A Calm Moving Day in the Dachau Area: How to Run It Hour by Hour

Moving day has a reputation it only partly deserves. The heavy lifting is straightforward enough. What wears people out is the constant stream of small decisions: which box goes first, where the kettle went, who has the key to the cellar. Anyone moving in or around Dachau, whether from a flat in the old town or a family house further out in the district, can remove most of that strain by working out the running order in advance.

The evening before

Treat the previous night as the real start. Defrost and dry the freezer if it is going with you, take the last pictures off the walls and strip beds except the ones you will sleep in. Charge every phone. Set aside a bag holding documents, keys, medication, chargers and a change of clothes, and put it somewhere no helpful person will carry it to the van by mistake, such as the boot of your car.

Walk the outside of the building as well. If a no-parking zone has been arranged for the van, check that the signs are in place and that nothing unexpected, such as a skip or scaffolding, has appeared on the route.

First thing: meet the crew and walk the route

Be ready before the van arrives, with the coffee made and the front door propped open. Take whoever is leading the job through the home once, pointing out what is fragile, what is staying and which items need to be loaded last so they come off first. If you have booked professionals, this is the most useful ten minutes of the day. Local firms such as paultrans.de, which handles moves in Dachau and the surrounding area, will usually ask the right questions anyway, but a clear handover at the door saves everybody time.

Mid-morning: stay available, stay out of the way

A good loading rhythm does not need supervising. What it does need is one person who can answer questions, and that person should not also be carrying boxes. Use this stretch for the jobs only you can do:

• Keep children and pets away from the busy stairwell.
• Check each emptied room, including cupboards and behind doors.
• Photograph the meter readings and note the numbers.
• Keep food and water within reach for everyone working.

Before you lock up

Do a slow final lap once the van is full. Look in the loft, the cellar, the garage, the shed and the washing machine, which has a remarkable record for holding on to forgotten socks. Close windows, switch off the lights and leave any agreed keys where they should be. If you are handing over the same day, keep the paperwork and your photos together.

At the other end: tape the plan to the door

Stick a simple floor plan near the entrance of the new home and label each room with a name that matches the boxes. It means the crew does not have to ask you the same question forty times. Stand somewhere central and direct traffic while the big furniture goes in first. Decide where the bed and the sofa belong before they land, since moving them later will be up to you.

Check boxes and furniture for damage as they come off rather than days later, and raise anything you notice while the team is still there.

The first evening

Resist unpacking everything. Assemble the beds, find the bathroom box, plug in the fridge and get the kettle going. Then order something in, sit down on whatever is available and call it a day. The cartons will be there tomorrow, and everything is easier to sort after a decent night's sleep.