Author: Holdsworths

As with any removal, knowing what there is to do in your new area is a vital part of the decision. At Holdsworth’s Removals we wanted to help provide some information on our local area where we run removals regularly such as Leeds, West and North Yorkshire as well as providing some information on things to do over the festive period.

If, like us as we close down from Friday 22^nd December to Tuesday 2^nd January, you need some winter activities over the festive period then why not consider some of our favourite winter walks in the local area.

Bolton Abbey

Although you have to pay for parking a car, this Wharfedale location is a must do. The spectacular ruins of the 12^th century monastery are the picture moment of walk but there are many tracks that take snake you through some perfect North Yorkshire terrain. The other highlight is The Strid waterway which forces the River Wharfe through a narrow bottleneck which is seen as the most dangerous stretch of water in the UK. But from afar, this charming location is a fantastic addition to the walk.

Fountains Abbey

A National Trust site near Ripon, North Yorkshire – Fountains Abbey offers something very similar to Bolton Abbey. The monastery ruins are seen as some of the best preserved in England and the Studley Royal Water Garden provides some of the best scenery that Yorkshire has to offer. Fountains Abbey is often brought to life by lighting in the longer nights of winter which add some much needed warmth!

Roundhay Park

One of the biggest urban parks in Europe, Roundhay Park is full of scenic parkland, woodland and gardens within the hustle and bustle of city life in Leeds. With two lakes in the park as well, one featuring fountains and the other, the Waterloo Lake, which was constructed by soldiers who had just returned from the Napoleonic Wars is used for boating and a brilliant walk around its edges.

The Chevin

On the outskirts of Leeds overlooking the market town of Otley is The Chevin. Officially a heathland and woodland with a ridge on its southside, there are multiple paths and tracks snaking up and around its 925 ft summit. It is on many official treks including the Dales Way and the Ebor Way.

Harewood House

North of Leeds on the border of West & North Yorkshire is the stunning stately home of Harewood House. Although the 18^th century house itself is a true hit, there is a well-trodden pathway that circles the house and its grounds. The grounds include great views across lakes, waterways, nature and the recently preserved Harewood Castle. It is a real hit with dog walkers and runners alike.

Choosing a company to store your items can be an arduous process with so many out there. While the safety of the belongings themselves is paramount, there are multiple things to consider when making the call. If you are storing long term or need access to your goods then location, cost and access is usually high up the agenda. But if you are storing during a removal, then convenience is key. Here we suggest some of the reasons why using the removal company you are moving house with for storage works in your favour.

Here Comes the Delivery

Doing a removal via storage is part of the day to day business of a removal company. If there is a delay with the new property or you are moving house via a smaller rental, storage will be vital and your removal company will be able to transport your goods most efficiently via their own store. They can pack the containers on-site and simply keep them safe in their storage facility ready for when your new property is ready. They will be able to plan for when your move-in date is with their own warehouse and removals teams so that everything runs smoothly and efficiently. It avoids too many cooks spoiling the broth!

Keep the Cost Down

If you store with your removal company there is certainly a deal to be made. Removals companies often have the facility to store and these facilities are as safe as a self-storage unit but require less staff as the warehouse is only accessed when containers are being moved. So you could get a better deal while not sacrificing the safety of your items.

One Point of Call

Rather than having to make multiple phone calls to storage centres, van hires or removal companies, if there is an issue or something unfortunate happens with your house move, all you have to do is pick up the phone or write an email to one place. If your removal company is like Holdsworth’s you will have been provided a dedicated point of contact on the team who you will be able to work with throughout the move.

Moving offices or premises provides much more challenges than a usual home removal. Not only is there usually more people to think about but there is often lots of equipment on top of the restraints of ensuring that the company doesn’t spend much time out of action. All of the following tips should help ensure that the move runs as smoothly as possible.

Professional Removal Company

Not only will using a removal company take a lot of the strain and worry from you so that you can focus on your normal business, it will also ensure that professionally trained crews will be handling your vital items. A specific member of our team will take control of the move and oversee it with you from beginning to the end of the office move.

Extra hint: Make sure your removal company is BAR verified. The British Association of Removers will provide you with extra protection if something happens with the removal.

Plan

Using a removal company or not, planning is the key to success. Setting out clear directions to where items should be moved to saves valuable time and worry after the move day. Making a floor plan of the new office is a great way to achieve this.

