A moving-day checklist that actually works
A smooth moving day is made in the week before it: packing finished bar the daily essentials, parking sorted at both ends, keys and timings confirmed, and a first-night box set aside. Here is the checklist we wish every customer had - the week before, the night before, and the morning of.
The week before: what to get done
Finish packing everything except what you genuinely use daily - the last 10 percent of packing takes the most time on the day. Confirm timings, access, and parking at both ends; if either address sits in a controlled parking zone, the suspension paperwork needs days, not hours. Use up the freezer, arrange the key handover, and book children and pets somewhere calmer than a house being carried past them.
The night before
Pack a first-night box and put it somewhere the crew will not load: kettle and mugs, phone chargers, medication, toiletries, a change of clothes, and whatever the kids or pets cannot sleep without. Defrost the fridge if it is travelling. Set aside the things that go with you, not in the van - documents, keys, valuables - in one clearly separate spot.
What happens on the morning?
Strip the beds, clear the hallways, and walk the crew round the house before anything moves: what goes, what stays, what is fragile, what you packed yourself. Keep your go-with-you pile physically apart. Take meter readings once rooms empty, and do the final sweep - loft, shed, garden, and the cupboard over the stairs - before the doors close.
What do people forget?
The loft and the shed, almost every time. Parking at the destination, which nobody has seen on a weekday morning. The neighbour’s side of a shared drive. And the kettle - which is why it lives in the first-night box, not in whichever of forty boxes says kitchen.
Ready to book the move itself?
A checklist gets you organised; a transparent price gets you moved. Tell us about your move and a BAR-certified estimator sets your number.
Common questions
Do I need to empty drawers before the crew arrives?
Heavy or fragile contents, yes. Light clothing can often stay in a sturdy chest of drawers - the crew will tell you what travels safely as it is.
What if completion is delayed on the day?
We collect, store in numbered containers, and redeliver when your new place is ready - a slipped chain does not strand your move.
Who sorts parking for the vans?
We do the legwork where a suspension or permit is needed - it is one of the access questions we ask before pricing the day.
Twenty years on the road in removals across SW London and Surrey. Patryk sets the prices behind every Movans quote and writes these guides from the van, not a marketing desk.