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Advice
for...
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Moving
with children |
Moving
with Pets |
Moving
Your Plants |
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Moving
with children
- When
moving with young children it is important that they know
exactly what is happening and what to expect on moving day.
Pickfords have produced a book entitled 'Moving Home', which
is aimed at first experiences of moving with 2 to 7 year
olds. This is included in Pickfords Moving Package.
- It
enables parents to talk through the moving experience as
an adventure rather than a sad day, by describing a family
on the move.
- If
you have parents or friends who can look after the children
for the bulk of the day then this is ideal, in particular
for parents.
- If
you do not have anyone who can look after young children,
then get them involved and make it fun. The Pickfords removal
team can make up a box for the children to play with all
day - doing their own packing of toys, and at the end of
the day this will need to be repacked to ensure parents
know what is in the box and that Pickfords has taken responsibility
of these items.
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Moving
with Pets
Advice to help your pets settle in safely.
Be prepared
- Cats
and dogs become very attached to their own familiar territory,
so give them extra care and attention before and during
the move.
- Keep
them indoors on the day, in a quiet room - preferably the
room in which they have their bed - and well away form the
hustle and bustle of the moving team.
- Don't
allow your animals to go out unaccompanied - they may wander
off and want to leave.
- You
could keep your pet away from all the commotion by asking
a sympathetic friend, neighbour or relative to look after
it for you.
Be
safe and secure
- Cats
should be transported in a secure basket. For longer journeys
these should be the wicker and wire variety measuring at
least 50x28x28cm.
- Small
animals like guinea pigs, hamsters and rabbits are best
transported in well-ventilated 'chew-proof' containers made
of metal or rigid plastic.
- Give
them plenty of bedding, and a little food.
- Water
must be provided throughout the journey in a non-spill container.
- Avoid
sudden sharp movements and loud noises as these are stressful
to your pet.
- Ideally
the animal should be kept in the dark using a blanket, if
neccessary, to cover the cage or container, but be careful
not to block out air holes.
- Budgies
travel best in a well-ventilated box with subdued lighting
- this has a calming effect.
- If
the budgie is travelling in its cage, make sure you remove
any articles which could become dislodged.
- Throughout
the trip, keep the budgie as quiet as possible. Covering
part of the cage with a cloth or blanket may help, but make
sure there is good ventilation.
- Fish
should be transported in clean, strong, polythene bags part-filled
with tank water.
- Make
sure you seal the bags leaving a good air pocket above the
water.
- Gently
place the bags into a polystyrene container - available
from fish importers and aquatic specialists. Label the containers
with their contents, a picture if possible and the words'this
way up'.
- Remember:
never move fish in their glass tank.
Ease travel trauma
- Many
animals don't like travelling by car- they can suffer from
travel sickness, panic attacks and anxiety.
- To
prevent travel sickness it is advisable not to feed them
for 12 hours before a journey.
- If
you know your pet suffers from travel sickness, ask your
veterinary surgeon about anti-sickness pills.
- Make
sure the car is well ventilated.
- Dogs
need frequent stops for exercise, watering and urinating.
- Ideally
your dog should travel in a holding cage, but make sure
it is suitable for its size.
- Keep
your dog on a lead and never leave your alone in a car for
any more than a few minutes. Remember, the temperature in
a parked car can rise very quickly and your pets may die
from the heat. If you do have to leave them for those few
minutes leave a window open and make sure the car is parked
in the shade.
- Fish
need to be taken to their destination as quickly as possible.
- Be
careful in extremes of weather. On a hot day the water will
heat up quickly causing fish to overheat and die.On a cold
day the water will cool down to a very low temperature in
which fish cannot survive.
At
your new home
- Cats
may take a little while to adjust to new surroundings.
- Give
your cat a fresh litter tray, food and lots of attention.
- Let
it rest quietly at least overnight, then when things have
settled down let it explore the rest of the house.
- After
two days or so, your cat can go on a supervised short walk
to gets its bearings. Remember: any cat which has been frightened
or panicked may try to go back to its old home.
- Give
your cat only part of its normal feed just before it goes
out alone for the first time - this will encourage it to
come back to it new home.
- Dogs
adapt quicker though your dog will still need to be left
in a quiet room with food and water to recover from the
journey.
- Take
it on lots of walks to introduce it to the new surroundings.
- Your
dog should be wearing a collar with an identity tag, but
make sure it has your new address on it just in case it
gets lost and tries to return to the old house.
- Fish
need to be settled into their new home straight away. Treat
them as if they were new fish, de-chlorinating the water
in the tank.
- Before
you place your fish back in their familar surroundings ensure
both the water in the tank and the water in the bags is
at room temperature.
- Every
year many animals are lost when their owners move house.
- The
owner's name and address is entered next to this number
on the national PetLog computer database so that pet and
owner can be re-united.
- Contact
your local veterinary surgeon for further details.
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Moving
Your Plants
In advance of Moving Day
- Inform
your buyer what you will dig up from the garden.
- Make
cuttings (which may need a couple of months to root), or
divide clumps and pot up a small part of those too big to
move.
- Climbing
plants: restrict growth, pruning the plant if it's the correct
time of year to remove any pieces which may break off in
the move.
- Keep
Pickfords informed: tell the Pickfords Moving Consultant
how many pot and garden plants you will be taking to reserve
space for them on the van. Additional consideration will
be needed if allowing extra time and staff for larger volumes.
On the Day
House Plants:
- Drain
excess water from the pots.
- Line
boxes with plastic sheeting.
- If
you pack plants yourself and pack some with breakable pots,
tell your Pickfords removals team. They will provide materials
to protect the pots.
- Large
pots should be placed in plastic bags to stop soil spillage.
Garden Plants:
- Dig
up garden plants on, or just before, the move.
- Wrap
the root ball in plastic sheeting, ensuring soil is moist.
- Box
up potless plants with cane supports to stabilise them for
the van ride.
Stone Containers
- Frost
damage means that some stone or concrete items will crumble
when lifted. In these circumstances Pickfords are not liable
for any damage that may occur.
- Pickfords
will undertake to move stone or concrete garden features
with care. Please note that extra staff may be required
for heavier items.
At your New Home
- If
you can't plant properly, dig a hole and cover the roots
to protect them from frost until you can.
- Some
plants don't like certain soils. A pH kit will tell you
if soils are acid or alkaline.
- Water
well and fertilise. Continue to water until fully settled.
- Trees
and large shrubs may take up to a year to settle; look after
them throughout this time.
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