Aug 26 2015

Be Prepared: How to Avoid Moving Day Mishaps

Posted on August 26, 2015 by admin

Moving

Image by John Benson via Flickr

Moving houses is a delicate operation and the more you can do to prepare yourself, the better. This is made all the more true if you’re a mum where preparation is everything to ensure smooth sailing throughout. In fact, if you’re a parent you’ll no doubt be drowning in essential possessions you’ll want to keep in perfect condition during the move. If you want things to go smoothly, it’s crucial to do some planning beforehand to ensure you wake up on day with a clear head ready for the challenge ahead.

For a good start, you could enlist the help of a company like Reads Removals, Peterborough. With years of experience and a solid team of movers that promise to make your move go as smooth as possible, you and your family’s belongings are guaranteed to be in good hands. Don’t just take my words for it, make sure you ring around before selecting a company, and don’t fall into the trap of thinking cheapest is best. Once you have chosen, it’s a good idea to invite them around to your home so they can assess the scale of the task and identify any particularly delicate items. They can also plan for how things should be stacked and where they should go in your new home - therefore helping you when it comes to packing.

By giving the movers plenty of time to prepare and figure out the best way to handle your possessions, you’ll find the move much easier. If you want to find out more about Northampton Removals, doing some research online will help you gauge which type of service you require - whether you need help packing, unpacking or simply transporting your things from a to b. When you lead a busy life, with or without kids, opting for a full service can be greatly reassuring and save you untold stress whilst you get on with your day to day life.

Avoiding common mistakes on the big day?

Leaving complete strangers in charge of your bits and pieces, no matter how qualified they are, can be quite daunting. These simple tips will help relieve any moving-day anxiety:

Double check your packaging:

This one may seem obvious however, left unchecked things could go horribly wrong in the process. If you have lots of glass, delicate art objects and heavy possessions, ensuring they are suitably packed with enough protection will help the movers carry your boxes with confidence and ease.

Ensure you book well in advance

At popular moving times of the year such as warmer summer months, moving companies get booked up pretty quick so it’s wise to book your moving company at least three or four months in advance. Removal companies also tend to overbook and take on more work than they can handle, so it’s sometimes worth seeking their assurances before committing to a company. The last thing you want on the day of your move is to be the job they cancel.

Don’t rush your packing

By getting a few boxes out of the way before the movers arrive you’ll ensure they are not rushing. Don’t seal the boxes so the movers can mark them up, and check things are suitably packed to minimise breakages. By keeping the atmosphere positive and calm during the day of your family’s move, your removals company will be able to stay calm and composed whilst moving your boxes to and from the truck.

Ensuring you read the moving contract and checking you have insurance in place is also imperative. Accidents do happen and you’ll want to ensure you know what both you and your chosen company will be responsible for on the day.

Good luck with your move!

Jul 1 2015

… And RELAX… I am NEVER moving again

Posted on July 1, 2015 by admin

Dear New Landlord,

I’m bloody glad you’ve told us you’re after long-term tenants for your property, as you are going to have to physically turf me out if you ever want your house back.

Moving was, as expected, an utter bitch. We filled two skips full of unwanted bits and pieces and culled our things down to just one van-load, yet still it’s taken me an entire half-week to finish unpacking the last box. I’m now looking forward to a clutter-free home and a lounge accented by scented candles and fresh flowers, rather than the sea of plastic toys that took over our last home.

Their ‘downstairs’ toy chest used to perpetually overflow into the kitchen, dining room and hallway. It was an absolute mission to close and toys would have to be carefully slotted into every spare inch or Buzz Lightyear’s arm or Spiderman’s leg would protrude out of the side. When the kids would go to bed, Craig and I would spend a good half hour putting wooden puzzles together, searching for Woody’s hat or separating Lego from Micro Machines. This ritual happened every single night.

The kids have now had 3 whole days in their new home and appear to love the space, fluffy carpets and child-friendly garden. They haven’t noticed that mummy and daddy filled 3 bin bags full of toys that were past their best, too cumbersome or just irritating the hell out of us. It’s now a cinch to tidy things away at night and Dexter is even beginning to help me do it.

The best bit? Well in the words of Phil and Kirstie, Location Location Location. This house is a 1 minute walk away from the house I grew up in, has Dexter’s new preschool (and primary school) a 2 minute walk away, and a bus stop right outside that will get me into town in 15 minutes. There are no more hills to contend with and we appear to have really nice neighbours.

There’s still lots to do. We gave some of our furniture away to charity so we need to replace our dining table, sofas and two chest of drawers. We also need a new freezer for the garage, a fireguard, and various other bits to really make this new house a home. I’m absolutely LOVING it though and we’re eternally grateful for all the hard work our new landlords put into making it so homely.

So no more moves for us. The Mills family are staying put!

Jun 23 2015

Hold tight, we’re moving!

Posted on June 23, 2015 by admin

You might have noticed I’ve been a little ‘absent’ over the last week. No, I haven’t had a horrific accident and lost the ability to think and type. Nor have I discovered I’m pregnant again and am hiding huge news. Oh and I haven’t fallen out of love with blogging either (quite the opposite - I feel like I’ve lost my right arm) - we’re simply moving home.

buried-boxes

It’s a totally bittersweet move for us. We love our current house and really appreciate all the space we have, the landscaped garden and our enormous master bedroom. We pay through the nose to live in this house, yet haven’t once complained about it - our home is one thing I never mind crippling ourselves for. It’s worth every penny to come home every night and enjoy the space you live within.

The problem? I don’t drive. My disastrous driving lessons have been well documented on here. As much as I will correct my children when they say they can’t do something, I can’t drive. I can’t drive without killing defenseless animals, crashing learner cars or bickering with driving instructors.

My 15 year failure to learn how to drive has simply put this house out of the running for us. Each week I battle 3 buses to take the boy to nursery, get Heidi to the doctors, or buy tampons, cigarettes or newspapers. It’s also on a hill so Dexter’s little legs have to work overtime each time we leave the house.

In September, Dexter’s funding kicks in and he’ll be at nursery five times a week for three hours. It’s not feasible to live here anymore and have him struggling up a hill at 8am.

So that’s it. We’ve found a house right next door to his nursery, so we’re downsizing and prioritising his education. This will be our fifth move in four years and we’ve had enough - we want a five-year-home to settle in.

So the last few weeks have been a head fuck of boxing up and culling our possessions. It’s a massive task and one that’s taking up all of my time. As most of my readers are parents themselves, you’ll know how much crap you accumulate - from clothes, to weaning bits to McDonalds toys - they’re flipping everywhere!

So bear with us whilst we get it sorted, and I’ll be back with a vengeance as soon as I can (barring any crap with Virgin Media… You have been warned Virgin!)