Furniture Removal and Relocation Services

Company:	Location:	Contact Info:
Mini Removals	Midrand	011 – 805 1425
Furniture Removals	JHB (serving Randburg)	011 – 334 4267
Randburg Truck Hire	Northriding	011 – 462 5552
ARAN International	Randburg	011 – 793 1008
A2B Removals	JHB (serving Randburg)	083 – 304 2579
Midrand Furniture Removals	Midrand	011 – 805 1425

 

Articles and helpful ideas for moving house

 

At first glance, moving looks pretty easy: Pack, load, drive, unpack. But as anyone who’s moved house can tell you, there are a million little things to remember. Did you cancel the utilities and arrange for them to be connected at your new place? Did you redirect the mail? Does your mom know your new address and phone number? And, come to think of it, do you?
 

Move Calendar Checklist

Two Months before your move

• Start to clean out things you won’t bring. Plan a yard sale to sell it. It’s not free to ship, so if you don’t need it, get rid of it! Clothes, old school projects, and strange gifts from ex’s all fall into this category.
• Start shopping around for a mover (check out our page on “how to pick a mover”). Decide if you want to pack yourself or have professions pack for you (often wise if you want to guarantee that insurance will cover breakage). Generally, two months is plenty of time though if you planning on moving in the summer months, you might want to start looking 10 weeks in advance to be safe.
• Insurance. While shopping for a mover, check out insurance and call your homeowner’s insurance agent to see if you are already covered.
• Start talking to young children the impending move. Moves to new locations can be traumatic for young children. Preparing them in advance gives the child plenty of time to prepare for the move.

One Month before your move

• Start Packing. As early as one month before, you can buy boxes, packing supplies (markers, etc.) and tape. Pack rarely used china or off-season clothes (if they still fit!). When packing, keep in mind that it’s most important to fill boxes to capacity. Under-filled boxes can get crushed and over-filled boxes may fall apart. Pick the right size box for the job–boxes should be between 25-35 lbs each.
• Save all your bills. Remember to save your last bills–they have crucial information like account numbers and customer service telephone numbers that will help you change your utilities, credit cards, magazine subscriptions, etc.
• Change magazine subscriptions to new address. In the last few hectic weeks, you probably won’t have time to read them anyway!
• Get a copy of medical records. We’ve just heard too many horror stories of people losing medical records because they don’t see a physician or dentist for a while, etc. Get a copy of your medical records and transfer them to a new physician in your new location.

Two Weeks before your move

• Cancel your local newspaper.
• Notify all financial accounts of your move.

Three Days Before your move

• Disconnect major appliances. Refrigerator, washer and dryer, etc. should all be disconnected, defrosted, and dried out.
• Finish packing!
• Valuables. There are a small number of things that you’ll probably want to carry with you or in a personal suitcase. Passport, jewellery, cash, house deeds and other important documents should be set aside and stored in a safe place.
• First Night. For each member of your household, you’ll want to pack a few nights’ worth of clothes, bedding, toiletries, etc. And dishware for meals. Remember that it will take you some time to unpack on the other end!

Moving Day

• Enjoy! Since you’ve prepared so well, just relax while the movers load your well-packed boxes onto the truck!

 

Helpful ideas when moving

Take notes

• Keep a notebook and use it to keep track of all the important dates and times relevant to your move, including utility shut-off and start-up dates and your moving shipment’s registration number. Keep a running tally of all of your moving expenses and keep copies of all of your receipts.

Make contacts

• Call your local utility companies (gas, electric, water, telephone, cable/satellite/Internet providers and trash). Verify when your service will be discontinued and when it will be restored at your new address. Do the same with any lawn care, housecleaning or security firms you employ.
• Verify your change of address information with your local post office and transfer all subscriptions over to your new home.
• Ensure your children are registered at their new schools and that their records have been transferred.
• Get referrals for doctors, dentists and veterinarians in your new area.
• Make arrangements for new homeowner’s insurance coverage. If you’re moving out of state, ask if you’ll need new car insurance.
• If you belong to any clubs or associations, find out if there are any similar clubs or chapters in your new area. You may even be able to transfer over some or all of your membership fees.

Keep records

• Make a detailed list of all of your valuables (cash, jewellery, important documents, photo albums, etc.). Try to transport these items yourself rather than sending them with the movers.
• Make a list of, and clearly mark, all items that will require special care such as glass or marble tabletops, mirrors and artwork.

Pack well

• Stock up on moving supplies. You’ll need masking tape, scissors, box-cutters, moving pads, newspapers, blankets, bubble wrap, bungee cord, felt-tipped markers, plastic storage containers, possibly a hand truck. Oh, and boxes. Lots and lots of boxes. You can usually obtain several different sizes from your local grocery store. Avoid making any box heavier than 50 lbs.
• Pack an “Open Me First!” box with all the essentials you’ll need as you unpack. Include toiletries, medications, a flashlight, phone and address books, towels, bed linens and pet supplies. Make separate ones for children containing blankets, stuffed animals and other comfort items they’ll want when they first arrive. Load these boxes and a toolkit last so they’ll be easy to find when you reach your destination.

Lighten the load

• Try to use up all leftover food in the days leading up to your move. This will reduce the amount of food you have to pack up and take with you.
• Most household plants will not survive a long move, so consider giving them to friends. If you decide to take them with you, check with your local Department of Agriculture office to see if there are any restrictions on moving plants across state lines.
• Contact your municipal government or poison control center to find an approved disposal site for any flammable or combustible materials you may have (fireworks, paint cans, solvents, etc.) and poisons (insecticides or weed killers).

