First of all – best wishes from everyone at MVL on your exciting move across the channel. Whether you’re moving home, relocating your business, or starting the first adventure in your well-deserved retirement, new horizons abound. However, before you get there, you naturally need to organise everything (literally!) for the move. Here are our top tips to get started:
Declutter, donate, and recycle
Before you box anything up, work out what you can live without. If your garage, attic or storage cupboards are full of things you haven’t needed in a long time, then organise them into things you can throw away, items you could recycle, and others that may be donated to charity.
Repeat the process throughout the property, and you’ll be left with only the items you know you need to take with you when you move. In your spare time, double, triple check that all your passports are up to date, travel arrangements are sorted, and apply for a European Health Insurance Card.
Redirect your life to pastures new
Check through your telephone contacts, emails, standing orders and direct debits and spend some time contacting everyone who needs to know you’re moving. The sooner you do this, the less likely you are to be left with unexpected ‘final’ bills from the likes of your utilities and broadband providers.
However, back in the property, decide which appliances need to be moved with you. If you already have a well-furnished kitchen or living room in your European property, you could advertise certain items in your house for sale – and subsequently cut down on your removal costs at the same time.
Pack like you’re going on holiday
For the first leg of your journey, pack the essentials that you’d need were you spending just a short time at your new European destination. Naturally, this will include cash, paperwork and passports, but also toiletries for a few days, and as many changes of clothes as you need.
Once you’ve done this, you’ll only be left to pack the wardrobe items that will be moved by your European removal company. These can all be packed in boxes and clearly labelled – even before your removers arrive at your property.
Finally, before you leave, check every cupboard, nook and cranny for anything that’s in danger of being left behind. MVL can take care of international shipping to a location of your choice, leaving you with the simple task of greeting your property in Europe when it arrives.