The Yellow Van Company

Top Tips For Packing Moving Boxes

1. Get yourself a range of good quality double walled cardboard boxes.
Make sure you have a good selection of packing boxes in different sizes. You’ll need medium sized cardboard boxes for small, heavy items such as books. Large or Extra Large removal boxes can be filled with lighter, bulky items such as bed covers, pillows and linen.

2. Don’t over fill boxes so they become too heavy to move.
Pack heavy items in small boxes and light items in larger boxes. If you are packing a box containing items of different weights, make sure the heavier items are packed first and then the lighter items at the top. This prevents the lighter items being crushed and also means the heaviest items are being directly supported when being carried. Try not to fill boxes above the top level as this will prevent the boxes stacking properly in the van.

3. Wrap fragile items.
Before packing delicate or fragile items in boxes, make sure they are well protected. Wrap glasses, vases and china in acid free tissue paper and/or bubble wrap. This prevents the dulling of china and breakages. Materials such as foam wrap or corrugated cardboard can be used to fill space in boxes and provide a protective layer between items. Mirrors and pictures should be securely wrapped in bubble wrap to prevent damage. Ideally your televisions can be wrapped in foam wrap and then placed in their original boxes. It also makes it easier if you can tape the remote control onto the back of the set so it doesn’t get lost.
4. Seal the boxes securely.
Seal all the boxes, both the top and bottom, with packing tape. This tape has a strong adhesive and will not unstick during use. If the box contains fragile or delicate items, ensure you have some fragile packing tape on the box too. Other tapes such as duct tape should not be used as they do not provide a strong enough hold and do not stick to cardboard properly.

5. Label the boxes.
Using a marker pen, clearly mark the outside of the boxes with the contents and what room they have to be put in in the new house. This saves a lot of time and hassle when unpacking the boxes and limits the chances of belongings being lost.

6. Pack the essentials last
Don’t pack away things that you use everyday or items that you will need on the first night in your new house. These should be packed into a ‘survival kit’ and be the last box loaded onto the removal van. It is then accessible when it comes to unpacking and you can locate the essentials quickly and easily.

We'll be happy to answer any question.

It doesn’t matter how silly you think the question may be, let us help you so you can have peace of mind. Even if it doesn’t necessarily have everything to do with your move our team have a wealth of experience. Like the saying goes; it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Can the price go up after I book?

The accuracy of what you tell us is important when it comes to this. So long as the job is as you described it then the answer is NO.

But should your booking take longer than you initially requested, you need us to take things up floors that were not mentioned when booking or if you need us to do additional stops then this would incur additional charges.
Which areas do you pick up from?

We will collect from anywhere in England, Wales, and Scotland and so long as you are coming back to London then it’s all factored into your quote.

Should all of your addresses fall outside of London there will be additional cost, but this will again be factored into the quote that you do with us.
How do I book?

The easiest way to book is online as this can be done at your convenience and so long as the information given is correct, it will be the same price as booking over the phone.

But if you want to speak to us then our London based call centre is on hand to answer whatever questions you may have or take your booking over the phone.
Can I rely on you to turn up on the day?

Absolutely! We’ve never failed to turn up to a customer. It doesn’t matter what the world chucks at us, we will be there!
Can I travel in the van?

We guarantee 1 passenger seat in all our vans. The only exception is when you are booking 3 movers, as the van only has 3 seats in it.

If you need two passengers to travel in the van, please let us know this at the time of booking and we will try to accommodate this as best we can, but we offer no guarantees as the job before or after you may require 2 movers and the spare mover needs to travel in the van.
Do I need to pre-book?

Not necessarily but booking at least 7 days in advance will normally mean that we can do whatever day and time you want. If you book with less than 7 days’ notice, then we will always try to fit you in wherever possible.
What happens if I go over my booked time?

We do advise for our customers to book enough time for their move and if you’re unsure maybe add on 30-60 mins. As this can save you time, money, and stress in the long run. For tips on how to calculate the amount of time you need for your move please click here.

That being said, we do understand that sometimes customers accidently underestimate the amount of time they need to move, therefore if you go over your booked time, we will charge the standard rate for the first half hour but after that every additional half hour will have a 25% surcharge on top.

For customers that are way off with their estimations there may be circumstances where we must finish the job off on another day or time when we have availability. As we may have another customer to move after you and we cannot continuously postpone them.
What do I do if I want to complain?

In the unfortunate event of you wanting to complain about something this must be done via email. Please send this to enquiries@theyellowvancompany.com. Once reviewed by us we will be in contact with you.
Where are you based?

We are London based with our headquarters in Mitcham, South London. But that doesn’t limit us to where we can go. We carry out jobs all over London, if you keep your eye out, you’ll see our vans dotted in the north, east, south, and west.
What size are your vehicles?

We operate 2 types of vans: Large Transit and Luton Van. Please see the dimensions for the vans below. If your building or the parking in the building has a height or width restrictions we must know in advance as we sometimes send a bigger van at no extra cost if your original van is delayed.

Large Transit:
Length: 3.5m (Internally), 6.0m (Externally)
Height: 1.9m (Internally), 2.55m (Externally)
Width: 1.6m (Internally), 1.8m (Externally)

Luton Van:
Length: 4.0m (Internally), 6.7m (Externally)
Height: 2.2m (Internally), 3.3m (Externally)
Width: 2.0m (Internally), 2.0m (Externally)
What are your quotes based on?

Our removal quotes are based on several factors. Location, distance of the move, complexity of the move (what floor each address is on etc.), what type on van you need us to send, the number of movers you need, and the amount of time needed. Packing and storage will also be factored if you require them.
Do I need to organise parking?

If parking is difficult outside your property or is restricted to permit holders only, then you will need organise this for us before we arrive on the day. If it is pay and display, then you can pay for this for us on the day as well.

We will not park anywhere that we may get a ticket unless you pay for the cost of this ticket in advance. We charge this at £80 which is non-refundable whether we get the ticket or not. The reason for this is because we sometimes have circumstances where we do not get the ticket until several months after the date of contravention and therefore cannot put a timeline on when we know if we got a ticket or not.
Can we tip the movers?

Yes, feel free to tip the movers if you feel that they have done an excellent job.