What to Expect on Your Moving Day
Moving day is the moment everything comes together after weeks of planning, packing, and preparation. Knowing how the day will unfold helps you stay organised and in control from the moment the team arrives to the point you are settled in your new home. This guide covers what to expect at each stage of a Stranks job in Kent.
Before the Team Arrives
The work you do the day before makes moving day significantly easier. If you have booked , the team will have already packed and labelled boxes in advance. If you are packing yourself, make sure every box is clearly labelled with the destination room. A dedicated essentials box kept separate, with overnight items, medications, chargers, documents, and anything you will need in the first 24 hours, is worth doing the night before rather than the morning of.
Take meter readings before the team arrives. Photograph them. Contact your energy and water suppliers with the final readings the same day if possible. If you need short or long-term because of a gap between leaving your current home and moving into the new one, confirm the arrangements with the Stranks team in advance.
When the Removal Team Arrives
Stranks teams typically arrive between 8:30am and 9:00am depending on the schedule and distance involved. On arrival the crew will introduce themselves, carry out a quick walkthrough of the property, and confirm which items are being moved. This walkthrough aligns the team to the job before loading begins and is the point to flag anything specific, heavy furniture that needs extra care, items being left behind, or access points to watch.
The team carries all protective materials: blankets, straps, specialist padding, and wrapping for fragile items. You do not need to provide anything.
Loading Your Belongings
Once the walkthrough is done, loading begins methodically. Larger furniture pieces may be dismantled where it is safer and more practical to do so. Fragile items are wrapped and loaded last or placed in dedicated positions within the van to minimise movement in transit. The loading process typically takes two to four hours for a standard family home, longer for larger properties or multi-pickup moves.
Keep important documents, valuables, passports, and any items you will need immediately separate and with you rather than in the van. Do not assume the team will identify these automatically.
Final Checks Before You Leave
Before the team departs, do a full walkthrough yourself. Check every room, including lofts, garages, outbuildings, and garden sheds. Open all cupboards and wardrobes. Look under beds. Check outside spaces for items that might be easy to overlook in the activity of loading.
Confirm your utility readings are photographed, windows and doors are secured, and keys are ready for handover if required. Once the van leaves, returning to the property for forgotten items causes delays that run through the rest of the day.
The Journey to Your New Home
Once everything is loaded, the team will travel directly to the new property. For most Kent moves from the Stranks Ashford depot, this is a straightforward run, but for longer-distance moves, the journey will take longer. Travel separately from the van so you can arrive at the new property ahead of or alongside the team and are ready to direct unloading from the start.
Keep the team’s contact number with you. If there is a delay at the new property, let them know as early as possible.
Unloading and Settling In
At the new property, the team will unload and carry everything to the correct rooms. Clearly labelled boxes make this faster and mean items end up where you want them rather than in a central pile. Furniture that was dismantled during loading will be reassembled before the team finishes.
Once everything is inside and the team confirms the job is complete, do a walkthrough of the new property to check everything has arrived and is where it should be. Note any concerns before the team departs rather than after.
Ready to Book Your Kent Move?
from Stranks Removals and Storage or call 0800 0195 525. We cover moves across Kent from our Ashford depot, including , , , and .
FAQs
Teams typically arrive between 8:30am and 9:00am. The exact time is confirmed with you in advance based on the schedule and the distance involved. If your move requires an earlier or later start, let the team know when booking. Get in touch to discuss timing.
Yes. You or a nominated person must be present at the start of the job to confirm the inventory, walk the team through the property, and flag anything specific before loading begins. The same applies at the new property for unloading.
Keep important documents, passports, medications, valuables, chargers, and a packed essentials bag with you in your own vehicle. These items should not go in the van. Anything you will need in the first 24 hours at the new property is worth keeping separate.
Yes. Where it is safer or more practical to dismantle items for transit, the team will do so and reassemble them at the new property. If you have specific furniture you want handled a particular way, mention it during the pre-move walkthrough. See our house removals page for full details on what is included.
Contact the team as early as possible if you know a delay is likely. The team can hold at a suitable point or adjust the schedule where possible. For longer gaps between vacating and accessing a new property, short-term storage at the Stranks Ashford warehouse is available from £13.80 per week including VAT.
No. The Stranks team arrives with all protective materials including blankets, straps, padding, and specialist wrapping for fragile items. If you want to book a full or partial packing service ahead of moving day, see our packing services page.
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