Author: Holdsworths

Why Use A BAR Member?

In the lead up to a removal there will come a time where you have to select what kind of removal company and removal service you want. Whether you choose to go with Holdsworth’s of Leeds or not, we would strongly recommend that you go with a removal company that is BAR verified.

The British Association of Removers has been the governing body for removals company over a hundred years with the sole aim to ensure high standards of service for customers.

The BAR have put together the following video to help you decide whether to move with a BAR member or not.

If you have any further queries on our BAR membership or the benefits of using us as a verified member of the British Association of Removers then feel free to give us a call on 0113 269 0000.

Whether you’re a bustling business seeking a place for important documents, a student in need of savvy storage or a home owner who wants to keep their possessions safe during a big move, Holdsworths is here for you. We have a huge range of self-storage options perfect for each and every customer’s needs.

Perhaps your children are all grown up and you’ve decided it’s time to downsize your family home. Or maybe you’re moving out of one home and staying with friends or family for a while until moving into your new place. With almost 100 years of experience behind us we will take care of every aspect of the storage process. We will begin by deciding together how much space you will need and for how long, before transporting your items into their designated space. Each unit is secure, clean and dry, the areas are also CCTV monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

If you’re off travelling or working away from home for a period of time, self-storage could be a great option. Contracts are simple, easy and can be tailored to your individual time constraints. If your plans change, simply get in touch with us and we will ensure any worries are eradicated.

For students in need of a place to keep their haul when their tiny halls of residence are overflowing, look no further than self-storage. Units are accessible 24/7 meaning that if you need to pop in just before that 9am lecture, or following a late-night library session you can. As well as term time options, Holdsworth’s offers shorter term leases, a great option for those that don’t want to bring a car-full home over the holidays. Friends can also group together to rent a space meaning you save both money and time.

Both large and small businesses alike could also benefit from storage. For those seeking a place to keep documents safe, our units are completely secure, and we can provide managed archiving or self storage facilities. Plus safe shredding options mean that you can destroy documents on site once they’re no longer needed, keeping your office tidy and saving you valuable time. Other businesses may benefit from a place to store stock during busy or quiet periods. For example, a seasonal business that expects additional trade during the festive season could use a place to keep that extra stock when the time comes. Online retailers who don’t have large premises for stock can use self storage to save them the cost of expensive office space – even choosing to run their business from one of our units if it works for them.

Holdsworth’s Removals were also among the first in the country to offer container storage and though we say it ourselves, we know a thing or two about it! So if you’re looking for longer term storage, Holdsworth’s will arrive at your home with our purpose-built van which will be preloaded with containers and packing materials. As each item is carefully loaded into the container, a detailed inventory is completed and you will be given a copy. Should you need to pick anything up from your container before it’s all ready to be unloaded we will use our system to quickly locate it and bring it to you. Simple!

Take a look online to check out how else Holdsworth’s could help you or to pick up a handy quote, you might be surprised!

A home removal is a big moment in life which often results in stress and worry as you wait for things to go through and for the removal itself. But one member of the family will certainly find it as stressful as you and they are your pets – especially cats and dogs. So here are a few helpful hints on how to ease your pets through your removal.

Breaking Routine

The main issue that causes stress amongst cats and dogs is a breakaway from the usual routine. What with all of the responsibilities to sort out in the lead up and on removal day, this can often filter down to your pets with feeding times changing amongst other things. A great way to combat this is to move your cats and dogs away from the environment all together and book them into a kennel or cattery. This way they will get the love, care and attention that they always require and they are also out of the way when moving items to and from your home.

Pet Monitor on Move Day

If booking a kennel or a cattery is out of the question or out of the budget then ensuring that your pet has the love and attention on the move day is paramount. To ensure that they don’t feel the stress of the move, set up one room in the house with some of their favourite toys and bedding with a member of the family or a friend for the day so they have someone to provide attention, take to the toilet or feed.

On arrival it would be a great idea to set up a room in your new house with your pet’s favourite toys and bedding so that they have some familiar objects to relate to while you prepare the rest of the house.