Remember final details

• Do a final check of your house and property. Look in each room and closet, as well as the attic, basement and garden shed to make sure you leave nothing behind.
• Shut off the water and lower the thermostat.
• Get your moving van driver’s name and go over the directions. Have payment (plus a tip) ready when you arrive at your new place.
• Don’t have your phone disconnected until the day you leave in case you need to make a last-minute phone call.

Prepare to settle in

• If possible, try to schedule your move for a weekday so that banks, utility companies and government offices will be open should you need to contact them when you arrive at your new home.
• If you’ve moving locally, consider leaving pets and/or small children with friends or family on moving day. The noise, upheaval and presence of unfamiliar people may frighten them.
• Draw up a list of emergency phone numbers for your new neighbourhood and post it on the fridge or by the phone.
• Change the batteries in all the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Devise a fire escape route.
• Send thank-you cards to those who helped you with your move and mail out notifications of your new address to friends and family.

 

Boxing and Moving

Have plenty of supplies.
Don’t make me say this twice– you’ll need LOTS of boxes–probably more boxes than you think, and having enough boxes will make your life easier! (If you buy your boxes from a moving company, you can always return unused boxes for a refund. If you got them free from the grocery, just toss any leftovers.) Have about 10 boxes set aside to use for last minute items on moving day, such as bedding, clothing, and cleaning supplies. You’ll need strong plastic packing tape to close up the boxes securely. Use unprinted newsprint (newspaper can stain your items) or packing paper or bubble wrap to wrap and cushion household good. Again, you’ll need lots more supplies than you think, so get extra so the packing can go smoothly. Return any unused supplies after the truck is packed.

Utilize wardrobe boxes.
These tall boxes are perfect for bulky, lightweight items such as comforters, pillows, and blankets, as well as clothes that need to remain hanging. Call your mover to ask the width of the wardrobe boxes they’ll be bringing. Then measure the clothes in your closets (including coat closets) to see how many wardrobe boxes you’ll need. You can also use them for closet storage boxes, shoe boxes, and other bulky items such as fabric bolts, large baskets, or gift wrap tubes.

Strategize wardrobe box use.
Moving companies will be happy to deliver boxes ahead of your moving day. Or if you’re doing the move yourself, get things organized as early as possible. A few days before your move, fill some sturdy handled shopping bags with bulky closet items such as shoes, sweaters, belts, and jeans. On moving day, fill the bottom of the wardrobe boxes with some of the shopping bags, then add your hanging clothing. Pack hanging items tightly so things won’t move around and fall off of hangers. Finally, cover the shoulders of your clothes (a dry cleaning bag works well), then add a few purses or sweaters on top. You’ll have fewer boxes, and closet items remain together. Also, the shopping bags will make it easier to retrieve your belongings from the bottoms of a tall wardrobe box.

Colour coordinate.
Designate a colour for each room in the new home, such as yellow for kitchen, orange for dining room, etc. Apply colour stickers on the box near the box number. In your new home, put a matching sticker on the door to each room. The movers will know where to put everything when they arrive at the destination. It’s also helpful to post a big sign on the wall in the room where you want boxes stacked, (“Boxes here please”) to keep them out of furniture and traffic areas.

Keep things together.

Insist on keeping things together when you or the movers are packing boxes. Keep bookends with books, light bulbs with lamps, and extension cords with appliances. Small, loose parts can be attached to the item they belong to with tape or placed in small envelopes — to keep picture hooks with pictures, shelf brackets with a bookcase, a special wrench and bolts with the wall unit. Keep larger corresponding items (such as a cable TV cord) in resealable bags, and tape these to the underside or back of the item. As a backup, have a “Parts Box” open on the kitchen counter and fill it with cables, cords, parts, pieces, brackets, or nails that are removed from any items of furniture. Keep this box with you, or mark it well with a rainbow of colour stickers so it can be easily located on move-in day.

Pack ahead.

Anything you can pack ahead will save you time on moving day. If it’s summer, get your winter clothes out of the way. You don’t really need 5 radios or TV’s around your house for the last few days there. Box up your shampoo and extra toothpaste and live out of a travel cosmetic case for the last week or two. Pare down cooking utensils and food supplies to bare essentials. Wastebaskets can also be packed while you switch to using plastic grocery bags (hang them on a cabinet door or door handle to collect trash.)

Consolidate cleaning supplies.

If you must clean your old place after moving out, put together a kit of basic cleaning supplies and rags. Clean anything possible ahead of time (the inside of kitchen cupboards, the oven, windows, etc.), and if possible, vacuum each room as movers empty it.

Use your luggage.

Fill luggage and duffle bags with clothing, sheets, towels, and paper goods. Even for local moves you’ll be able to quickly spot your navy suitcase holding your favourite sweaters, whereas “Box #189” might remain elusive for days.

Safeguard valued items.

It’s a good idea to keep valuable possessions, such as silverware, collections, or antiques, with you. If you have a long move and no room in your car, bury the items in a box titled “Misc. from kitchen pantry”. Either way, check your homeowner’s insurance to see how you are covered during the move, and if you need additional insurance from the mover. Also, find out what paperwork (receipts, appraisals, and photos) you might need to file a claim in case of loss.

Keep important papers with you.

Your list of “important” papers might include: birth certificates, school records, mover estimates, new job contacts, utility company numbers, recent bank records, current bills, phone lists, closing papers, realtor info, maps, and more. Don’t leave these with the mover. Keep them with you!

Personal boxes.

Use brightly colour storage tote boxes, one for each person. Let each family member fill theirs with items they’ll want ‘right away’ in the new home — a set of sheets, a towel, a couple of extension cords, a phone, nightlights, address book, pens and paper, keys, Kleenex, and travel cosmetic case, and so on.

Moving may not be the most fun you’ve ever had, but planning ahead will go a long way toward making the process bearable.