How To Clear Your House – KwikSweep
Research has shown that moving house is one of the hardest and most traumatic things you’ll ever do – ranking alongside divorce and childbirth on the stress-scale! Here’s a handy KwikSweep checklist we’ve put together to make moving house a little easier.
Start early
KwikSweep Fact #1: packing always takes longer than you think it will!
Make sure you start packing at least a fortnight before your moving date, so that you’re not frantically packing up forgotten cutlery while a van waits outside on the meter.
This also gives you time to take unwanted clothes and toys to the local charity shop, or sell unwanted furniture on eBay.
Friends and Family
Your children may be adorable, and your dog extremely well trained – but there’s no place for little people or pets on a moving day.
Ask a friend or relative to look after anyone and anything that’s going to potentially get under your feet – you don’t want to be stumbling over a cat while you’re carrying the new flatscreen TV out to the van!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Packing is impossible to do on your own – and it’s still hard with two or three of you. Ask your friends and family if they’ll come and spend an afternoon helping you pack and clean – you can thank them with a gift or a nice cooked meal in your new house.
Then it’s time to divide and conquer! Dad on the DVD shelf, Mum on the crockery, big sister sorting out the tangled TV cables – you’ll be done in no time.
Transport
How are you planning to move your belongings from one place to another? If you’re lucky enough to have a friend or relative with their own van, make sure you ask them to help out in plenty of time (and we suggest buying them a bottle of wine or s bunch of flowers afterwards to say thanks!).
If not, you’ll need to hire a van. Do your research: there are plenty of van hire companies online and all of them offer different sizes and prices.
You’ll need a long wheel base or a Luton if you’re moving big items of furniture (for example, a double bed) but a transit van should be enough if not. Many van companies offer a “man with a van” deal – useful if you’re moving alone or have lots of heavy items to move.
You’ll also need to make sure there’s somewhere to park the van at both ends – because you don’t want to annoy your new neighbours by parking it in the middle of the road!
Cleaning equipment
Make sure you have a hoover, a broom, a dustpan and brush, and a mop. A pot of paint is often a good idea, to clean up skirting boards and tidy up any walls or corners which might be looking a little bit grubby.
Shopping list
Kwik Sweep Fact #2: ditch the suitcases!
They’re bulky and difficult to wedge into small spaces in the back of a van. You’ll be much better off ordering lots of cardboard boxes in varying different sizes online – they’re easy to carry and stack, and it’s a much more efficient use of space.
Make sure to order your boxes well in advance so that if you need more you’ve got time to have them delivered (or you can go to a high street shop like Mailboxes Etc or the Post Office to pick up extras).
You’ll need lots and lots of gaffer tape, a pair of scissors, and a couple of rolls of bubble wrap to keep your delicate items safe. If you’re on a budget, old newspapers and magazines work just as well.
Last but not least, you’ll need a permanent marker to label all those identical cardboard boxes – or you’ll have a nightmare finding the box with all your herbs and spices in at the other end!
Good luck with the move – and don’t forget to call Kwik Sweep on 0207 624 9215 if you need a hand getting rid of any bulky items or junk.
