Moving timeline – how to plan and time your move
A moving timeline is a plan for when you book the moving service, what you pack and in what order. When you build the timeline around moving day and start in good time, you avoid feeling rushed and the surprises that the amount of stuff can bring. A timeline also speeds up the move itself and keeps costs down, because the moving service's bill is based on the hours used.
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Start the timeline from moving day
The first point in the timeline is deciding on moving day. Once the day is clear, build the other tasks around it.
Estimate the size of the move: how many moving boxes you need and how long packing will take.
Decide whether you need a moving service, and book it in good time — this way you're most likely to get the service on the day you want.
Avoid booking the service for the day before the move; a short lead time is a needless risk.
Opiskelijamuutot also offers the option to change your moving day free of charge if your schedule changes.
When should you start packing?
Start packing at the latest a week before moving day, with the things you rarely need. This way you have time to pack carefully and to react if you run out of moving boxes.
When you start in good time, you also pack more carefully: tape the doors of cupboards and chests of drawers so they don't open while being carried, and label each box by its contents. Labelling speeds up unpacking in the new home.
Reserve enough moving boxes
A good rule of thumb is one moving box per square metre of your home — for example, about 50 boxes for a 50-square-metre two-room flat. Reserve too many rather than too few, so your belongings definitely fit.
However, don't pack the boxes too full: overfull boxes are hard to stack in the moving truck, and the safe transport of your belongings can't be guaranteed. Use plastic moving boxes designed for moving, which are durable and stackable — an ordinary cardboard box can lose its shape while being carried, in which case liability for damage rests with the customer.
Expert tip: start early
Opiskelijamuutot's office manager Tuomo Falck emphasises starting the move early. According to Falck, there have been situations where the movers are carrying belongings to the vehicle while the customer is still packing. In his view, the conditions for a smooth move are starting in good time, using plastic moving boxes, and packing belongings carefully.
Falck reminds us that moving is physical work: the movers may carry hundreds of boxes during the day, there can be two locations in a day, and not every place has a lift. When belongings are ready and appropriately packed by the time the moving truck arrives, the move goes faster and more safely — and the hourly-based bill stays smaller.
Frequently asked questions about the moving timeline
Where should you start packing for a move?
Start packing with the things you use rarely, and work toward the things you need daily. Leave the most essential items until last and pack them in a separate essentials box, where you'll find them right after the move.
When should you start packing for a move?
It's worth starting packing at the latest about a week before moving day. Starting earlier gives you leeway and allows careful packing without rushing.
Should you use plastic or cardboard boxes for a move?
Plastic moving boxes, because they are durable and stackable. An ordinary cardboard box can lose its shape while being carried, and if it fails, liability for damage rests with the customer.
Can you change the moving day afterwards?
With Opiskelijamuutot, you can change the moving day free of charge if your schedule changes. Let customer service know about the change as soon as possible.