Extra hint: Ensure that your employees are responsible for any personal items or objects to ensure the safe move of absolutely everything.

IT Equipment

Often proving the biggest obstacle for an office move is the IT and computer equipment. If you are using a removal company then ensure that everything is communicated with them regarding the IT equipment and they will provide the professional advice required to ensure that everything is kept safe.

Protect Yourself

Bear in mind any information, paperwork or computer equipment that may harbour any confidential information. This does not want to be left behind or lost unnecessarily. Consider using storage services to ensure their safety and also back up any technology that may have the potential to lose valuable data.

Declutter

As with any removal, it is a great opportunity to have a clear out or revamp your equipment. If you decide to dispose of any paperwork or hard drives then consider professional IT or paper destruction services which can be provided by your removal company.

Extra hint: Some documents might need to be kept for record purposes for a certain number of years, consider a professional storage or archive company to ensure their safety.

Leeds is one of the fast growing and developing cities in the UK and possibly even Europe. The feel good factor provided by modern developments such as Leeds Trinity and Victoria Gate shopping centres as well as hosting first class events such as the Grand Depart of the Tour de France in 2014.

But being a city always looking to modernise and lead, Leeds has a number of exciting ideas in the pipeline to further its modernisation and enhance its attraction to movers, residents and businesses.

Development

A city can develop in many unseen or unnoticed ways, business might begin to thrive or social scenes might emerge. But nothing is more noticeable than building and property investment on the back of or to improve on this success. A development on Leeds’ Southbank could be the most noticeable of all by standing at over 136m tall. This would include residential use and would stand 24 metres taller than Leeds’ (and Yorkshire’s!) current tallest building – Bridgewater Place.

There is also a £300m mixed-use development planned at Quarry Hill just outside the city centre and a huge commercial property deal at Wellington Place on the back of Leeds being selected as the government’s regional hub.

Transport

Leeds is already the busiest transport centre in the north but satisfaction could. A southern entrance to the railway station was a start to rectifying this but with HS2 on the horizon, plans are afoot to turn Leeds station into the modern hub that it should be. This would include development of the surrounding areas including Leeds Docks, the Dark Arches and City Square.

Speaking of the national rail network benefitting Leeds as a city, a revolutionary transport system moved a step closer to the north of England and Scotland recently when a Liverpool to Glasgow link was selected as part of the Hyperloop development. This is a super-fast method of transport and proposes journey times from Leeds to Manchester of seven minutes. It is still a long, long way off but it’s exciting news!

Regeneration

There is also investment into existing icons of the city. A plan for former Tetley’s Brewey site has recently been approved which aims at developing new homes, office space, leisure space and parkland. It might even include another building to trump Bridgewater Place as Leeds’ tallest building.

The long derelict Hunslet Mill has been the subject of regeneration bids, but plans have been approved the regenerate the riverside site with nearly 700 apartments. The West Yorkshire Playhouse is also the subject of a £13m face lift.

Education

Leeds City College is looking to invest in digital, creative and health education with its new world class £33million campus just outside the city centre. It will also have many state of the art laboratories and recording studios.

Sport

Not only are Leeds United seemingly back on the up on the back of a buyout from Italian businessman Andrea Radrizzani, there are major developments underway at Headingley Stadium. Leeds Rhinos’ historic South Stand is under development and the adjoining cricket and rugby stand is getting a much needed redevelopment as well. This will turn Headingley Rugby Ground into one of the most admired rugby-specific stadiums in the country and enhance Headingley Cricket Ground’s status to hold some of the greatest test matches.

Research by the Barclays UK property predictor offers good news for Yorkshire property investors in the face of UK-wide uncertainty. As house prices decline in London, Yorkshire is predicted to hold its own with a projected increase in housing prices of 3.6% over the next five years.

Yorkshire’s healthy mix of bustling cities like Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, Wakefield & Doncaster which provides healthy employment opportunities with ideal locations for families looking for either the urban or rural lifestyle, is exactly what investors are looking for in “the Brexit uncertainty” suggests Ray Withers of Property Frontiers.

Withers continued “One of Yorkshire’s attractions is the range of investments and locations that it offers. This is truly a county with property to suit every budget – hence its rapidly growing status as a top UK investment honeypot”.

Withers suggests that in amongst the popular and more well-known investment locations such as Leeds and Sheffield, Yorkshire boasts a number of opportunities for different levels of investment. These include the huge metropolitan district that is Bradford which is the UK’s fifth fastest growing city. Bradford is experiencing a steady increase in investment and is earmarked as a possible future high speed rail link.

