How to Prepare for a Removals Company (Save Time, Save Money)
Written by Rob, owner-operator of Man & Van Bournemouth since 2018 · Updated August 2026
We charge by the hour, so how ready you are when we knock is what decides your bill. Here is what actually makes the difference, in the order it matters.
Why this matters more than you think
Almost every removals firm, us included, charges for time. That means the gap between a well-prepared move and an unprepared one is not ten minutes — on a two-bed flat it is routinely an hour or two, and you pay for it.
None of what follows is difficult. It is just the difference between a crew that arrives and starts carrying, and a crew that arrives and waits.
1. Finish packing the night before
This is the big one. We are there to move boxes, not to pack them. If you are still emptying a wardrobe when we arrive, the meter is running while you do it.
Have everything boxed, taped and closed. Not "nearly" — a room of open boxes with the last few bits sitting beside them still needs someone to finish it, and on move day that someone tends to be us.
If you would rather we packed for you, that is completely fine and we do offer it, but book it in advance so the time is in the quote instead of appearing on the day.
2. Stage everything by the door
Move what you can to the hallway or the nearest ground-floor room the night before. Boxes stacked by the front door load fast; boxes spread across four upstairs rooms do not.
This is the single highest-value hour you can spend, especially in a flat with stairs. Do not carry anything you are not comfortable carrying — leave the heavy and awkward items to us and just move the boxes.
3. Take apart what comes apart
Beds, flat-pack wardrobes, table legs, shelving units. Smaller pieces load faster, pack tighter and are far less likely to scratch a door frame or each other on the way out.
Keep the fittings in a labelled bag taped to the frame, not loose in a drawer. We bring tools and can dismantle on the day if you would rather, but again — it is time, and it is cheaper if it is already done.
4. Sort parking at both ends
A van that has to park sixty yards away turns every single trip into a longer one, and there are a lot of trips. Two cones put out early, a resident permit, or a suspended bay where the council allows it will save more money than almost anything else on this list.
This matters most in the town centre, Westbourne, the Poole quayside streets and anywhere in central London at the far end. Tell us in advance if parking is going to be difficult and we will plan the approach rather than discover it.
5. Tell us the truth about access
The floor, the stairs, the lift, the turn at the half-landing, the width of the front path, whether the road has a weight limit. We would far rather know in advance than arrive with the wrong van.
Nobody is judging you for having a tight staircase. What costs money is finding out about it at nine in the morning with everything already on the pavement. Photos are fine — send them when you book.
Stairs are charged at £8 a flight, so you will know that figure before you commit rather than after.
6. Empty the fridge and defrost the freezer
Two days before, not the night before. A freezer that is still defrosting has to be transported upright with a towel in it, and if it is still full it cannot go at all.
Eat down what you can in the final fortnight; it is the easiest saving in the whole move.
7. Keep an essentials box with you
Kettle, mugs, teabags, milk, phone chargers, basic tools, medication, documents, a change of clothes and bedding. This box travels in your car, not our van.
We will not put it in the van if you tell us not to — but it is much simpler if it never comes near it.
8. Be there, and be reachable
You do not need to lift anything, but you do need to be findable. Ten minutes of you saying which things go where saves an hour of us guessing, and it stops the entire contents of the spare room going into the new spare room when half of it was meant for the loft.
If you cannot be there, nominate someone who can make decisions and give us their number.
What we bring
Blankets, straps, a trolley, corner protectors for the door frames, and tools for dismantling. Fully insured — £10,000 goods in transit and £1m public liability.
What we do not bring unless you ask is boxes and packing materials, so order those yourself or tell us in advance.
For a quote, see man and van in Bournemouth or house removals, or just ring 07879 168 829 and describe the job. We would rather spend five minutes on the phone getting it right than surprise you on the day.
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