Removals to France

So you’ve finally taken the plunge and you’re moving to France. Exciting isn’t it? You may regard this question with some scepticism because you are excited but at the same time, you’re nervous. The one thing you will need is a reputable removal company. There are hundreds of companies who do removals to France but how do you choose one?

There are various ways you can do this, the internet is a great start but can be confusing due to the sheer amount of information out there. Business directories are also as good way to find companies who do removals to France but this can be time consuming.

Online Marketplaces

You could of course use an online marketplace. This is a very easy way to simply enter the details of your move. All you need to do after that is sit back and wait for the quotes to start rolling in. All of the companies that do removals to France will be automatically notified about your move. They will then be given the opportunity to ask questions or give a price based on the information you’ve entered.

Other methods

Using an online marketplace is a great way to save time on researching removals to France but, you can of course, use this type of service along with other methods just so you can keep your options open.  There are however, a few things you should look out for. Make sure you can follow up on any references that are provided, and you should also make sure these references are based on removals to France.

Find out if the company has French speaking staff and also question them about laws that France has in place about removals to France. Reputation should take precedence over price. A company that does removals to France who gives you a cheap price may be desperate for the business, and there could be a reason for this. Quality of service is something you should always think about first. After all, you’re going to entrust your precious belongings to someone else and it’s important they reach your new home in the same condition they left.

Overall

Moving to France is probably something you’ve been dreaming about for a long time, and now that it’s finally here you’ll be experiencing all sorts of emotions. There are many things for you to think about but if you can find a removal company to help that involves as little stress as possible, this will be at least one tick one task off  your “to do” list.

If you’re interested in finding out more, why not take a look at http://www.theroadahead.co.uk/moving_to_france.aspx

Ways to Make Your New House Feel Just Like Home

So, it’s finally over! You’ve at last come out the other side of moving home and hopefully there isn’t any lasting psychological damage to deal with! In fact, you should be prepared because now you face a new hurdle and that’s settling into your new surroundings.

Even if you’ve bought a brand new house that no-one has lived in before, it can still feel like it’s not yours. So, to help you along with what can be a difficult transition I have some tips below to help make your new place really feel like yours.

Get Cooking!

For many families, the kitchen is the hub of the home. This is the place where everyone meets at meal-times to discuss just exactly what went “bump in the night” or what sort of day they’ve had. As soon as you can, get that kitchen unpacked!

If you like to cook, you’ll be amazed at the difference just by having all the appliances that are familiar to you at hand. It’s hard to believe but there is a link between what we smell and how we feel. Think about what the smell of candy-floss reminds you of or freshly baked bread? I’ll bet there is a memory somewhere in your head!

If you cook your family’s favourite meal, the house will immediately be filled with the smells of home and this will do wonders to help everyone settle in.

Make Your Own Stamp

Sticking with scents (sorry, but they do play a big part), you should think about other places in the home. The lounge for instance might be the cosy part room everyone relaxes in during the evening. Try adding some lightly scented potpourri or plug-in air fresheners you used in your last home. In fact, you can do this in whatever part of the house you like.

Once you’re all unpacked think about starting a DIY project. You’ll be surprised at what a lick of paint can do, and this will also help to do away with any smells from previous owners or that sort of “newness” scent you get with a place that hasn’t been lived in before.

Unpack Your Favourite Knick-Knacks

It doesn’t matter if you have family portraits, framed holiday snaps or that vase that Grandma gave you. When it comes to putting your ornaments out start with the ones that are most dear to you, this will probably send you on a trip down memory lane but at the same-time you’ll gradually start to feel like you’re at home.

Finally – Have a House Warming!

The minute you’re all unpacked and everything (well, almost everything) is in its place, have a house warming. This can be whatever you like. Invite a few friends and family round for a quiet dinner, or if it “floats your boat” go wild and have a good old knees up.

The fact is it will take time for you to feel like you’ve finally moved into a home and not just a house but if you take some of the steps above, you could make this happen much quicker.

For more useful tips on moving home, visit http://www.theroadahead.co.uk/blog/

What Should Be Top of Your Home Removal To Do List?

As everyone knows, moving home is one of the biggest challenges you can face in life. In fact, you only have to do a quick search on the internet to know that many people believe it’s one of the most stressful things you can do!

However, since you’re reading this because you’re about to embark upon a move, there isn’t much you can do to stop it now.

