Moving With Children
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.
Trek Removals offer you a comprehensive guide to packing-up your items and furniture when it comes to moving home in London. Our expert packing and removal service is designed to help you have a stress-free move. We supply you with the materials to start the job of packing up the house. We use recyclable protective packaging for all of our extensive ranges of boxes and cartons.
You have to consider the different areas of the home and the various items you will need to pack for removal day. Today’s blog will focus on the first major area of the home; start by tackling the lounge/front room/den
Major furniture items that usually are found in the lounge or front room are things like sofas, coffee tables, dining tables, armchairs, TV’s, stands, paintings, pictures, ornaments, chairs, lamplights etc. There is a lot of bulk and heavy items amongst the primary furniture in the room, as well as a lot of fragile items too.
Any of the larger items that you can detach or can be dismantle should be done so. It helps to make the move easier. Many sofa and dining tables can be disassembled into separate pieces, especially designed for the purposes of making removal, storage and transit more efficient. Just make sure you keep all your nuts, bolts, screws and connecting hinges in sealed bags and secure them to the furniture item they came from. Labelling is a big help here.
Wrap all your finest furniture in bubble wrap or furniture blankets to protect from scratching, dust and dirt. Make sure you wrap the items well. Snags are a common occurrence during the removal process and you want the luxury, fine items fully protected from harm and blemishes. Tape drawer shut so they don’t fly open or fall out. Wrap exposed table and chair legs in bubble or handy wrap.
Take caution when packing electrical and fragile items. Use packing paper and bubble wrap to cushion and reinforce them during transit.
Vacuum all your rugs, throws and mats before you roll them up. Place them in plastic covers and secure them with tape or tie them with durable string.
The most fragile of all your household goods is of course any mirrors or framed glass paintings you may have. No one wants seven years of bad luck. Tape an X shape across the mirror and framed glass paintings. Wrap them in bubble wrap. Pack them in purpose-made picture boxes. Mark with FRAGILE GLASS on the outside to prevent any mishandling.
If you have any large houseplants you will need tall boxes to protect the foliage. These can damage easily if not packed and secured right.
Ensure that any electrical gods such as televisions, stereos, DVD players are well packed upright and surrounded by padding. These boxes need to be marked with FRAGILE also.
Ornaments and any other small fragile items need to be cushioned and packed separately in ornament boxes. Wrap first in tissue paper, then pad out with wrapping paper.
Of course, we can do the packing for you, if you prefer to sit back and relax. Moving home doesn’t have to be as stressful as you expect it to be. Trek Removals specialises in London Removals, commercial storage services and packing. We can pack all your goods or just the breakables so you know they will be transported securely. So if you don’t fancy doing it yourself or you would like some help, let us know. For free packing advice or to get a competitive free moving quote please contact us by clicking on the link.
Look out for the next blog in the London Removals packing series where we will go through step-by-step what you need to do when packing up the Kitchen.
As a leading London removals company, Trek Removals has seen it all. We’ve helped people move their entire house from one end of London to another and as more ‘man and van’ type services, that offer cheap removals crop up all over the city, we’ve also seen an increase in the number of people coming to us when their move has gone wrong.
So this blog is designed to help you out just a little bit if the worse happens and to let you know that it needn’t be all bad, what you might do and how you can avoid it happening in the first place.
When you move home, the stress can be horrendous. While a good removal firm will try and alleviate that stress by doing a good job based on their experience of hundreds of removals, there is the odd occasion where things don’t quite go according to plan.
A professional outfit will always look after you and if they’re like us and part of Bar (British Association of Removers) they will have a very strict set of guidelines to adhere to. The Bar offers free advice and lots of information as to what your rights are and you can get this by visiting their WEBSITE.
One of the biggest problems we see is where people have booked a removal firm but they just haven’t turned up. Needless to say, it is not hard to work out why this can be a disaster on the day of your move.
It’s not only terribly inconvenient but also costly – especially if you’ve taken time off work or if as you’re moving out the next owners are moving in.
So, in this instance, the simple advice is this. Don’t opt for cheap and cheerful if you want to look after yourself should anything go wrong and if they don’t turn up, go to someone like Bar to get them to help you claim back costs if applicable.
Try and make sure you get some kind of testimonials when choosing a removal firm. Again, the onus here is on avoiding cheap and cheerful if you can’t see any evidence to suggest that the company is reputable, reliable and will see the job through from start to finish.
Ensure you get the removal details set out in writing. This will include the name of the firm, the address and time at which they are supposed to arrive and of course most importantly, the date of the removal. This is vital and should never be ignored.
Finally, if you end up with broken or damaged possessions because a removal firm hasn’t done their best to look after your things, then you will want to ensure before the move that they have good insurance.
A lot of people get sidetracked and obviously feel that the cost of removals is something they want to avoid – especially if there are going to be costs associated in the house that they’re moving to, or indeed a costly mortgage to think about. However, when you weigh up all of this, it’s safest to make sure that you pay a bit more for the quality of service you deserve.
If you’ve been left high and dry on your removal and need some help then do CONTACT US for advice and a lifeline. If we can provide one we will be happy to do so!
