Booking Movers? Time is Everything!

When it comes to preparing for a move, there is no secret to the fact that you need enough time to get everything ready. It stands to reason since you'll have a house-full of things to wrap and pack. But, in the midst of all the boxes and bubble-wrap, don't lose sight of the other obligations that you have to make the move happen.

If you have already moved at some time in the past, then you will already know what I'm talking about. The packing is just part of it; it's the tip of the iceberg. This is why I've often described moving as something of a military operation!

I'd prefer not to have it to admit, but there are plenty of times during my time with Sage when prospective clients have simply contacted us too late to secure a booking. You'd be surprised how many people put booking a moving company near the end of their list of tasks to do - usually slotted between notifying their post office of a change of their address, and booking catering for that farewell party they'll have with friends!

The fact is, you need to give yourself plenty of time to find the right movers. There are two main reasons for this: there are a lot of cowboys out there that you'll need to avoid; but also, moving companies are generally busy all year round.

We'll look at the pitfalls of movers-searching another time, but as regards booking movers you need to keep in mind that moving is not really a seasonal business. Certainly, there are some periods of the year that are busier than others (summer vs winter, for example) but for all moving companies the window of availability is limited. Usually, companies have their fleet booked at least two weeks in advance, though don't be surprised if it's two months!

Basically, you should be beginning to look for movers when you're beginning to draw up your packing checklists. That should be around 8 weeks before your move, but certainly no later than 6 weeks.

There is little point in actually booking before you know the exact date of your move, but you should have a shortlist by then all ready. Remember, the movers must come out to see the load they will transport and then calculate an estimate. You should have three or more estimates to consider before making a decision.

All of this means that you have not time to procrastinate, so finding someone to transport your possessions needs to be one of the first things that you do.

As for those who call us too late, we have no option to advise them to either contact another company or change the date of their move. The latter is usually the least possible option, though sometimes they do. But it's a sticky situation for them, so it's best to avoid getting into the same one yourself.

Believe me, when booking movers, time is of the essence!