After all, you’ve made this decision for a reason. So, what should be top of your “to do” list? Perhaps packing springs to mind, or making sure you have all the dates correctly entered on your calendar so you know what’s happening when?

Whilst these two points are incredibly important, the one thing you should make sure you have in place is a removals company to help you. I put this top of the list because there is nothing worse than being surrounded by well packed, (and well labelled boxes) only to find that you’re rushing around trying to find a reputable company to help you without breaking the bank.

So, the first piece of advice I will offer you is the minute you have an idea of how much you need to move, the next step is to find a removal firm that can do the job but how? See below!

The Traditional Methods

You could ask family and friends if they know of a good company. After all, word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool and people will be more than willing to tell you who to avoid rather than who you should use. Think of this as a way of discounting various firms that don’t have a good reputation.

The other thing you could do is to turn to a business directory. However, this will involve the need to make a lot of phone calls because ads like this don’t tell you much beyond name, contact details and perhaps the services on offer.

The Internet

Of course, this will be the first port of call for a lot of you. These days, business directories like the yellow pages are online so you can easily type in what type of company you’re looking for and in what location. But, although you might find a few websites that give you more information you still have to do all the hard work. 

One of the very best ways to go about finding a removal company (and it doesn’t matter if you’re just moving to a town a few miles away or planning a move abroad), is to list your requirements on a site that will automatically put you in-touch with removal companies who are likely to be interested in helping you out.

There are several reasons why this is one of the best methods:

• You only have to enter the type of service you’re looking for, where you’re moving to and from and how much space you require once!
• The hard work in terms of “vetting” is done for you. This means you will only be contacted by removal companies who can deliver what they promise.
• There is no need to make a load of phone calls. In fact, all you need to do is keep an eye on your inbox for emails either asking questions or offering a price.

These are just a few of the positives to signing up with an online marketplace for removal companies and if you’re interested in reducing the amount of stress you’re experiencing, taking a look at The RoadAhead to find out more might just be the answer!

How to Prepare Your Home for Sale on a Budget

Here we are at the beginning of a new year, and you’ve finally decided its time to move on. It could be that you’ve just outgrown your current house, you’ve have accepted it’s time to down size or you just don’t like the area you live in anymore.

Whilst moving home is one of the most stressful things you can do (anyone will tell you that), these days making sure your house sells in a reasonable amount of time when it goes on the market can bring its own headaches.

As we all know, the economic situation across the UK and Europe could be an awful lot better, and money is tight for a lot of people. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t spruce up your house without spending too much money. Take a look at some of the tips below:

The Kitchen

You might think those tired looking tiles or kitchen cabinets have seen better days, but this doesn’t mean you have to replace everything with new. Sure, it would be great if you could have a fancy granite work surface or the latest “fashion” tiles in your kitchen but what you have to remember is that any potential home buyer will more than likely make their own mark anyway.

So, here’s what you can do:

• Re-grout around the tiles which can be done pretty cheaply. You’ll be surprised at how much  fresher everything will look.

• For the work surfaces, make sure they’re not cluttered with jars and kitchen appliances that don’t get used all the time. Remember, you want to create the illusion of space (especially in this room).

• If your cabinets are looking a bit tired, you can easily strip them, sand them off and varnish them so they look more modern.

The Bathroom

Traditionally, bathrooms are not a place any potential buyer will spend too much time looking at when they view your home for the first time. So, what you need to create here is a feeling of space and above all, cleanliness! Make sure the plug holes are free of unwanted hair and that your toilet (if you have one in the bathroom) smells fresh.

You can also make a small investment in some expensive looking hand soap, and a matching set of towels will finish the room off just nicely. Of course, it goes without saying this room should not be too cluttered and gleaming mirrors will give a feeling of space.

The Rest of the House

You’ve probably heard this a thousand times, but DE-CLUTTER. If you have pets, make sure there are few if any signs of them. For example, beds should be tidied away and where possible, food bowls popped into the fridge until the viewing is complete.

This may sound like an odd one when you’re looking to sell your home, but if you have lots of photos of family and friends, try replacing them with something a little more neutral. The idea here is that you make it as easy as possible for buyers to imagine themselves living in your house.

As you can see from the tips above, it is possible to create a “sellable” house without spending an inordinate amount of money. Once you’ve got passed this stage and you’re ready to move why not take a look at this link for more information on finding a removal company theroadahead.co.uk?