put them inside as neatly as you can. Secure the suitcases and bags so they don’t break or fall open during the move.
The bed offers up its own unique set of challenges. Consider the following;
Quilts, pillows, duvets and other light but bulky items will need to be strapped with handy-wrap and packed in large boxes. It’s a good idea to pack any fragile or breakable items in with these pillows and quilts for extra cushioning. As long as you remember that you put them in there of course!
If you are moving your bed with you then you will need to dismantle the bedframe into its individual pieces. Divans beds are generally easier to move. Secure all of these pieces together and keep all the screws, nuts and bolts together in a sealable bag. Remember to label things so you know how to reassemble furniture after you move in to your new home.
Protect the mattress with a plastic cover. It may make it more awkward to carry and move but it protects the mattress from any damage in transit.
Tape shut the drawers to the dressers and chests of drawers. Do not overload with heavy items.
Be careful when transporting books or DVD’s. They can get very heavy, very fast. Stack them flat inside book boxes.
Any valuables should be set aside, such as jewellery and financial documents, and placed into small containers that you can keep on you at all times during the removal.
As most removals can often be a very big job, we offer our own removal and packing services to help you with your London move. Everything that we have detailed in our blogs can be taken on by us at Trek Removals, or we’re happy to provide you with the full range of high quality packing materials needed to complete the job yourself.
In the next blog we will talk you through packing-up the dreaded garage and garden shed!
In the last blog on London Removals we gave you the tips on packing up the lounge in time for removal day. In this latest blog Trek Removals tells you what packing needs to be done for the kitchen and the best ways to go about it. You can use the removal company to pack the items for you. We offer a comprehensive service that can cater to whatever your removal needs may be. If you prefer to pack your household goods by your own hands than keep reading:
Think about what items you find in the kitchen. There are many appliances and kitchenware that can be considered as hazardous or dangerous if mishandled and there are many fragile items to consider. The kitchen can take quite a bit of time to sort through safely.
The first thing you should ensure is that all your sharp objects such as knives, forks, scissors etc are wrapped separately unless they come stored in blocks. Insulate them with extra layers of wrapping and secure them with tape. Anything breakable such as glasses, mugs, cups, plates, bowls will need to be specifically wrapped. Glasses should be wrapped from the stem up. The space inside the glass should be filled with packing paper as well. They should be placed upright in strong boxes surrounded by more packing paper. Dont forget to label them as FRAGILE.
Do not stack plates flat. Stack all plates, platters and saucers vertically on their sides. Individually wrap the dishes.
Watch out from transporting wine bottles. If one breaks they can ruin many of your items through leakage.
As for those pots and pans, invert the lids to utilise the space inside the pans and stack them in the boxes placing packing paper between them. Pots and pans are designed to be durable so you don’t have to worry about breakage.
If you still own the original containers for your small appliances, they are the best choice for removal. If you don’t have the original packaging then pad a box with wrapping paper and seal bubble wrap around the appliance to ensure adequate cushioning. For the larger appliances, remove all the loose fittings or accessories and pack them separately. Make sure these appliances have been cleaned. Bound the wrapping around them with tape. It is recommended that you stuff the inside of appliances such as washing machines and dryers with towels, linens and fabrics to help protect the inner machinery. Any gas appliances must be disconnected by a qualified plumber.
A London move can be a very stress-filled experience which is why Trek Removals offers such a considerable service. Where most removal companies expect you to do all the heavy-lifting we ask you if you would like the choice of doing it yourself or letting us do it for you with our packing and unpacking service.
In the next blog we go through how to pack-up the Bedroom.
Contact us for a free moving quote.
