Most moves that go badly do not go badly on moving day. They go badly three weeks earlier, when nobody rang the council about a parking permit, or nobody mentioned the loft.

This is the order we would do it in.

Eight weeks out

Get your quotes. Two weeks' notice is the minimum we would want, but two months gives you the choice of dates, and weekends go first — we do not charge a premium for them, so they are the ones everybody wants.

Do the walk-round properly. Whoever is quoting needs to see everything, and that specifically means the parts people skip: the loft, the garage, the shed, the cupboard under the stairs. A short video of each room is normally all we need. Every surprise on the day started as something nobody filmed.

Decide what is not coming with you. The cheapest thing you will ever move is the wardrobe you sell instead. Charity collections book up weeks ahead, so decide early enough to use them.

Six weeks out

Book the move. A 30% deposit secures the date; the balance is due on completion.

Tell us about the awkward things now. A piano, a safe, an American fridge-freezer, gym equipment — these need the right kit and often extra crew. Declared in advance it is usually straightforward. Discovered on the day, it might have to be booked as a separate job.

Ask about dismantling. Beds, wardrobes and garden furniture are not automatically taken apart. It needs requesting at quoting stage so the right tools and the time are allowed for.

Start the paperwork. Redirect the post, and start the list of everyone who needs a new address. It is longer than you think.

Four weeks out

Sort the parking. Suitable parking as close as reasonably possible to both addresses is your responsibility, and it is the single most common cause of a slow morning. If either street is permit-controlled or has restrictions, contact the council now and tell us what you have arranged.

If you are moving into a flat, book the goods lift and any loading bay with the building. Managing agents often want evidence of the removal firm's public liability insurance before granting access — ask us and we will send it.

Start packing the things you do not use. Books, out-of-season clothes, the good crockery. If we are packing for you, you can skip this entirely; materials are included.

Two weeks out

Confirm the arrangements — date, time window, both addresses, and anything that has changed since you booked. Changes are free with at least 48 hours' notice.

Order what you need, or ask us to drop materials off if you have a booking with us.

Plan the pets and the children. They need to be somewhere else on the day, and arranging that on the morning never works.

The last week

Run the fuel out of everything. Mowers, strimmers, pressure washers. A tank that looks empty usually is not, and we cannot legally carry fuel.

Take fuels, solvents and gas cylinders to the recycling centre. Camping gas and patio bottles included.

Defrost the fridge and freezer, at least 24 hours before the day, and empty them. We will happily move the appliance; not what is inside it.

Pack a box that travels with you. Kettle, mugs, tea, phone chargers, medication, toilet roll, a change of clothes, the paperwork. This is the single best thing on this list.

The night before

Finish the packing and seal the boxes. Label anything fragile clearly, and do not fill a box past the point where anyone can lift it.

Put the irreplaceable things in your own car. Cash, jewellery, passports, deeds, medication, keys, anything sentimental. These sit outside standard goods in transit cover, and they are easy to lose track of among a hundred boxes.

Charge your phone. If your move depends on a key release, you will be on it.

On the day

Be there — you or someone you trust aged 18 or over, at both addresses. Somebody has to answer questions and confirm the last box is on the van.

Keep children and pets out of the working areas. Point the crew at the rooms as things come in; we would rather put things where you want them than stack everything in the hall.

And before we leave, look over your belongings and say straight away if anything concerns you. Any loss or damage needs reporting within 48 hours so it can be investigated while everything is fresh.

If the completion slips

It happens more often than anybody admits, and it is the reason we recommend a fixed price for any move that depends on a key release. On a fixed-price booking we wait — no clock, no charge — because the crew has taken no other job that day.

If the delay runs long enough that finishing safely is not realistic, we will talk to you about taking everything into secure storage overnight and delivering the next day. That is not the disaster it feels like at four in the afternoon. It is the plan.