Scent Profile

A great way to help your pets settle in is by using scent. Pets feel at home because they can pick up on familiar smells including their own scent. In a new home there will be a lot of scents and smells that they don’t recognise which will make your pets anxious. A great way to help rectify this is to scent profile your new house using a soft cloth and rubbing it around your pet and then rubbing it on furniture and other areas of the house at pet level.

Outdoors

This is where cats & dogs truly differ. There is no need to keep dogs inside your home but ensure that they are taken out for exercise on a lead and ensure that your dog has a clear and up to date dog collar and microchip. This until you feel that your dog is confident enough to be let off and understands where its new home is.

Cats are slightly different in the sense that they should be kept inside for three or four weeks so they can regard your new home as a safe place that is their own. When you start letting them outside then do it just before mealtime so that they can be attracted back inside when hungry. Only let them out for short periods and with clear points of re-entry until they start acting confident when outdoors.

As the song goes, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. But in amongst all the wrapping, cooking and the giving & receiving of gifts, you accumulate a lot of extra stuff and waste. Christmas can also be a dangerous time in terms of theft and especially identity theft. Even down to the addressed packages and envelopes, someone looking to fraud your identity could use this information to their advantage. So here are some ideas on how Holdsworths’ can help you with the post-Christmas sort out.

Shredding Sacks

Holdsworth’s aim to provide a completely secure document disposal service and one way in which we do that is with our paper shredding sacks. You can purchase these sacks and take them home to fill up yourself. Whether its addressed envelopes or something a bit more confidential such as personal records, bank statements etc, you can fill our shredding sacks and seal them yourselves and they will go straight into our shredder inside the sacks – so at no point will your documents be removed from the sack.

Drop off in-store

You can also avoid the shredding sacks by sorting through your items at home and putting them into boxes or bags. The difference here is that your documents will have to be removed from the bags and boxes to be shredded as our shredder cannot process plastic bags or large boxes. This doesn’t compromise their confidentiality however as all of our shredding staff are fully trained and monitored.

Storage Options

Maybe part of your post-Christmas clear-out doesn’t involved disposing of stuff. If you are wanting to fulfil the de-cluttering that is required in your home but have some items that have a certain amount of value so that you don’t want to through them away the Holdworth’s storage solutions could be ideal for you. Container storage would be ideal for valuable items that you don’t need immediate access to be want to keep safe away from your home in a fully secure area. You can fill one of our containers and it will be forklifted into our warehouse for safe keeping.

If you want to declutter items that you might need immediate access to over time then self-storage is the best option for you. This is great for items like Christmas decorations that you might not have space for at your home but might need access to next year and you can also fill your unit with other bits and bobs that you can use a lock and key or our 24/7 PIN service to get access to.

So the Christmas countdown is well underway and you have another date that you are counting down towards. Your big move. A Christmas and winter move can provide extra obstacles to consider such as access to the property in potentially tricky and dark weather. But while you approach your removal, consider the following ideas to ensure that it runs well.

Organisation

The more serious of the four options, you might be surprised but Christmas is actually a very busy period in the removal industry as a rush emerges to get the moves done so that as many people are in their new home for Christmas Day. This means that you have to be prepared when gathering quotes and arranging with your removal company. You don’t want to be scrambling around the Monday before Christmas so make sure that you plan for the rush.

Christmas Playlist

Keep the festive cheer going for your family and the removal crew by having a festive playlist on the go while your removal is happening. Driving Home For Christmas by Chris Rea seems like an apt song for a Christmas home removal!

Mince Pies

Removal crews can be fuelled by cups of tea to keep them working hard and morale high. But as you would leave out some mince pies for Santa by the fire, bringing out some mince pies are bound to keep the smiles on their faces. They’re not for everyone but even the offering of a mince pie would keep morale high.

Decorations at the Ready

Getting your new home ready for Christmas may not feel like the most essential thing to do when you are finally moved in but it would certainly help it feel more homely as soon as you put some Christmas lights up. This is especially the case if you have a young family that might be worried about the move, lighting and decorating your new home.

Christmas is a time for celebration and holidays. But it can easily become a time of worry and stress as town centres and roads get busier and busier. Whatever your situation, storage solutions from Holdsworths might be able to help you feel at ease as we enter the festive period. Here are just some of the ways in which container and self-storage options might help out this Christmas.

