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Prepare for Christmas and New Year with Self Storage in London

Blog / By / October 18, 2021 / Prepare for Christmas and New Year with Self Storage in London
Preparing Your House for Sale in London For anyone who is planning on putting their house or flat for sale in London in 2022, there are a few things that you might have to consider. London has a lot of new housing developments in the pipeline, which means fewer potential buyers for your property. Couple that with the gradual decline in property values in the capital, and you could face some tough decisions. When selling our home, the primary aim is to achieve the asking price without waiting for months on end to sell. There is one method that many people use to improve their chances of a timely sale. Home staging is a service that can improve the aesthetic appeal of a property that's in preparation for viewings. There are professional home staging consultants, but it's also possible to undertake the project yourself should you prefer to take control of the sale of your home. And to help you work out which option is more suitable, here are some tips on how to approach the presentation of your house or flat in London. How to Prepare Your House for Sale – Home staging is essentially about showcasing your home in its best light. And to do that, there needs to be an objective evaluation of your property by someone with an eye for detail. That's why many people use professional home stagers for this task. And because Aussie has a long history of working with companies and individuals in all sectors, we will happily arrange a referral for you. This option has costs to consider, but it has helped many of our customers sell their homes. However, it's possible to take the work on yourself as a DIY home refurbishment or renovation project. It's worth drafting some pros and cons of hiring a home staging expert against undertaking the project yourself. And make sure you cost everything out entirely before you make a decision. If you go with the option of doing the home staging yourself, the first thing that you need to do is to clean your house or apartment thoroughly. There are two ways of doing this. You can do the dirty work yourself, or you can let London's best professional cleaning company, Aussie Clean do it. A spotless home isn't just for appearance purposes; that comes later in the process. You'll notice any maintenance issues that require your attention. Professional Cleaning and Handyman Services – Every carpet must undergo a steam clean, which can be done with Aussie Clean, or you'll need to hire a specialist machine. All deep stains and grime should be removed by moving all appliances and cleaning in, under and behind. Similarly, each room needs a new coat of paint. For every wall and woodwork, including the skirting boards and window frames. You should hire a plasterer to fix any issues with the walls. Even the slightest dent or crack might put off a potential buyer. You'll need to be mindful of reducing any issues with buyers' confidence. If someone views your house and see things like upper-wall or ceiling cracks, they might say nothing, but their interest ends there. To reduce this happening, ensure that any visible flaws and minor repairs are taken care of. This doesn't mean disguising any significant issues – you'll need to get contractors in for those. Are you struggling for time or lacking confidence in your ability to perform any of this? Luckily, there's a solution at hand – hire Aussie to do it for you. In addition to our core services, we have specialist packages and add-ons available. Two of these are our Professional Cleaning and Handyman services. This means you can get on with the sale preparations while we do the nitty-gritty stuff. Using Man & Van and Home Removals in London – Home staging is similar to interior design or renovation work, and depending on the state of your property, the latter could be a requirement. Our first suggestion will be clearing and creating as much space as possible in your home. Renting a self storage unit will keep your possessions safe and secure, as well as give you more room to spruce up your house or apartment. There is no lease to worry about – you only need to keep your storage unit for the duration of your project. Many of our customers retain their units long after their home staging or renovation work ends because of storage's convenience. And once you sell your current home, you may need storage to tide you over between moving dates. Aussie has a range of removals services that suit every type of home staging or renovation project. Many professional home developers and interior designers use our man with a van and Self Storage services for every job they sign up for. A lot of freelancers use our self storage units for their office and workspace. And our Man & Van service provides them with a vehicle. Aussie's Man & Van package is the best of its kind in London and aims to attain the highest standard of service delivery. You have two Aussie team members at your disposal for all the heavy-lifting work with this service. Additionally, you'll have the use of a vehicle for any collections of materials. Prepare Thoroughly and Start Straight Away – As the saying goes – there's no time like the present. And by that, we mean you should start one of your many duties today. Yes, you're reading this correctly. If you adopt the mindset never to miss an opportunity to make progress, you'll make a flying start, and time will be on your side. It's the best gift you'll give yourself when putting your home on the market. Time is a precious commodity when selling up and moving to a new home, and it seems to disappear at an alarming rate as you edge closer to your moving day. Even more so if you're rushing around because of leaving too many tasks until the final month. Or worse still – you have waited until the last week to begin things like booking a moving company. Give yourself a fighting chance by getting things done whenever you can. While significant issues are rare and, most relocations go smoothly enough, there's always the potential for a major problem to arise. By giving yourself plenty of time, you can easily remedy it. But if you don't, it might cause a delay that results in you left in relocation limbo. Stay On Track with a Moving Checklist – There's one guarantee you'll find with most if not all relocations – you'll be busy. It's never wholly apparent what that entails until you're right in the midst of it all, occasionally overwhelmed and frazzled. And it's not a case of planning the move itself – there's family time and work to consider. And it rare anyone has the luxury of putting things to one side to organise a relocation. So how would someone keep everything on track, especially if they're new to moving? The answer is to create or use a pre-existing moving checklist. You can adapt and change the information in this one here to suit your specific requirements. The idea is to list every task in relation to your move, leaving no detail out. Then you simply cross each point off as you complete it. You should use this in conjunction with a blank calendar or a phone application. This will provide you with a timeline to show you exactly how long you have until the big move. Our top tip is to break the larger tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks. You'll find it much easier to deal with the more cumbersome chores by doing this while keeping the momentum going. A Range of Storage Options when Relocating – Storage can play a handy role for anyone planning the next stage of their house sale. In most cases, a seller is also a buyer who prepares to purchase another property. This tends to happen simultaneously, adding to the general chaos that goes with selling a home. One way to balance this out is having somewhere to store things while you renovate or pack. Aussie has three storage options that are essential for anyone selling and relocating. Self storage is ideal for people who need space to undertake repairs and cleaning. You'll have unlimited access during our business hours. This means you can move building materials and tools back and forth without any restrictions. People tend to use container storage when they need a long-term storage option. That's because this package has access restrictions that make it difficult to move your possessions in and out. You might use this if you're moving overseas and need to keep some belongings in the UK. AusBox is our innovative storage option that combines elements of both previous packages. It's an affordable storage choice if you have fewer items to store. You can access your AusBox unit four times a month without additional charges. Aussie – Removals Services That Help Sell Homes in London – Aussie works with tens of thousands of people who sell and relocate in London every year. It's essential to make your home look its best when people attend viewings. Even the slightest defect can make a difference in how they respond to your home. That's why home staging can make it much easier to sell your house or flat. Although people think that home staging is an unnecessary expense, our team has seen the benefits first-hand. That's why we can help arrange these services while also organising your relocation. Similarly, we will be on hand at all stages of your relocation once your current property sells. Approaching the sale of your home proactively could be the difference between spending a couple of months in London's housing market or over a year. With some well thought out investment and hard work, you'll sell your home in no time and be ready to close the deal on your new home. If you would like to discuss our range of services or ask for a home staging referral, don't hesitate to get in touch with us today. Click here to discuss how man & van and storage services can help sell your home in London.

