Home Moving Tips and Advice - How to Prepare for your Move

Advice on moving your home

Start packing and sorting: If you are doing this yourself, start as soon as you can and no later than two weeks before the move.
Begin with the clothes in your cupboards that are out of season.
In your kitchen, you can pack all the things that you seldom use e.g. toasted sandwich maker, fondue set or soda stream machine.
You can also pack books, DVD’s and videos.
Get rid of unnecessary clutter as you go through your items.
Change of address: Remember to let companies know of your new address e.g. banks, clothing accounts, insurance companies etc.
Land lines (Telkom): If you are staying in the same suburb and your number can stay the same, contact Telkom and request them to transfer your number from the existing address to the new address.

Pack a bag: Make up a bag with a change of clothes for the day of the move and for the next day. Include a survival kit for your new home. Things like toilet rolls, light bulbs, candles, a few tools, matches, cash and a list of important numbers. Include anything that you might need for a couple of days after the move.
Keys: Please check that the keys to your new home are available and that you know what to do with your own keys. Any spare keys should be clearly labelled and left where they can be seen when you leave the house on moving day. Please remember not to leave them in direct view of any window. The kitchen worktop is usually good as it’s normally the first place the new people will look.
Parking: Check with neighbours and resolve any parking problems. If our truck is unable to park in your premises and has to park in the street it may inconvenience the neighbours.

Fridges and freezers: Empty, defrost and dry out your fridge and freezer. This is very important if your furniture is to go into storage or travel over a long distance. If you don’t do this it will defrost on its own in the back of the removal truck, leaking over everything around it.
Kitchen cupboards: Go through the kitchen cupboards and throw out anything that is out of date. Tightly seal all packets, bottles and jars to avoid spillage.
Valuables / documents: Pack valuables and documents and put in a safe place.

Packing: Finish the packing today, apart from a few essentials in the kitchen and bathroom. You will feel so much better when you can see the end is finally in sight. Don’t forget to clearly mark the boxes with the room name you would like them to end up in.
Dismantle & disconnect: Take down curtains and fixtures you are taking with you. Make sure you have disconnected the washing machines.
Toiletry box: Make up a box in the bathroom and put in the toiletries that you aren’t using. Leave this box open to put in all the other toiletries. Tomorrow morning after everyone has got up and finished using the toiletries, you can seal the box.
Outside items: Anything outside that you can move should be put either inside the garage or in a dry place. There is nothing worse than putting soaking wet outdoor furniture into a removal truck along with all your other furniture.
Cell phones: Make sure that your cell phone is fully charged.

Bathroom: Finish packing the toiletry box.
Strip the beds: Put the linen in a clearly marked box.
Final check: Once the truck is finally loaded, take a walk around the house to ensure that all items are in the truck. Check behind doors, in cupboards and on the walls. It is surprising how often people look at a clock on the wall, but never remember to take it down.