5 Factors to Consider when Requesting Removal Quotes

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In the early planning stages of moving house, it’s a great idea to get a range of removals quotes so you can make an informed decision on which mover to choose.

Once you have a few quotes to compare, the cost might guide your decision, but it’s important to understand what you are getting for the price, and whether you are comparing apples with apples.

At Stokes Removals we are always happy to go through our quotes with you, so you understand exactly what’s included and what options you might need to consider. To help you get started requesting quotes, we’ve put together a video to explain some of the points you should think about when requesting a quote. Have you factored these into your moving plans?

 

To request a free, no obligation quote, call us on 0116 239 3000 or complete our quick estimate form.

The Benefits of a Combined Removals & Storage Company

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Stokes Removals & Storage depot

For the past fifty years, Stokes Removals and Storage has been serving the people of Leicester with the very best in domestic and commercial removals and relocation storage Leicestershire has to offer. With thousands of satisfied customers across the county, we have a reputation for quality and professionalism that is hard to beat.

Removals

cardboard box

As a local, family run removal company, Leicester is in our blood. We know the people and we know how stressful a time moving can be. That is why our team of professional movers go to great lengths to make sure that the Big Day goes off hassle-free.

We do far more than just load and unload boxes onto a van. We can help you plan your move to ensure that everything goes without a hitch. We’ll see to it that all your belongings are packed away neatly and carefully, prior to loading, and we even offer a professional packing service. Our fleet of moving vans come with all the equipment such as blankets, piano wheels and sack trucks to keep your things safe during the journey, whether you’re going across city, or to the other side of the country.

Storage

You could be travelling abroad for a couple of years, going to university, or living in a different town for work over an extended period, there’s any number of reasons to use a professional storage facility. You might just have a few precious items, or an entire household’s worth of personal belongings. Either way, you can benefit from our safe, secure, and fully-insured storage warehouse.Continue reading →

6 Safety Tips for Moving House

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Moving houseMoving house is an exciting time but if you aren’t prepared it can become stressful and time-consuming. In the midst of packing and moving, make sure that you’re not neglecting safety as an injury is the last thing you want.

Stokes Removals offer safe and straight-forward business and residential removals in Leicester, to streamline the process and make moving more manageable for you.  Follow our tips to ensure you carry out tasks safely and avoid injuries.

Packing

If you decide to do packing yourself, invest in some good quality boxes, tapes and markers to ensure that your belongings are safely packed away and boxes won’t split.

Avoid overpacking your boxes and always pack lighter items in bigger boxes, or they will become too heavy to lift. For heavier items, pack them at the bottom of boxes so that the weight will be distributed, and use bubblewrap or newspaper to ensure that they do not move around inside which can make it dangerous to carry them.

Lifting

It’s vital that you know to lift using your legs instead of your back to prevent long-term injuries. Your leg muscles are much stronger and they should be taking the majority of weight. To make it easier, place boxes on top of chairs or tables as you pack to avoid bending down as much. Take the time to assess how heavy the boxes will be and make sure that you can take the strain without injuring your back in the process.Continue reading →

Top Tips for Moving House During the Winter

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Icy roads and paths can be dangerous while movinng boxes to and from the car

Moving house can be a trying enough experience at any time of the year, without the added problems of inclement weather and extended hours of darkness that a winter move can bring.

Here are a few hints and tips to make your winter move run smoothly.

Use a reliable removals firm

At Stokes Removals & Storage, we have been assisting with removals in Leicester for over half a century, so we know what we’re talking about. Attempting a house move on your own is risky enough in the summer, but there’s a real risk to your safety during winter with multiple trips between houses, down unfamiliar roads with rain battering the windscreen and heaving heavy boxes up and down icy driveways. Hiring a reputable removals company eliminates those risks.

Extend your timeline

Moving in winter adds time to your moving plan. Simple things like the kids being under your feet because of the rain, or being unable to pack up and empty the garage or shed, because it’s too dark after work: it all adds up. Just be sure to plan for them accordingly.Continue reading →

Why Self Storage?

Why Self-Storage?

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Self-storage can be hugely useful in a number of different situations, allowing you to take a load off your mind, and trust that your possessions are in safe hands

Self-storage can be an extremely neat and effective solution to a huge range of problems, but what is it especially useful for? Why use self-storage?

When Moving House

When you’re moving house, it can often be much easier if you don’t have to worry about where all your possessions are, especially if you’re staying in a smaller rented property before moving into your new home, or are simply downsizing.
Moving house can be really stressful, so knowing that your possessions are completely safe and sound can be a big help.

When Getting Work Done on Your House

No-one enjoys having the builders in. Loud, dusty and risky for your furniture and property, it’d make things much easier if all that stuff simply wasn’t there.
Which is exactly what you can do with self-storage. If you don’t have the space to move all your things fully out of the way, or if you simply don’t want the rest of your property even more disturbed by the work going on, it can be an easy and straightforward solution to keeping your things at home during the work.