While Christmas this year will be very different for many of us, there’s room for optimism as we conclude what’s been a challenging twelve months. It has easily one of the most turbulent years in recent history, so it’s understandable that many looking forward to 2021. The festive season allows everyone to have some family time, even if some of that’s via a Zoom call.

If you’re extending your family bubble over Christmas, you’ll need to think of ways to increase space in your home. One way you can do this is by renting a self storage unit. It’s the ideal approach to making more room without costing too much. Aussie has excellent storage packages on offer, and we can accommodate everyone’s requirements. 

A Reason to be Reasonably Jolly this Christmas –

If you’re struggling to find anything positive to take from 2020, then the fact that we’re close to the end of a truly strange year is reason enough. With a viable vaccine now in circulation, there’s the hope of returning to some sense of normality soon. However, this isn’t the end of the pandemic, and we should certainly all take some valuable lessons from the lockdown.

One recurring theme which is still playing out is a shift in how we respond to our homes. For many people in London, the stricter lockdown was an eye-opening experience. Questions were surfacing around what it’s really like to live in a city when you don’t have adequate outdoor spaces. That’s why tens of thousands of online property searches were focusing away from the capital.

This doesn’t always equate to relocating, and many people are considering practical ways of improving their homes. And for those who are thinking of extending their bubble, you’ll need to keep up to date with current information. Guidelines might change, and you’ll need to amend plans if the government introduces more stringent measures.

Either way, decluttering and organising your home is a good idea because you can start the new year with a blank slate. With some clever choices, it’s possible to give your home a few smart touches to make it feel like new. And Aussie has a range of services to help you make more space and enjoy the festive season.

Creating Space at Home with Self Storage –

If you need a motivational nudge, there’s no better prompt than planning for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. By organising your home, you can make it feel like new, and it doesn’t need to be a massive undertaking. It might be trickier for people in a tier 3 area due to restrictions, but it’s likely to be more straightforward than the previous lockdowns.

There’s one choice you can make today which will give you a lot more room to work with, and that’s self storage. You can open up your living spaces and remove any clutter out of your house or apartment. And one of the advantages of using self storage is you can access your unit whenever you want to when we’re open.

Another plus-point when using self storage is the freedom of choice it offers. If you only need to use storage for the duration of the holidays, you can end your contract without any issues. We often work with people who keep their storage unit after the festive season because they enjoy the additional space and convenience.

It’s also worth noting that storage provides you with an unbeatable level of protection for your possessions. Aussie’s depot has excellent security measures in place, which includes 24-7 CCTV monitoring and individual codes for each unit. There’s no safer way to safeguard your belongings over Christmas and new year.

