Why a little preparation pays off on completion day

Completion day is the day everything converges. Your buyer wants the keys, your seller wants theirs released, the removal crew is on a tight schedule, and somewhere in the middle of it all is your furniture, your kettle and your sense of humour. The households that sail through it are rarely the ones with the least to move. They are the ones who spent an hour or two the day before sorting out the practical details.

Removal crews are quick, but they are not mind readers. They cannot park where there is no space, carry a sofa through a corridor blocked by half-packed boxes, or guess which items you intended to take in the car. Give them clear access, clear pathways and a clear idea of what stays and what goes, and a job that might have taken eight hours can be done in five. Here is how to make that happen.

Sort out parking and access before the van arrives

Parking is the single biggest cause of delay on moving day, and it is the thing most people leave until the morning. In many UK towns and cities you need a suspension or dispensation from the local council to reserve space on the road outside your home, and these usually need to be applied for several days in advance. If you are in a controlled parking zone, check whether the van needs a permit or a visitor voucher.

If a suspension is not possible, knock on your neighbours' doors a few days ahead and ask whether they would mind moving their cars on the day. Most people are happy to help when asked in advance rather than being asked at 8am with a van already waiting.

• Measure the gap. A large removal van needs roughly three car lengths, plus room to open the rear doors and lower the ramp.
• Check for overhanging branches, low cables, wheelie bins and scaffolding that could block a high-sided vehicle.
• If you live in a flat, find out whether the lift can be booked and whether the crew needs a fob or a code for the communal entrance.
• Warn the crew about narrow doorways, steep stairs, awkward turns or a gate that needs lifting off its hinges.
• Note any parking restrictions on the day itself, including market days, refuse collections or roadworks.

Clear a safe route through the house

Once the crew is inside, they will be walking the same path dozens of times, often carrying something heavy and unable to see their feet. Anything in that path is a trip hazard and a delay.

Roll up rugs and mats, especially in hallways and on stairs. Move shoes, bags, toys and pet bowls out of the way. Take pictures off the walls along the main route and put them somewhere safe, since a knocked frame can mean broken glass and a difficult conversation. If you have hard floors, lay down old sheets or cardboard along the busiest stretch to save the finish — and to protect a floor your buyer is about to inherit.

Think about the outside as well. Clear the front path, trim anything spiky, and make sure the garden gate is propped open. If it is forecast to rain, put down something absorbent at the door. A dry, well-lit route from the van to the rooms being emptied is worth more than any amount of last-minute tidying.

Finish the packing that removers cannot do for you

Most crews will dismantle beds, wrap furniture and box up the contents of cupboards if you have asked them to. What they cannot do is decide what matters to you. Anything fragile, personal or irreplaceable should be packed by you, in advance, and clearly labelled.

• Defrost the fridge and freezer at least 24 hours before the move, and empty, clean and dry them thoroughly. A freezer full of melting food is nobody's friend.
• Drain the washing machine, secure the drum if the manual says so, and tape the door shut.
• Pack a box for the first night — bedding, towels, toiletries, chargers, a few mugs, tea bags and a kettle. Mark it clearly and keep it with you.
• Label boxes by room, not by contents alone. "Kitchen — glasses" tells the crew far more than "fragile".
• Set aside a "do not remove" corner for anything travelling with you, and tell the crew foreman where it is.
• Deal with plants and pets. Houseplants rarely survive a day in a removal van, and animals are best off with a friend, a neighbour or a cattery for the day.

Keep valuables, documents and essentials with you

Removal insurance covers many things, but it is far better not to test it. Passports, birth certificates, deeds, wills, jewellery, bank cards, prescription medicines and small electronics should travel with you in the car, not in the van.

Photograph anything valuable before it is wrapped, and keep the pictures on your phone. If an item does go missing or arrive damaged, a dated photo and a note of which box it came from makes a claim considerably easier to resolve.

It is also worth keeping a small bag with the day's practicalities: your phone charger, a bottle of water, snacks, painkillers, a pen, the removal company's paperwork and the keys you will be handing over. You will not want to unpack six boxes to find a paracetamol at four in the afternoon.

The final walk-through and handover

Before the van pulls away, do one slow lap of the property. Check lofts, cupboards, garden sheds, the garage, under the stairs and behind doors. It is surprisingly easy to leave a vacuum cleaner, a bicycle or a box of Christmas decorations behind, and arranging a return trip later is both awkward and expensive.

Take meter readings for gas, electricity and water, and photograph the dials. Note down the reading on any prepayment or smart meter display too. Then, once the property is empty, give the rooms a quick once-over — a swept floor and a wiped worktop cost you twenty minutes and leave a far better impression on the people about to call it home.

When the crew has finished, sign off the paperwork, tip if you are happy with the service, and hand over the keys. With the parking sorted, the paths clear and your valuables safely beside you, completion day becomes what it should be: the slightly chaotic, deeply satisfying moment you finally get to leave.