Moving House On Short Notice – Last-minute Moving Tips

There are times when for one reason or another, you have little to no notice that you will be moving.

Your job might require it, your relationship or your landlord may have given you notice to leave. There are even times when you are given short notice for an exchanging contracts date.

Whatever the reason for your short-notice move, there are some things you can do to make the process as smooth as possible.

Marriott Removals offer a last-minute removal service that can help you in your hour of need. Most removal companies may require weeks of notice, but with our larger fleet of vans, we can always help you with last-minute removals.

In this article we cover everything you need to do for the last-minute move to ensure within the chaos of it all, your belongings and sanity are kept intact!

Create a plan to get you started

The prospect of having to move with little to no notice is daunting. There are a million and one things to think about and organise and it can all seem a bit overwhelming. The key to getting through a last-minute move is organisation and planning.

Create a checklist

Creating a moving home checklist will give you a reference point to revert to when the undoubted stress of the move kicks in. This will also help you to avoid forgetting anything important in the midst of it all.

Gather removal company quotes immediately

Once you know you’re moving on short notice, your options reduce greatly so it’s important to get in touch with removal companies as soon as possible to check on provisional dates.

Contacting removals firms immediately also means that you give yourself the best chance to compare removal quotes before securing a provisional booking.

That way, you have valuable time to assess the options available before you book a removal company to assist you in the removal

How much do last-minute removal companies cost?

The cost of a last-minute move could cost a bit more than if you had booked weeks or months in advance. This is because the removal company may need to pay staff overtime to fit in an additional house move and even rearrange other bookings.

It really all depends on the current demands placed on the company and how much notice you give them. The less time they have to prepare, the more it may cost as they will need to make last-minute arrangements.

Things that alter your costs when trying to book a removal company

There are also other variables to consider such as bank holidays, and school holidays. All the mentioned scenarios can make the costs vary depending on how much they affect your journey and the staff availability.

These periods would be considered the busiest times for removals firms as this is convenient for people in the housing market with children to move to a new home.

Removals companies will typically have more quiet periods in the run-up to Christmas.

This is useful to know as short notice moves during this time are less of an inconvenience, and you’ll have more options when trying to book a removal company.

Therefore your removals service cost can differ greatly depending on the season you are moving to a new address.

How much notice do removal companies need?

Usually, a removals firm will likely require a couple of weeks’ notice to carry out a house move.

However, removals companies such as ourselves have the numbers in our operation to accommodate last-minute house moves.

If you know you are definitely going to move home at short notice and will need to arrange removals services, get in touch with us and we’ll do everything we can to help accommodate you.

Start packing as soon as you can

If you’re moving on short notice, you will undoubtedly be up against the clock when it comes to packing.

As soon as you have a date for your move, start packing as much as you can. This is going to help ease the pressure on moving day.

Read our packing tips for advice on how to make the process even easier!

Be ruthless with your belongings

Depending on how last minute we are talking, you might not have the time to go through each and every item you own and decide what you want to take with you. This is where being ruthless comes in.

From our experience of shorter notice moves, anything that isn’t essential or that you haven’t used in the last 6 months can be left behind. This will make packing a lot easier and quicker for you.

Get as much help as possible from family and friends

A last-minute house move is a perfect opportunity to call in some favours from friends and family.

They can help you with the packing, loading and unloading on moving day which will save money and free up time for you to focus on other things.

Just remember however though to return the favour when they need it!

Consider using storage units

Self-storage units can be a lifesaver when moving house on short notice. They provide you with a place to store your belongings if you can’t take them all with you right away.

It also means that you don’t have to move everything in one go which can be a huge relief, especially if you’re on your own.

Storage facilities can be surprisingly affordable, especially if you only need it for a short period of time. If you are in a bit of limbo for your next relocation, this option could ease the stress of a short-term house move.

What should I know about my move before I arrange removal services?

Your moving date

First and foremost before contacting removal companies you should know your scheduled moving date.

Don’t worry if this has a small chance of changing, just get your provisional moving dates booked as soon as it is confirmed.

Whichever removal company you book in can then be aware of this and plan their work schedule around you.

Have your move addresses on hand

Of course, for a house removal to take place, your removal company will need address details for both your address your moving house from and the address you’re moving from and your new property. This includes the full postcodes for each.

Basic inventory

In addition to this, you’ll need a basic idea of what items will be making the move with you. The more accurate you can be with this, the easier it will be for your chosen house removals company to give you an accurate quote.

If you have any items which may be considered as ‘non-standard’, such as a piano or grandfather clock, then please let us know.

The same goes for any particularly large or bulky items. This will help us ensure that we can safely and securely move your belongings on the day.

Parking plans

It’s also useful to have an idea of how much parking will be available at both properties on the day. This can help our removal vehicles better plan their commutes and loading times.

If there are any restrictions in place, such as permit parking, then please let us know so that we can make alternative arrangements.

How our removals service help with last-minute moves

Our removals firm pride itself on being able to accommodate last-minute moves, even at very short notice.

If you’re in a hole and need to get moved quickly, get in touch and we’ll do everything we can to help.

We understand that things don’t always go to plan and that sometimes you need to move house on shorter notice than anticipated.

Our team of removal experts are on hand to make your last-minute move as stress-free as possible.

Bespoke costs tailored to your needs

We’ll work with you to create a tailored moving plan that meets your specific requirements and we’ll do everything we can to get you moved as quickly and efficiently as possible.

From providing a full packing service (including supplying packing materials), additional manpower or just the transport alone, our removal services have everything for your move date.

Book early to secure your moving date

Get in touch today to arrange removal services and book early to secure your moving date. We always provide a free quote for your consideration, with no obligation to book.

Remember, the more notice you can give us the better we can accommodate your moving needs!

Last Minute House Moving – Summary

We hope our tips have helped you if you’re moving house on short notice. Just remember to stay calm and take each task one step at a time!

And remember although it is going to be an undoubtedly stressful time, a bit of planning and organisation can go a long way.

We hope this article has helped give a bit of structure to the whole house removal process!

Book removals services with Marriott Removals

If you’re still struggling to get everything sorted in time, then get in touch with your our removals company. We’ll provide a free quote that is tailored to exactly what your requirements are for the moving process.

We will be able to advise you on the best course of action and provide you with a quote for our removal costs.

Book us as your removals firm and we’ll be more than happy to help make your moving date a little bit easier!

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Read reviews from our happy customers who highly recommend our house removal services.

97.2% of customers who have used our removal services said they would use us again for future home moves.