Organising Your House before New Year’s Eve –

The first thing you should think about it plotting out some realistic targets for organising your house or flat. It’s not clear if the reduction in restrictions for different families indoors will extend from Christmas into New Year’s Eve. It would help if you keep up to date with any official guidance, but it’s unlikely any gatherings will be allowed.

Even if you can’t have the usual New Year party with family and friends, it’s worth starting 2021 with a clutter-free home. You don’t need to go overboard – a few simple, practical touches can make all the difference. Start by identifying things you rarely or never use and put them to one side to go through properly later.

Before you start any decorating, it’s time to give your home a top-to-bottom deep clean. Then you can think about adding a fresh coat of paint for each room, as well as doing any small repairs. If you’re too busy to do this, you’re in luck. Aussie Man & Van has a holistic range of services that includes Handyman and Professional Cleaning services.

Preparing Your Belongings for Storage –

At Aussie, we are on-hand to take care of a lot of the preparation part of the process.  However, we do ask our customers to do a few simple tasks before we begin putting your possessions into a storage unit. The following checklist will help you prepare your items to ensure they stay in perfect condition while in storage.

  • New storage boxes or containers: Don’t try and use boxes you get from the corner shop or supermarket. You can buy industry-level supplies from Aussie’s online store. Durable plastic containers are also an excellent way to safeguard your possessions.
  • Carefully pack fragile pieces: Much like moving, you need to treat fragile objects with additional care. Every box should have lots of extra padding and packaging, and correct labelling for the outside of the box is a good idea.
  • Clean all appliances and furniture: Any mould you bring in can spread to other items, which can damage fabrics. Also, remember to leave appliance doors slightly open and wrap their cords.
  • Vacuum seal clothes and fabrics: If you are keeping clothes in storage, you should invest in vacuum-sealing equipment. It eliminates air that can cause mould.

To clarify one point specifically – you should avoid packing things into plastic bags. The materials most carrier bags or bin-liners use can increase humidity which then causes moisture. That’s ideal conditions for mould to set in.

How to Declutter in One or Two Weeks –

Decluttering and deep cleaning are essential when you start trying to organise your home. Truthfully, we all tend to keep things for a later date, hoping they’re of use. Others are outright guilty of hoarding and have containers full of old electrical cables. The best way to approach your decluttering project is to give yourself one or two weeks to complete everything.

Create and stick to a timeline – creating a schedule can help you make progress. Giving yourself no more than one or two weeks to start and complete the decluttering job will save lots of wasted hours of procrastination.

Download a home inventory app – download one now and start getting used to its features. A decent home inventory app can save you lots of time when you need to locate an item. It splits objects per room with images of each object. A perfect solution for insurance purposes and claims, and there are plenty of free apps available.

Set targets for each room – have a plan for each room to help keep focus. Do you need to make any repairs in the garage? Are you repainting the living and dining room? Does the tiling in the kitchen need to be replaced? This will determine how much time you spend on each room.

Don’t delay, take action – don’t be tempted to start putting little ‘maybe’ piles to the side. If you’re guilty of being a hoarder, then it’s a good idea to get someone to help you keep on top of things. Check that you’re doing your due diligence by undertaking regular monthly decluttering to make sure you don’t regress into bad habits.

Removals Services Available to Transport Everything –

When it comes to the physical part of getting items to our branch for storage, it’s worth remembering that not everyone has a suitable vehicle. That’s why Aussie has specific packages where we can offer assistance with transporting your belongings. For container storage, we will bring the empty unit to your home or office. For self storage, we will arrange to collect your items with our Man & Van service.

Our team will help you pack and prepare things for storage which is a service we offer removals customers. We have years of experience in packing and will be able to give further advice when preparing everything. Furthermore, we will assist with creating an inventory before your items go into the storage unit.

Aussie has staff members on-site to unload and unpack your possessions into your storage unit. We’ll arrange everything to make sure there are no issues with overpacking. All our packages complement each other, which means they interact seamlessly when we need to incorporate them. Before we sign anything off, we’ll perform a thorough assessment and send you a free, no-obligation quote.

Aussie Man & Van – Getting You Ready for the Festive Season in London –

Aussie Man & Van will be operational throughout the tier lockdown system. We will have different hours for the holidays and will update with exact opening hours closer to the time. It’s possible to take on last-minute jobs now if an emergency move is needed. Everything in storage will be completely secure over the festive season.

Customer service is key to everything we do at Aussie, which is why we’re known as the ‘can-do’ service provider in London. We work throughout Greater London, the surrounding areas, in addition to national and international long-distance relocations. That’s why we’re the capital’s fastest-growing independent removals and storage company. And we’re here to help you make preparations for Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

If you need to create some space before the festive season, please contact us today. We have a range of storage options and other services to help make this a special Christmas.