move me from one place to another, london edition

July 18, 2022 12:23 PM

Having now wiggled out of my lease thanks to you kind people, I've now got to face actually moving house. I've not done it in a long time with a removal company—20 years or more—but our last move finally proved to me that I'm not up to the task of doing it by myself with a few mates any more. Plus we need it done and dusted in a day. So first off: do you have any recommendation for removal (moving) companies in London, UK?

Second, what should I look for in a removals company? Are there any questions I need to ask? What are the glowing red flags? Any wayward advice for making packing less of a deadly chore?

For the record we're moving from North London to East London, but it's a 2 person/2 bed household (and a time limit) so we need more than a man and a van-type deal. I'm sure Phil is very nice.

posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs to Home & Garden (8 answers total)

Best answer: L&T Removals are very popular in Walthamstow and seem very highly regarded. They did lots of free moves for people during lockdown.

You can call or WhatsApp on 07951323000.

If I was moving, they'd be my first call.
posted by knapah at 1:14 PM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]

I've moved a few times with Aussie man and van - last year they got me from a third floor stairs situation in E12 to a third floor lift situation in E1 within 3 hours.
posted by socky_puppy at 2:01 PM on July 18, 2022

Packing tip: use all your clothes and towels as picking material. Anything soft, in the box!
posted by socky_puppy at 2:02 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]

We did a 3 person/2 bed move in a Luton van with 4 or 5 movers shifting the boxes. They Tetris-ed it all into the van very efficiently (we didn't have a LOT of furniture but we had a sofa and a small dining table). I think with that small of a property it would easily be done (van loaded and unloaded) in a day.

Any wayward advice for making packing less of a deadly chore?

Start now. Now. Be brutal with things you can throw away or donate. If something hasn't been used since the last time you moved, why the hell do you still have it? Do a bit of packing and/or sorting every day. Every bag of stuff that goes to the dump or charity shop is a bag of stuff that won't sit unopened for years in your new house.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 2:03 PM on July 18, 2022 [1 favorite]

I have an interesting system for packing. I label the boxes: B1, B2, K1, K2, etc. The labels are also different colors (All B boxes have a blue label, K boxes get a yellow label, etc). Then I track the contents of the box separately. In the past I used a notebook. Now I use an app for tracking inventory. Then, when you move and you need something, you can refer to your list and look for the label. The app is lovely for this as you can just type what you need. Much better than trying to write the contents on the box itself.
posted by skunk pig at 4:37 PM on July 18, 2022 [2 favorites]

If you have the budget for it, I *highly* recommend getting the removal people to pack for you. No specific recommendations for movers as I'm not in London, but last time we moved the movers did the packing and they were ruthlessly efficient and quick, and it was well worth the extra money. Nthing getting rid of as much as you can before then (the Olio app works brilliantly for giving stuff away where I am, YMMV)
posted by altolinguistic at 12:00 AM on July 19, 2022 [2 favorites]

Any wayward advice for making packing less of a deadly chore?

Seconding "start now". Get an inordinate number of sticky labels and several good black felt-tip pens (Sharpies work fine). Number the boxes, keep a notebook (or, yes, an app) so that you know what's gone into each one, and label every box on all four vertical sides and on the top, because you're always going to be able to see at least one of those surfaces (if you can see the box at all, that is), but you can't guarantee which one it will be.

If you've still got a bag of carrier bags under the sink, they're useful for filling gaps in boxes so contents don't shift around.

Past experience says that if you have a box weighing more than about 20kg, both you and your movers will be glad of your foresight if you include the weight on the label.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 1:37 AM on July 19, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: We moved from a London flat, out of London 2 years ago and used Total Removals who were great. Just nice, and competent.

So many people I know who had got movers to pack everything when they moved said they could never not have that if they moved again. We got them to pack our stuff - partly because at that point we were living across the country plus everything was even more Covidy - and it was like magic. Several of them spent a day packing all our stuff well, in sizes and weights that they could move easily, without damaging anything. It is a luxury, but so good.
posted by fabius at 5:59 AM on July 19, 2022