A London move isn’t just a drive from A to B. There are boxes to load, furniture to handle, stairs to negotiate and, sometimes, keys to wait for. If you’re moving the full contents of your home, keep moving day free until your schedule has been assessed. A smaller move may need a shorter booking, while packing or a staged move may need additional time. Here’s how to work out what your day needs.
At Aussie, we’re here to help you work through the practical bits. You don’t need to arrive with a perfect plan. Tell us what you’re moving, where it’s going and anything that might make access tricky, and we can discuss a suitable crew, vehicle and schedule with you.
So, how much of the day should you allow?
There isn’t a dependable “number of bedrooms equals number of hours” rule. Two one-bedroom flats can contain very different amounts of furniture, and loading from a ground-floor entrance is a different job from carrying everything down several flights of stairs.
- A small, fully packed move: a shorter slot may be suitable if the load, journey and access are straightforward. Confirm the estimated loading and unloading time before arranging anything immediately afterwards.
- A full household move: keep the day clear until the team has assessed the inventory and both addresses. Don’t assume that an early start guarantees an early finish.
- Packing, difficult access or an extra stop: ask whether preparation should happen beforehand or whether the work needs a staged schedule, especially if belongings are going into storage.
These are planning pointers, not fixed durations or booking guarantees. Ask us for an estimate based on your actual move, including what it covers and what could change it.
Think of moving day in five parts
The drive is only one part of the job. Your schedule needs room for each stage:
- Getting ready. Packing, protecting belongings and dismantling furniture all take time. Agree who is doing what and whether this work is included in the booking.
- Loading. The furniture and box count matter, but so do stairs, lift restrictions and the distance from your front door to the vehicle.
- The journey. Give us both addresses and mention any collection, storage or other stops. A short distance on the map doesn’t tell the whole story.
- Getting into the new place. Keys, a loading bay or a booked lift need to be available when unloading is due to begin.
- Finishing the job. Confirm whether reassembly, unpacking and placing items in particular rooms are part of the agreed work.
The London details that make a difference
A sofa that won’t turn through a hallway, a shared lift or a van parked further away can change the work involved. Flag these things before moving day: a few photographs and measurements are much more useful than discovering a tight doorway with the sofa already on its way out.
An illustrative example, not a customer case study: imagine two flats with the same furniture and box count. At one, the vehicle can load close to a ground-floor entrance. At the other, the team needs to use stairs and carry everything along a longer route. The belongings haven’t changed, but every trip to the vehicle has. That’s why the second move needs its own assessment rather than the first flat’s timetable.
Check building rules with your managing agent or concierge, including lift bookings and permitted loading times. For street loading, our London parking guide explains what to investigate. Tell us what’s arranged and what’s still uncertain.
Waiting for keys? Build that into the plan
Being ready to unload and being able to get into your new home are two different things. Tell us when you expect the keys and whether you have a fixed deadline for leaving your old property.
Before booking, ask how waiting time is handled, what happens if the handover changes and whether storage might be needed if unloading can’t go ahead. Keep the team updated as soon as you hear anything new. A can-do approach starts with knowing what we’re working around.
Will a man-and-van booking be quicker?
Not automatically. The right booking depends on the load, access and work required, not just the name of the service. A small flat with awkward stairs and bulky furniture can still involve substantial handling.
Discuss our man-and-van service and full removals service against what you actually need. Tell us about any packing, dismantling or reassembly so the estimate covers the whole job.
Help us plan your move
No need for a perfect spreadsheet. Start with these details:
- Your moving date and any fixed departure, key-handover or arrival times.
- Collection and destination postcodes, plus any extra stops.
- The main furniture items and approximate box count.
- Floor levels, stairs, lifts and carrying distances at both properties.
- Parking, loading and building access arrangements.
- Photographs of bulky items, tight entrances or unusual access.
- Any packing, dismantling, reassembly or storage you’d like included.
Tell Aussie about your move and request a quote. We’ll help you work through the practical details; ask the team to explain the estimated schedule, its assumptions and any arrangements you need to make. For help with the budget too, see our removals and storage costs guide.