You have to hand over the keys on Friday, but your new property will not be ready until the following Wednesday. Your furniture and boxes still have to go somewhere.
This is where storage between house moves comes in. Your belongings can be collected from your current home, placed into storage and delivered once you have the keys to the new property.
If you already know there could be a gap between properties, our Removals & Storage in Reading service means the removal, storage and eventual redelivery can be planned together.
Why Moving Dates Don’t Always Match
Property chains involve buyers, sellers, solicitors and lenders, so even an agreed completion date can move.
A delayed mortgage, searches, solicitor query or problem elsewhere in the chain can leave you needing to move out before you can move in.
If your moving dates don’t match, the removal can be handled in three stages:
- Collection from your current home
- Storage for the required period
- Redelivery when the new property is ready
It is much easier than trying to find somewhere temporary for a house full of furniture.
Can You Avoid a Gap Between Moves?
Not always, but it is always better for your moving and completion dates to line up. The best way to get ahead of the problem is to arrange a reliable removals company as early as possible.
- Book at exchange at the latest. Completion usually happens at least two weeks after exchange, and good removals teams get booked up quickly. Booking from the exchange date gives you time to choose the right company and secure your moving date.
- Start earlier if you can. Talking to a removals company before exchange lets you plan the move, and any storage, around likely dates.
- Tell your removals company about any risk of a gap. If your chain is long or completion dates are uncertain, mention storage when you book, so it can be planned as part of the move rather than arranged in a rush.
What Should Go Into Storage?
You do not necessarily need to store everything.
If you are staying in furnished temporary accommodation, most of the household contents can go into storage. Keep everyday items with you, including:
- Clothes and toiletries
- Medication and important documents
- Laptops, chargers and work equipment
- Valuables and keys
Furniture, appliances and properly packed boxes can then go into storage.
Not sure how much space you will need? Our guide to how much storage you need when moving house explains what affects the size.
How Should Furniture and Boxes Be Prepared for Storage?
Items going into storage need to be packed properly because they will be handled more than once.
Strong double-walled boxes are much better for stacking than loose bags or half-filled cartons. Suitable furniture can be dismantled, while transit blankets and protective covers help protect larger items during handling.
Label boxes clearly by room as well. It makes redelivery much quicker when everything can go straight to the right part of the new house.
If you do not want to pack the house yourself, Wilkins can also provide professional packing services as part of your move.
What If Your Completion Date Changes Again?
Do not book redelivery based on a date that has not been confirmed.
If the completion date moves again, tell your removals team. Your belongings can remain in storage until you have a firm date for the new property.
This is one of the situations where short-term storage while moving home can give you some breathing room without having to change the whole removal plan.
What Happens When the New House Is Ready?
Once the completion date is confirmed, we can arrange redelivery from storage.
The team will need to consider access at the new property, particularly if there is a narrow road, restricted parking or a council parking suspension is required for the removal lorry.
Your labelled boxes can then go directly to the correct rooms and the furniture can be positioned as agreed.Once your completion date is confirmed, we arrange redelivery from storage. Because your removal, storage and redelivery are planned together, the team already knows your belongings, your access requirements and what needs to go where.
On the day, the crew will:
- Check access at the new property, including narrow roads, restricted parking and any parking suspension needed for the lorry
- Take labelled boxes straight to the right rooms
- Position furniture as agreed and reassemble anything that was dismantled
You will have the same point of contact from collection to final delivery, so there are no surprises when your belongings arrive.
Need Storage Between Properties?
If there could be a gap between moving out and moving in, tell us when you arrange your removal. Wilkins has been moving and storing family belongings for over 140 years, and the business is still wholly family-owned. From our Reading warehouse we look after moves across Reading, Caversham, Wokingham, Henley-on-Thames, Maidenhead and the wider Berkshire and Oxfordshire area, with B.A.R.-trained crews and fully insured services.
A Wilkins Sales Manager can visit your home, or arrange a video survey, to plan collection, storage and redelivery as one job and give you a clear quote. Call us on 01491 572037, or find out more about our removals and storage in Reading service.
