Essential tips for moving house during lockdown - and how to keep safe

Moving house at any time of year can be a stressful experience, but doing so during the coronavirus pandemic - with varying restrictions in place around the UK - can be even more hectic.

However, self-storage and removals experts at Space Station have come up with essential tips to follow to ensure efficient packing before a big move, to save time, money and keep you safe.

Stay alert and keep your distance

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Hiring removal experts to help you move house can make your move as efficient as possible, and they will also have the correct equipment to move your contents in a safe and secure way.

However, if you are planning on using a removal service to assist you, make sure you are sticking to social distancing and hygiene rules where possible. The process of loading up vans and lorries can be time consuming, and numerous people will likely be in and out of your home frequently.

You should keep all internal doors open to keep air circulating, and do not offer drinks or refreshments to those outside your household.

Plan well in advance

If you are planning on using a removal company, then it’s worth contacting the company as early as you can to find out whether they will be operating during the times you need them, as their operating procedures may have changed to ensure compliance with the various coronavirus restrictions.

Clean your items thoroughly

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In order to make sure risks are as low as possible for all parties, it is important to thoroughly clean all of your household items with domestic cleaning products before they are packed away and transported. This means that they will be safe to be handled by people outside of your household.

All parties should also be encouraged to wash their hands and apply hand sanitiser as often as possible.

Use what you have to keep costs down and save on space

To keep packing material costs to a minimum, you can use items you already have to pack your contents securely and safely.

Wrapping glassware and china in large towels and securing with tape or string can ensure these items are transported safely, while also reducing the total number of boxes you have to move, which should bring removal costs down.

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It’s also worth triple checking removal boxes are secure before moving so that their contents don’t get broken or damaged due to falling through the bottom of a box during the move. You can reinforce the bottom of any heavily packed boxes with a strong adhesive tape.

Avoid using bin liners and plastic bags

Not only is using cardboard or reusable plastic boxes better for the environment, it also reduces the likelihood of mistakes being made during the move and will better protect your belongings, as plastic bags can be easily snagged and damaged.

Investing in vacuum storage bags ahead of your move can be worth it, as they’ll help you to transport bulky material goods, such as sofa cushions, duvets and bedding, by reducing them to less than half the size.

Pack precious goods in a wheeled suitcase

Wrapping precious jewellery, photos, books and other items such as family heirlooms in bubble wrap or towels, securing with a strong adhesive tape and then packing them in suitcases can also be a good idea.

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Doing so will ensure you can identify them easily during the move and if your suitcase has wheels, it will remove the need for lifting up and down, reducing the risks of a drop or fall.

Protect corners

It’s important to protect the corners of any large items of furniture being moved, as these are the most likely parts to get scratched or cause damage to another piece of furniture or your home during the move.

Cardboard corner protectors are often cheap to buy, or as an alternative, use strong adhesive tape and bubble wrap.