Everyone knows that buying a new home is an expensive business (not to mention stressful) so looking for ways to save money on the move is always a worthwhile task. There are, of course, certain legal fees and taxes that cannot be avoided but other costs such as estate agent fees and removals fees can be reduced substantially by doing a DIY house removal. Many people are reluctant to market a property themselves because of the price negotiations involved and background checks on potential buyers, which is where estate agents really come in useful, but actually it is perfectly possible to handle these things yourself. Also moving your possessions from your present home into the new place is something relatively simple that most people are able to tackle themselves if they are fit and strong and able to hire a van for the transportation. Self storage is another option and you can compare storage prices here.
Clearly doing you own house removals if you are moving to the opposite end of the country or overseas is a different matter but a large proportion of people move within the same village, town or city and are only moving a few miles. So if you are moving within the same location, how easy is it to do the house removals yourself? Surely it’s just a matter of loading up a van at one end and then unpacking it at the new home? Well, it is, but don’t underestimate the amount of sheer hard physical work involved carrying boxes, large furniture items and household appliances (especially washing machines, which are extremely heavy).
Professional house removals firms also know the best way to pack a removals van to take full advantage of the space available within and also, more importantly, to protect your belongings from becoming damaged. But take some tips from them and you could save yourself a considerable amount of hard cash, which could make all the hard work well worth it. So if you have decided that a DIY house removal is for you then take a look at our tips to help the move go smoothly:
Estimate the quantity of belongings that you will be moving
Buy or borrow some good, strong packing boxes (these are usually very strong, double-walled cardboard boxes rather than the traditional tea chests used in the past). Use a variety of sizes so that a box full of heavy items does not become too heavy to lift (remember you will be doing the lifting!). Estimate how many packing boxes you will fill with small items and measure their sizes. Roughly measure the size of all major pieces of furniture and household appliances that you might be taking with you. Don’t forget any large suitcases that you might be filling with clothes, or better still buy a portable wardrobe or two like the ones the professionals use.
Find a Suitable Vehicle
Now that you have your quantity estimate you should be able to get the advice of a van hire company on the best size of van and a range of quotes for hiring one. Remember that your packing boxes will be stacked and large items like sofas and mattresses will be loaded upright so it is often surprising just how much a removals van can hold. Decide which van hire company you will be using but don’t confirm the booking until the move date is confirmed, otherwise you might still have to pay the van hire cost is the moving date is delayed.
Start packing as soon as possible
You should start packing everything you can possible do without for a few weeks as soon as you know that your purchase of the new house is confirmed. This includes seasonal clothes and other seasonal items like gardening equipment or winter sports equipment. CDs, DVDs, games, books, kitchen equipment, ornaments can all be packed well in advance. Don’t underestimate just how long this will take, especially if you are going to sort out your belongings as you go and do a bit of de-cluttering (moving house is often the only time this gets done). Out-of-season clothes can be packed in suitcases but try to get a wardrobe packing case for your other clothes as this will make packing and unpacking easier and minimise ironing. Don’t forget to use plenty of bubble-wrap for delicate items and always tape up packing boxes securely with strong packing tape. Label them with their location in the new home but also label them as “heavy”, “light” etc so that you can place the heaviest boxes on the floor of the van and stack the lighter, or more fragile ones, on top.
Packing the essentials
Nearer the move date pack as many of your essential, everyday living items as you can and also a small box with basic items such as medicines, toilet roll, children’s favourite toys, kettle, mugs etc. Make sure you keep valuable items such as jewellery and important documents in a safe place and carry these with you on the moving day.
Moving Day
Start loading the van with the major items of furniture and household appliances – place sofas and mattresses upright next to the walls of the van and secure in place. Any particularly tall items, like wardrobes, that cannot be secured upright should be laid on their sides – use old blankets to prevent damage to wooden items. All furniture with doors or drawers should be locked, where possible, or tied closed with string to prevent them opening or sliding out in transit. Next start with the heaviest boxes, which you previously labelled, and place them on the floor at the back of the van, then start stacking lighter boxes on top. Try and fill all available space to prevent items shifting around when you are driving the van. If you short on space you can check out self storage prices here.
When you arrive at your new home simply do the same in reverse order – just watch out for those aching arms and the exhaustion!