De-Clutter

Whether it’s a temporary de-cluttering for family and friends coming to stay over the festive holiday period or just a long overdue clear out, storage can be a great way to ensure that those items that you aren’t ready to throw away or need to be kept safe are out of the way from your home and kept safe. Container storage or self-storage will ensure that your items are kept safe and secure while self-storage with Holdsworth’s will provide 24/7 PIN access to the items should you require them. So if you looking to have a Christmas clear out then make sure you get a quote from Holdsworth’s.

Businesses

Christmas is a peak time of year for retail and online sellers. This can often result in extra orders of stock which can exceed your current stock holdings. If you are a seasonal business then self-storage options could be really helpful to your business to ensure that your extra stock is kept safe and secure while providing full access should you require any emergency access. And affordable rates, it can be a cheap and helpful addition to your business this festive period.

Students

In many major university cities, thousands of students will be on the lead up to Christmas in order to spend the festive period at home. The Christmas period can vary in length for students and the distances in which some of those who study away from home can be large. Therefore many students will only travel home with essential items and leave many things at their university house. This can often be preyed upon by burglars who know student housing areas. To avoid this then leaving your items in secure storage over the festive period at a student price could be a good option to ensure the safety of your belongings.

Use Less Stuff Day has been promoted by organisations such as Greenpeace for a few years.  It was established with the Earth and our impact on it in mind. This is not just concerning the condition of the Earth and its atmosphere but also us as residents of it. Its aim is for us to consider whether we really need to use the items that we use on a day-to-day basis, whether it’s a disposable coffee cup or buying bottled water, Use Less Stuff Day is promoting thoughts of “Do I Actually Need That?”. At Holdsworth’s we wanted to focus this on an area where we spend a lot of our time – the workplace. So here are a few hints and tips on how to implement Use Less Stuff Day in your office:

Recycle

This is may seem an obvious one but it is a hint that needs to be re-emphasised. We as humans produce a lot of waste and having the relevant bins in place makes it a whole lot easier for people to filter their waste between what’s recyclable and what’s not. Having the bins in the office alone should promote the idea.

Printing

In an age of emails, tablets and on-screen presentations, many companies are going paperless in a bid to limit the amount of unnecessary waste that we accumulate on a day to day basis. Going paperless isn’t always achievable but enforcing it as much as possible will act as an easy way to cut waste. Where it isn’t necessary, it could be worth considering a one-print rule and looking into document storage options to ensure that duplicate copies aren’t printed.

Shred It

In some industries such as law, health and accountancy, paperless is not possible due to laws regarding the time that documents have to be kept for. Document storage is a great option for companies in this sector. But for any office that requires a lot of paper printing should ensure that it is disposed of in the best way. Shredding services not only ensure that all documents are destroyed securely therefore protecting your personal information. But, providing that you use an amicable company, the shredding company should ensure that all paper waste is recycled properly so it can go into the making of everyday items such as toilet paper.

Big Switch Off

Using less stuff doesn’t always apply to a handheld object. Using less energy and power is also a vital part of enforcing a more environmentally friendly workplace. Turning your computer or laptop off at the end of each work day has more benefits than leaving it overnight.

Make It a Team Effort

Getting the whole office on board and colleagues working to support each other a great way to make sure that these ideas are put into place. It could even extend out into car sharing to work which takes a car off the road.

At Holdsworth’s, we are proud of our impact and the service that we have run. The people in our business are the heart of it. The expertise and trust that Holdsworth’s have developed in the removals industry and within Leeds has been developed over time and the story and history is a big part of the company.

Our History

Holdsworth’s have been helping people move home and business for nearly a century. For over 95 years, the red Holdsworth’s vans have been moving people and their belongings across Leeds, Yorkshire and the UK. Our expertise and contacts have helped people move overseas. A lot has changed in that time since 1920, the year that Holdsworth’s Removals were established.

• The first Bentley cars arrive in the UK
• The second longest serving Pope, John-Paul II is born.
• Rupert Bear appears for the first time as a cartoon in the Daily Express
• 1966 World Cup winning England manager, Sir Alf Ramsey, is born.
• The second UK garden city, Welwyn Garden City is founded. The 2011 census says Welwyn Garden City now has a population of around 50,000.

