Moving day: what to expect and how to prepare

The night before

• Finish packing everything except tonight’s bedding and the essentials box.
• Take beds and tables apart if you’re comfortable doing it, and keep screws in labelled bags.
• Empty, defrost and dry the fridge; disconnect and drain the washing machine.
• Confirm the time, both addresses, the lift booking and parking with your removalist.

When the crew arrives

• Show them round: what’s going, what’s staying, what’s fragile and what needs taking apart.
• Point out anything heavy or delicate, and any tight stairs or corners.
• Keep pets and children in one room, away from the doorways.
• Keep keys, documents, valuables and medication with you, not on the truck.

While they load

• Stay close by to answer questions, but let the crew set the order: they load heavy furniture first and boxes around it.
• Strip the last bed and pack the bedding into a labelled box.
• Start cleaning rooms as they empty.
• Do a final walk-through: cupboards, the balcony, the garage, the meter box and behind doors.

At the new home

• Get there before the truck if you can, with the keys and the lift booked.
• Tell the crew which room is which, and where the big pieces go.
• Have beds rebuilt and the furniture placed where it’ll stay.
• Check your things as they come off. If anything’s wrong, tell the crew on the day and take a photo.

How long it will take

Most studio and 1-bedroom moves take between 2 and 6 hours, 2-bedroom homes 5 to 9 hours, and 3-bedroom homes 8 hours or more. Stairs, the distance from the truck to the door and how ready you are make the biggest difference. See our guide to how long a move takes for the details.