Refrigerators and freezers alongside other bulkier items of furniture and other household appliances are usually the most difficult items to move from one house to another. They’re cumbersome and heavy and you should never attempt to move these items on your own. It’s not simply an issue of their bulkiness and weight, however. You will need to both prepare and clean your appliance first before moving it and also make provisions to store any of its contents, give them away or put them in the bin.
Defrosting
You should fully thaw and defrost your fridge and freezer ahead of moving day. Although this is likely to cause you some inconvenience, it has to be done otherwise you’ll have problems with things like condensation and ice on the day of the move. Not only that, you need to make sure it is fully dry and has been fully aired out before moving it or it may result in a musty smell so this is one of those tasks which you should be prepared for about 1 to 2 days before the move. Even if you have a frost free appliance, you should still prepare it a couple of days in advance.
Removable Parts
Make sure you remove all the trays, crispers, chilled drink dispenser, shelves, egg tray and any other removable part of the fridge or freezer otherwise they’re likely to come out of position when they’re lifted which could cause them to break and to damage the lining of the appliance. Keep these parts in a container and label them so that you know where they are when you reach your destination.
Cleaning Assuming that you’ve removed all the spare parts and foodstuff items, in particular perishables, from your appliance, you should unplug it before beginning to clean it. Use a cloth and mild detergent (or a baking soda solution) to clean the interior of the appliance. Don’t just wipe down what you can easily see. In fridges especially, you need to look underneath shelf runners too as you’ll often be amazed at how much grime has gathered or remnants of food are caked on to the underneath of the runners. Likewise with the door seals.
It’s no use just running a cloth along the top. Pushing the sides of the seal apart is likely to reveal a whole lot more dirt than you bargained for. Once you’ve done this and wiped down the exterior of the appliance, you should leave the door open for at least 24 hours to allow for any moisture to disperse. You’ll also need to wash the removable parts and let them dry too before placing them in a separate container. Don’t forget that glass shelves should be handled carefully and wrapped in some kind of protective covering and transported in a separate bag or container marked ‘fragile’. You should also remove the base cover at the bottom of the fridge and vacuum the condenser or compressor as well as emptying and cleaning out the evaporator pan.
Moving the Appliance
You should remove any handles if possible to avoid them getting snagged on something or damaged during the move. It’s also a good idea to pack the interior of a fridge with lightweight blankets to keep it more stable during transit. In some cases, motors may need to bolted down so you should refer to your instruction manual about that or speak to an expert if you’re not sure as many appliances are not designed to be carried on their sides as it can damage the motor so you should make sure you check otherwise you may end up ruining the appliance. Wrapping some blankets or other soft covering around the appliance before you move it will also help to minimise it being scratched or its exterior being damaged.
A Word of Caution about Freezers
If you’ve planned things well, you should have run down the food in your freezer in the weeks leading up to the move but if you’ve forgotten to do that, be very wary about leaving food in the freezer and taking it with you. Freezers were not designed to be lifted full of food and you can damage your freezer by trying to carry it with excess weight inside. Not only that, frozen food can’t be kept frozen during a move and it can defrost and deteriorate far more quickly than you might envisage. This can cause bad odours which can be absorbed into the lining which can often be impossible to get rid of and, therefore, it will make the freezer unusable. The best thing to do is give away any remaining frozen food you have left to neighbours or simply dispose of it in the bin. It might seem a waste of money but a new freezer is bound to cost you more.
For more information please visit www.removalcosts.co.uk
Sunday 4 October 2009
Thursday 1 October 2009
Moving Overseas
Moving Overseas
Most of us will have spent lazy days on holiday lying on a sun-kissed beach with not a care in the world and have thought “wouldn’t it be nice to live abroad?” at one time or another. And whilst many Brits will go on and turn their dreams into reality and become part of the millions of expats living overseas, there are so many considerations to take into account and it involves far more thought and careful planning than you’re likely to have thought possible. If moving overseas is something you are seriously considering, however, here are just some of the many issues you’ll need to think carefully about.
Permits/Visas
Firstly, depending on where you are looking to move to, you may find that it’s difficult or nigh on impossible to obtain the relevant paperwork such as visas and work permits unless you’re moving to another EU member country. Therefore, it’s important you find that out from the outset because without the necessary paperwork, all of the other considerations will be meaningless.
Health and Insurance
It’s not simply a matter of a couple of weeks’ travel insurance but you’ll need to take out comprehensive insurance policies for your health, travel, home and contents, third party liability and motor insurance. Health insurance is vital as without it, you could end up being left with bills you simply cannot afford to pay if you suffer from a serious illness or have a bad accident whilst abroad. It’s not like the UK which has the NHS. In certain countries, you may not even be entitled to the most basic of healthcare facilities without having the proper insurance. You should also be aware of any potential health risks in the country you’re travelling to, make sure that you have all of the proper vaccinations and have taken any other necessary health precautions.
Cultural Issues
Once again, a holiday experience abroad is likely to be very different from becoming a resident in a certain country. Even if you do tend to go on holidays away from the typically British resorts overseas and enjoy conversing with the local natives, actually living amongst them as a resident can be very different and in many places, you’ll need to get to know their culture, heritage, traditions, customs and way of life before you go as you may find that certain practices and beliefs are so far off from what you feel you can accommodate within your own lifestyle so it’s important you gain a grasp of these first before deciding if a move to a particular country is right for you.