The guide then suggests areas such as Doncaster, Wakefield and Halifax with strong transport links but where incredible property value can be found. On the flip side, there is the more traditional charm of Scarborough on the east coast that is inviting investment looking for something a bit different.

Holdsworth’s have been running removals in Yorkshire from their headquarters in central Leeds for nearly a century. In that time, Holdsworth’s has become a leading and trusted removal company and has run home removals across the county and beyond.

Anyone looking to add a bit more of a spooky edge to their up and coming Halloween can investigate how haunted your house is thanks to Chestertons. The London residential property specialist and estate agents have put together a series of ghostly statements and if any of them apply to your home then you will find out whether your home could really be haunted!

You can find the quiz here: http://howhauntedisyourhouse.com

Here at Holdsworth’s we think it might help with an up and coming home removal so you can investigate any supernatural stories or freaky feelings at your current or potential new home this this Halloween!

Of course this is just paranormal fun and games. But the site does let users select a region of the UK for real-life accounts and stories from the local area. With titles such as “The Headless Spectre” and “The Village That Comes to Life”, these stories might provide some extra creepy stories to share over the next week.

In advance to a removal, there is plenty of stuff going on and to think about. Hopefully most things are arranged and sorted such as your removal company. But there will be a point where all of the belongings in your home will have to be sorted. Whether you are downsizing and wanting to cut down on your furniture or upsizing and wanting to invest in some new furniture, Holdsworth’s want to offer a few of the most safe and efficient ways of getting rid of your old household furniture.

Charity

If you are certain about getting rid of your household furniture ahead of your removal then recycling or offering your furniture to charity helps so many people out. Charities are always on the hunt for items including household furniture. It obviously helps you clear away some unwanted items while putting them into further use if they are still functional.

Recycle Now have a fantastic local recycling resource which can help you pass on unwanted items to be re-used by searching via location or per item.

Council Collection or Drop-off

There is also the option to call upon your local council. For some items and sometimes for a small fee, you can arrange for your local council to pick up any unwanted items. Alternatively, if you have the correct vehicle and pass, you can drop items off at your local council waste site.

Re-sell

In the online world, there are many platforms where you can easily upload any unwanted items for free. There is also the “old fashioned” but well-trodden way of advertising in local shops. This way provides a great opportunity to make a bit of money as part of the clear out.

Upcycle

Especially with wood furniture, upcycling has become a new way of introducing a new lease of life your furniture. Using varnishes, polishes or even just a lick of paint you can bring your old furniture to life once again maybe for a place in your new home or even just to sell-on.

Store It

If there are certainly items that you know won’t have a place in your new home but maybe hold some sentimental value or you aren’t quite ready to get rid of, container storage is an affordable and managed way of ensuring their safety right until you require them again. Read more about container storage from Holdsworth’s here.

These days there are lots of different ways of defining where the best place to live in the UK is. But one of the most trusted if Propety Week’s Hot Housing Index which focuses on a number of different factors to define the best place to live in the UK. These factors include housing affordability, employment levels, Internet connectivity, local amenities, public transport and a new score for “propensity to move” house.

The 2017 index was released recently and it revealed Edinburgh as the best place to live in the UK beating of competition from the likes of Crewe, Bristol, Aberdeen, Chester and one of our Yorkshire locations, just one of several to feature in the top 50 index. In descending order, here are the Yorkshire locations that featured and why.

Huddersfield (43)

Premier League football delivered by Huddersfield Town hasn’t been enough to stop the town’s slide from its 2016 position of 34. Scoring well for housing affordability, schools and local amenities sees Huddersfield with a score of 61.40% on the index. The area scored poorly for employment levels.

York (20)

The city of York is one of the highest climbers in the index up from its position of 50^th last year. The area scored especially high for propensity to move and for its local amenities with the city centre well stocked as well as out of town retail sites such as at Monks Cross. York was penalised with average scores for affordability, schools and also saw a poor score for Internet connectivity resulting in a score of 63.80%

Beverley (16)

The East Riding of Yorkshire town of Beverey dropped from its 2016 in the top 10 to a still impressive 16^th in this year’s index. Scoring highly for schools and local amenities, it was penalised with low scores for propensity to move and its access to public transport meaning a score of 64.80%.