Stock Storage for Businesses

For many businesses, the flexibility of high security, easy access stock storage is incredibly appealing, and that’s exactly what self-storage offers. With monitored, alarmed and secure units, accessible twenty-four hours a day, you’re going to struggle to find anywhere better to keep your stock, especially without breaking the bank.Continue reading →

Tips on Moving House During the Summer

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Moving home in the summer is a good idea because it gives you more favourable conditions and means you will likely be able to free up more time from work. If you have kids it also means you can reduce the academic disruption they will experience by changing schools. Here we explore some tips to make moving in the summer as smooth as possible.

Get started early

Moving in the summer can expose you to heat that can make the lifting and moving of possessions far more difficult. Starting any moving tasks early in the day will help you to beat the heat.

Consider your belongings

Remember that not all of your belongings will fare well if they are left in a hot truck for hours on end. Furniture with a beeswax coating, for example, can be damaged by the heat. Plan for the hottest part of the day and ensure you are moving the more sensitive items early on or into the evening.

Bring portable fans

Portable fans can be a great help when you are moving in the summer. Setting one up to blow in the truck and in the doorway of your home will ensure that you and the team are not sweating and parched as soon as you start the day.Continue reading →

Decluttering your home before a move

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Moving house is as exciting as it is stressful, with a whole life to be packed up into boxes and shipped to a new destination. To cope with the stress, think of it more as a time of renewal, when you can get rid of some of the old stuff you have been burdened with. Here, Stokes Removals & Storage shows you how.

Categorise your life

Dealing with everything in a room can seem like an impossible task, so it’s best to categorise everything into types of object from all over the house. This way, you’ll tackle the whole house at once and boxes will be full of the same thing for ease of unpacking.

Crucially, you need to have a ‘pack’ box and a ‘donate’ box. This way, you can de-clutter as you go along, and see each item in context before you decide its time to go.

The ‘space’ method

If you feel you have too much of something, find out the volume of storage space you’ll have in your new house and mark out that space on your floor. Put everything you’ll want to store into that space, starting with your most beloved items, and donate or bin anything that doesn’t fit. It’s ruthless, but it forces you to decide what stays and what goes.Continue reading →

removals company leicester

Reasons to hire a professional moving company

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When you move house you have a choice between using a professional moving company and doing it yourself. Here we explore why you should turn to a professional moving company every time.

It keeps you safe

Moving heavy items can be dangerous to both yourself and others. While moving a wardrobe across a room might be manageable, carrying it down two flights of stairs and then up into a rental van will be a lot harder. Don’t put your back out. Get professional help.

Your friends won’t regret knowing you

Helping a friend move is a real hassle and while your friends may lend a hand and be gracious about it, they won’t want to be there. Save yourself from the frustrating arguments and fallouts as you try to manoeuvre a sofa through a doorway.

It frees up time

On moving day there is a lot more that you should be thinking about rather than how best to lift a chest of drawers off of a van. Moving itself will take up a lot of time, so take the burden of lifting off your own shoulders and hire someone in to do it for you.Continue reading →

storage in leicester

A Guide to Packing for a Stressful Move

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Moving out of home for the first time? Upgrading to your second property? Moving offices? It comes to us all at some stage in life, and it often brings one thing with it: stress. From the logistical nightmare to last-minute panic, moving isn’t easy. But rest assured: here are four steps you can take to ensure a stress-free move.

What’s going to go where?

Getting everything into boxes then into the removal van is the first hurdle. It’s easy to forget you’ll have another one when you arrive at your new space: where to put everything? If your old home or office is very similar to your new one it won’t be too hard, but if it’s different, then you’ll need to plan. Sketch a floor plan of both premises and mark out what will go where – you’ll thank yourself for it when moving day comes around.

Book a removal specialist early on

You could, of course, try and do it all yourself, but you might find it tricky, especially if you have lots of stuff. We’d recommend searching for removal companies in Leicester as soon as you know you’re definitely moving – that way, you can enjoy some early peace of mind that all the hard stuff will be taken care of and then some.Continue reading →

Tips for Using Rental Storage Units – Leicester

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If you need more space when relocating with excessive belongings, rental storage units are an incredibly convenient storage option. There are numerous reasons to rent a storage unit, but once you have made up your mind, you need to make sure your possessions are efficiently stored and protected. Leicester has many outdoor storage options, and the factors you base your decision on play a key role in delivering the value you expect.

Here are the top three tips and tricks that you need to know beforehand to utilise the service to the best of its potential:

Use Climate Controlled Storage

With the increasing popularity of luxury items in storage, there is a growing demand for secure and high-quality storage with climate-controlled facilities. Climate controlled storage units maintain a consistent temperature all year round. There is also an option of enhanced humidity control in some units, which cost a little extra but are worth the investment.
Basic storage is usually sufficient for most household items but climate controlled storage becomes necessary for sensitive items like antiques, electronics, musical instruments, art or other temperature-sensitive fabric which include glass, metals, leather, and plastics. Climate control will insulate your possessions from extreme weather conditions.

Choose Proper Boxes and Packing Materials

Once you have made the decision of moving things into a storage unit, the next step is to decide how to ensure the safety of your belongings. Even though it is tempting to use cheap boxes, they may not be up to the task. Careful packing goes a long way in keeping your household items intact. It is always better to buy new boxes as compared to using old ones as they may be damaged or contain bug-attracting food and water residue.Continue reading →