Children and Education
If you are planning to move abroad with children, you’ll also need to look at the implications for their schooling. Will there be schools there where English is widely spoken? Are the schools of a high standard? How do your children feel about integrating with foreign children and perhaps having to learn a new language? All of these and much more are questions you’ll need to have answered.
Cost of Living
Many people quit Britain for a life abroad because of the cost of living which they believe is far cheaper overseas. Whilst this may be true in some countries, it is not true of all and it’s important you find out if you can actually afford to live overseas whilst maintaining your required standard of living. Remember things like healthcare costs which are often not taken into account when considering like-for-like costs of living between the UK and countries overseas.
Employment
If you have a job go to, you’ll also need to consider what you would do if the job ended at any point. Would you be able to obtain another job within your chosen field quite quickly and, if not, how might this affect your ability to afford the means to sustain yourself and your family?
Finance and Taxes
You’ll also need to consider opening a foreign bank account and to find out more about taxes and other charges which you will incur in the place you are moving to and the cost of any implications of financial assets you still might have in the UK.
These are just some of the issues which will need careful consideration before moving overseas. Others would include things like accessibility to public transport if you don’t intend having a car, crime and personal safety and communications infrastructures if you rely on them for work or for keeping in touch with friends and family back home.
The important thing to remember is that many expats go on to lead far happier lives and have never regretted leaving the UK for a life overseas. There are, however, many for whom it ends up turning into a nightmare. Therefore, the key thing is to plan meticulously, ensuring that relocation overseas is viable and something you are determined to do and then to also have some kind of ‘exit strategy’ in place, should emergencies occur or you decide later that you wish to return home.
For more information about overseas moves please visit www.removalcosts.co.uk
Most of us will have spent lazy days on holiday lying on a sun-kissed beach with not a care in the world and have thought “wouldn’t it be nice to live abroad?” at one time or another. And whilst many Brits will go on and turn their dreams into reality and become part of the millions of expats living overseas, there are so many considerations to take into account and it involves far more thought and careful planning than you’re likely to have thought possible. If moving overseas is something you are seriously considering, however, here are just some of the many issues you’ll need to think carefully about.
Permits/Visas
Firstly, depending on where you are looking to move to, you may find that it’s difficult or nigh on impossible to obtain the relevant paperwork such as visas and work permits unless you’re moving to another EU member country. Therefore, it’s important you find that out from the outset because without the necessary paperwork, all of the other considerations will be meaningless.
Health and Insurance
It’s not simply a matter of a couple of weeks’ travel insurance but you’ll need to take out comprehensive insurance policies for your health, travel, home and contents, third party liability and motor insurance. Health insurance is vital as without it, you could end up being left with bills you simply cannot afford to pay if you suffer from a serious illness or have a bad accident whilst abroad. It’s not like the UK which has the NHS. In certain countries, you may not even be entitled to the most basic of healthcare facilities without having the proper insurance. You should also be aware of any potential health risks in the country you’re travelling to, make sure that you have all of the proper vaccinations and have taken any other necessary health precautions.
Cultural Issues
Once again, a holiday experience abroad is likely to be very different from becoming a resident in a certain country. Even if you do tend to go on holidays away from the typically British resorts overseas and enjoy conversing with the local natives, actually living amongst them as a resident can be very different and in many places, you’ll need to get to know their culture, heritage, traditions, customs and way of life before you go as you may find that certain practices and beliefs are so far off from what you feel you can accommodate within your own lifestyle so it’s important you gain a grasp of these first before deciding if a move to a particular country is right for you.
Children and Education
If you are planning to move abroad with children, you’ll also need to look at the implications for their schooling. Will there be schools there where English is widely spoken? Are the schools of a high standard? How do your children feel about integrating with foreign children and perhaps having to learn a new language? All of these and much more are questions you’ll need to have answered.
Cost of Living
Many people quit Britain for a life abroad because of the cost of living which they believe is far cheaper overseas. Whilst this may be true in some countries, it is not true of all and it’s important you find out if you can actually afford to live overseas whilst maintaining your required standard of living. Remember things like healthcare costs which are often not taken into account when considering like-for-like costs of living between the UK and countries overseas.
Employment
If you have a job go to, you’ll also need to consider what you would do if the job ended at any point. Would you be able to obtain another job within your chosen field quite quickly and, if not, how might this affect your ability to afford the means to sustain yourself and your family?
Finance and Taxes
You’ll also need to consider opening a foreign bank account and to find out more about taxes and other charges which you will incur in the place you are moving to and the cost of any implications of financial assets you still might have in the UK.
These are just some of the issues which will need careful consideration before moving overseas. Others would include things like accessibility to public transport if you don’t intend having a car, crime and personal safety and communications infrastructures if you rely on them for work or for keeping in touch with friends and family back home.
The important thing to remember is that many expats go on to lead far happier lives and have never regretted leaving the UK for a life overseas. There are, however, many for whom it ends up turning into a nightmare. Therefore, the key thing is to plan meticulously, ensuring that relocation overseas is viable and something you are determined to do and then to also have some kind of ‘exit strategy’ in place, should emergencies occur or you decide later that you wish to return home.
For more information about overseas moves please visit www.removalcosts.co.uk
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