How to move house

Moving house – it’s an exciting new chapter in your life, but it’s also one of the most stressful things you’re likely to do. Emotions are running high as you’re leaving your old home behind, and there are so many major and minor tasks to take care of.

We know the process will go much more smoothly if you have everything planned out in advance, so we’ve prepared this step-by-step guide to help you out.

Relocation plans provide a good overview and help you organise the upcoming move. When creating a plan, ask yourself the following questions:   
 

• What day should the move take place?
• How much budget is available?
• Do I have to order a container for bulky waste?
• When do the helpers come to dismantle, pack, clear, clean and paint?
• Which moving material is needed?

Moving costs money. You should be aware of what you need for the move and how much budget you have available.

A budget plan is very helpful so that you can keep track of and have total control over costs.

It should provide information about your defined and available budget, and include exact costs for rental vans / trucks and moving materials. This allows you to adjust expenses and makes the organisation of the move easier.

Choosing the right vehicle is essential for a smooth move. Which size you need will primarily depend on how much stuff you’re bringing with you, but it’s also worth considering the different costs of each.

We have a variety of affordable vehicles available at different locations.

Choosing a moving van to rent

If you’re moving with a family or you have a lot of furniture,you will most likely need to hire a van:
 

• Medium wheel base van (MWB). This type of van has an average loading space of around 280-380cubic feet, which is roughly the same as 30-40 standard-sized boxes. It’s the ideal vehicle for moving between studios or one-bedroom flats if your new home is already furnished. A Ford Transit Connect or a Citroen Berlingo is a good van for this type of space.
   
• Long wheel base van (LWB). These larger vans are more suited for moving between furnished two-bedroom places or houses, with 380-530 cubic feet of space. Pick out a Vauxhall Vivaro or a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter if possible.
   
• Larger vans. If you need more space, there are plenty of larger vans available. The Fiat Ducato and Iveco Daily vans have payloads of around 1.5 tonnes, offering enough space to accommodate everything from a small house, including furniture.

Once you’ve got your house offer accepted, or you’ve found a new flat to move into, it’s time to start making the small preparations that will make all the difference later on.

1. Start getting rid of unwanted items. If you’ve lived somewhere for several years, you’ll probably have accumulated all kinds of things that you don’t have much use for anymore. Bringing them to your new place will require a lot of extra effort for no reason. Gather your old clothes together in bags to sell or donate to charity. Old electronics, kitchen appliances, crockery etc. can also be sold or disposed of.

2. Take an inventory of your possessions. Once you’ve reduced everything down to just the essentials you’re keeping, it might be a good idea to make a list of everything that you own. That way you’re less likely to forget anything when you move, and you can get a clearer picture of where things will go in your new home. And once you know how much stuff you’ll need to move, you can figure out which moving vehicle to hire. Avis offers great value car rental and moving van rental to help you with your move, and we can advise you on which vehicle would best suit your needs.

3. Use up your perishables. Perishable food is usually an unnecessary thing to transport when you are moving home. It adds extra bulk and could end up being thrown away anyway if the journey is quite long or your kitchen appliances aren’t immediately accessible in the new place. To avoid wastage, start using up as many items as possible from your fridge and freezer as the moving date approaches, and try not to buy anything new.

4. Start gathering boxes and packaging. Chances are you have a few boxes and bags already lying around the house. Instead of throwing them out, keep them in a safe place, ready for the move. You should also stock up on things like tape, bubble wrap, and marker pens.

5. Do your laundry! One thing that you don’t want to transport is dirty laundry, and it will likely end up getting mixed up with your clean items in the move. Make sure that everything is washed and ready to go before you start packing. This is also a good way to see which things you want to keep and which you don’t.

As soon as the move date has been fixed, all preparations have been made and the moving boxes have been bought, packing can begin. There is also a lot to consider here ...
 

• Determine a room near the front door for storing the filled packing boxes.
• Dismantle all the furniture and put the parts together in one place.
• Heavy items always belong at the bottom of the boxes - lighter things go at the top.
• Tape wardrobes and drawers.
• Pack valuable items such as jewellery, paintings or porcelain separately.
• Do not overload boxes.
• Label boxes or mark them with an individual colour.
   

The right moving accessories include the right packaging material and a sufficient number of boxes. It not only makes moving easier, it also saves you time.

Well packaged, you can safely transport your belongings in your van or truck.

The right moving accessories include:
 

• Sack truck
• Lashing straps
• Duct tape
• Boxes
• Gloves 

Before you start moving, there are a few things to do.
 

• Check the transport route 
• Load your van or truck safely and use the entire loading area:
• Load large and bulky furniture into the moving van first.
• Load boxes and smaller items last.
• Objects must be securely fastened with clamping goods or ropes.
• It might be best to transport sensitive furniture such as mirrors and glass separately in a private car.
• And last but not least: don't forget to bring some food or snacks. This is hungry work!

Explore the visuals, specs and dimensions of our full range of commercial vans.