The ultimate guide for your move
The ultimate moving guide
We all know that moving can be a real nightmare! Just the thought of it gives us chills. There are so many things that can go wrong, from packing mistakes and breakages to the dreadful moment when you realize not everything will fit in the van. That’s why we’re here for you. This moving day will go smoothly. Why? Because we sat down on our best day to put together a handy guide. Reduce the stress of moving day with the following tips.
Everything in its time, so book the moving van first!
Setting the dates for your moving day and booking a moving van are the first steps to take. This can be a very simple task if you make sure to book a van in advance so you know you’ll get exactly the vehicle you need.
Have you driven a van before? Even if you have some experience, it’s still important to do it right. Always book the right size for the job. Whether you’re doing everything yourself (with a few friends to help) or hiring a few people to do the heavy lifting, it all goes to waste if you’ve booked a van that’s too small. Nobody wants to be that person!
If in doubt, always book something that seems larger than you think you’ll need. If you book a moving van through Europcar, you can choose from the following sizes:
– Short wheelbase van: do you only have a few suitcases and some boxes? Then this van is big enough.
– Long wheelbase van: this one is slightly larger than the short wheelbase, with some extra height and more than twice the space to transport all your belongings.
– Extra-long wheelbase van: are you moving out of a partially furnished or relatively small apartment? Then all your belongings should fit in here with some extra space.
– Luton van: if you’re moving furniture and belongings from multiple rooms, choose our largest option with a whopping 18 m3 of space to play with.
Professional packing tips
Have you completed your booking and chosen the right size van? That’s just the beginning! There’s still plenty to do to prepare for the planned moving day. Indeed, we’re talking about packing…
Before moving day
Are you already stressed at the thought of moving? Good preparation is half the battle. In the days leading up to the move, you can think about the following:
- Make sure you have more than enough boxes and packing materials for all your belongings. All fragile items should be wrapped in bubble wrap or paper.
- Do you have a lot of soft furniture, bedding, towels, and clothes? Instead of panicking and buying a few more suitcases or stuffing everything into boxes, buy a roll of garbage bags. They’re brilliant for putting light soft items in. Want to be more environmentally friendly? Try biodegradable bags and reuse them after the move.
- Think the day before about the order in which you will load everything into the van. That way, you first bring out the items that go into the van first.
- Seal boxes before moving them. If you drop one, at least the contents won’t roll out onto the street. And nosy neighbors can’t see what you have!
- Remove drawers from dressers so they are lighter and easier to carry.
- Consider disassembling large items. Do you need to move a bed frame? If the legs or headboard can be easily unscrewed, it’s worth doing to save more space in the van.
On the big day
Finally, moving day has arrived. Hooray! If your stress level is about to hit the roof, you should be able to relax a bit if you follow these tips:
- Start packing the van with long, sturdy furniture. Place these close to the sides of the vehicle so there’s a corridor left in the middle.
- Make use of all the nooks and crannies of the furniture. Boxes often fit very well in a bookcase or a cabinet that’s on its side.
- Always stack light things on top of heavy items. Soft items won’t crush anything underneath and can even provide some cushioning for more fragile items if you need to make a sharp turn or brake suddenly.
- Give yourself more than enough time to load your van. Rushing can lead to breakage or simply forgetting items. There’s nothing worse than arriving at your new home and discovering you’ve forgotten something you can’t pick up anymore.
- The more people helping, the better. Make sure you have at least two people to load and unload in case you have heavy items that need an extra pair of hands.
- And speaking of heavy items: watch your back when lifting! Always bend your knees and take regular breaks. You don’t want to spend the first weeks in your new home lying down and in pain because you weren’t careful during the move.
Are you feeling more relaxed about moving day? Follow our handy tips above for a smooth, stress-free move. And don’t forget to check if you need a special license for the van you have in mind!