Leeds (14)

Leeds was one of the major city climbers up to 14^th from 25^th in 2016 becoming the highest ranked city in Yorkshire. An impressive score of 65.90% was due to the highest marks for schools, public transport, propensity move and local amenities. The opening of the Leeds to Bradford train line and the brand new Victoria Gate shopping centre will have helped Leeds’ score. It scored poorly for employment levels.

Harrogate (3)

Often featuring highly in best places to live indexes, Harrogate once again features highly climbing to 3^rd from its 2016 position of 4^th. Its superb score of 68.90% was due to high scores for schools, local amenities and employment. As is well known for Harrogate, it was held back by its affordability but also propensity to move and access to public transport. But Harrogate once again can be proud of featuring towards the top of a “best places to live” list.

Planning a move to one of these sought after locations, or elsewhere in Yorkshire and the UK? Holdsworth’s Removals have almost a century’s worth of experience in house moves and business moves. For a no-obligation quote call 0113 269 0000.

A question often recevied at Holdsworth’s Removals refers to that of outdoor or garden items. Outdoor items are often come with separate complications compared to that of every day indoor items that can be stored within boxes or wrapped and moved easily. Your removal company will be able to help with any advice and how to prepare for the items to be moved, with the following tips.

Check with Your Removal Company

It is always worthwhile staying in touch with your removal company throughout the move. But when it comes to outdoor items, keeping the removals company informed is vital so there are no misunderstandings come the move day. There are outdoor items in the garden that removals companies won’t be able to move.

At Holdsworth’s of Leeds, we believe that we have the right method to ensure that there are no misunderstandings. When you arrange for one of our estimators to visit your property, you will show them around your home to show them what needs to be moved to your new property. This will include a visit to the garden and outdoors to discuss what can and needs to be moved.

Dismantle

If you have outdoor furniture then dismantling in advance of the move day is ideal. Holdsworth’s can do some of this dismantling for you but this has to be arranged in-advance. But if you are dismantling the furniture, ensure that this is done as safely as possible using the original instructions or using advice you might be able to find online. Having these items dismantled and ready to pack up will be of huge benefit on move day.

Quick tip – if your outdoor furniture is put together using nuts and bolts than secure these in a sealable bag and tape them to the furniture. This way you will avoid having to match up the fixings as well as, worst of all, losing them completely amongst the removal.

Clean

Giving your items a quick clean or rinse down is also important. Not only does it protect the items themselves when in transit but it also helps with other types of removal. For example if your items are going into storage for some time then clearing them of any dirt reduces the risk of decay or damage when in the unit. Also if your items are part of a move overseas, some border controls will extensively inspect items for any “alien” effects such as dirt that might impact the environment.

Call Holdsworth’s Removals on 0113 269 0000 for advice on moving your outdoor items and your removal.

As a removal company verified by the British Association of Removers, Holdsworth’s of Leeds takes pride in the services that we provide to our customers. This goes from the planning that goes into each move to the training of our removal crews. But that also continues to the boxes that we use on our removals. Packaging materials have to adhere to BAR standards for verified removal companies and are often checked. We use Holdsworth’s branded boxes (pictured) that adhere to this standard with the assurance that your packed items will be secure.

If you are using Holdsworth’s of Leeds for your packing then they will bring the boxes with them. But if you are taking on the packing yourself, get in touch with Holdsworth’s using 0113 269 0000 and you can purchase some packing materials including our boxes.

But a common question we are often asked is what to do with the removal boxes after the move. Here are some options for you.

Give Back

Holdsworth’s are more than happy to take back the boxes providing that they are in good condition as we can find good use for them. Just get in touch with your Move Coordinator and you can either arrange for the boxes to be dropped off or to be collected if we have one of our vans or representatives in your area.

Pass On

Passing the boxes on to those that need them is a great way to get rid of your boxes and also helping somebody else out. The cost of boxes can be a surprise when taking on your own packing and you haven’t budgeted for them. Holding on to them until a friend or family neighbour is moving could be doing a massive favour. There is also re-sale value on online market places for removal boxes.

Alternatively, charities are constantly on the look-out for boxes so call around your local charity shops and see if they need anything.

Recycle

Cardboard is a recyclable material so rather than just throwing them in a skip, get down to your local tip and dispose of them into the cardboard section.

Get Creative

Boxes can be great fun. We have all bought a gift for a child, only for it to be overshadowed by the box itself. Maybe you could turn them into an indoor, cardboard fort!