Where we are

Holdsworth’s have spent nearly a century serving Leeds and are still based in the city. The headquarters have moved around the city in that time but we are currently based on Harrogate Road in Moortown, just off the Leeds Ring Road. Leeds has grown as a city in that period from being an industrial town to being one of the cultural and financial centres in the north of England. Leeds is now the largest legal centre in the UK and has a huge financial and insurance services industry. It has also developed as place of study with the fourth highest student population in the country.

Holdsworth’s as a removals and storage company has helped Leeds with its’ development either by moving people or businesses or providing secure storage options.

The Team

The Holdsworth’s team provide a combination of expertise coupled with a personal touch. Many of the staff at Holdsworth’s have enjoyed over two decades with the company and whether it is our removal consultants, move coordinators or removal crew – they all have the know-how and expertise to go with Holdsworth’s long history in the industry.

The 15^th October marks World Student’s Day. Originally it was a day of commemoration of students at the University of Prague that lost their lives in World War II. The day has grown to become an occasion to celebrate the acts of students all over the world and their contributions to society. At Holdsworth’s, we wanted to show how we can help students get through a life-defining period of life on World Student’s Day

Student Storage

Life as a student can often mean moving lots of belongings around at the start and end of term time which is often a rather laborious task – especially if you live a long way from where you study and cannot be helped by parents. Holdsworth’s have an easy solution to that issue with short term storage options in our container or self-storage units. Our location in Leeds makes us ideal for those studying at Leeds University, Leeds Metropolitan University and Leeds Trinity University whose family home is further afield.

Removals

When living in a new city like Leeds, it can often mean moving between halls of residence and student houses. This can be a slightly tough task and could take a couple of days to complete. While using a removal service might seem like a pricey option, clubbing together with housemates for a removal service could be a quick and easy way to get through this with little stress. Holdsworths’ removals quotes are put together after a free visit from one of our move coordinators. Given a student move is often simply personal belongings rather than heavy and big materials, it might be cheaper than you think.

International Removals

Leeds University alone attracts over six thousand international students to the city every year. Holdsworth’s expertise in the field of international removals is ideal to help these students move their belongings across the world. Holdsworth’s can draw from experience and a network of partners not only in Europe but further afield to help make an international move as easy as possible.

Shredding

Student life can also lead to a lot of paper being generated that could be used for identity fraud. It doesn’t take much for a fraudster to find what they need in waste and not disposing of something as simple as a letter from your university could provide them with the information they need. Ensuring that documents like this are disposed of is a Holdsworth’s speciality once it has been destroyed; you have the presence of mind that your confidential information is safe while also helping the environment.

When it comes to such a big decision like a removal, there are no stupid questions. So given that 28^th September has been dubbed “Ask A Stupid Question Day”, this article aims to provide answers to some of the many the many questions that our move coordinators receive in an attempt to satisfy any concerns prior to your removal or when choosing a removal company.

Can You Provide A Rough Idea of Price?

Holdsworth’s move coordinators can provide a rough estimate on the back of some basic information either via our online enquiry form, over the phone or in our shop on Harrogate Road in Leeds. But to get an exact quote on the cost of a removal, we arrange an appropriate date for one of our surveyors to visit a property and complete a visual survey of the property and the belongings. After this visit, an exact quotation price will be provided.

Why Can’t I Move In One Day?

Completing a removal depends on many things such as access to the property, distance between the two properties, the volume of belongings or whether time needs to be spent packing. The duration of the move will be determined when the surveyor completes the full quotation and will be done to ensure that the removal is carried out professionally, safely and efficiently.

Do You Have Availability?

When it comes to a home removal, timing can often be out of your hands. It is advised that getting the quotation and choosing a removal company is done as soon as possible so that when you have a desired move date you can work with your chosen removal company immediately. The removals industry has peak and off-peak periods so keeping in contact with your removal company is key.

More FAQs

As mentioned previously, when it comes to a big decision like a removal, there are no stupid questions. Holdsworth’s staff are available to settle any issues that are on your mind either over the phone, via email or in person. You can also take a look at our main Frequently Asked Questions page to see if an answer to your question can be found there.