A missed video call because the broadband is down is not a good look for anyone working from home. If you run your job out of a spare room, a house move brings a second challenge on top of the usual packing and lifting: keeping your income running while your home is turned upside down. This guide is for anyone who works from home in London and needs their move to go smoothly without a single missed deadline.
Why a House Move Hits Home Workers Differently
A house move is stressful for everyone. When your desk is also your workplace, the stress doubles because your income depends on staying connected. More people are in this position than ever: recent ONS data shows 13% of UK workers are fully remote and a further 26% split their week between home and an office. If your salary or client work runs through a laptop in the spare room, losing that connection for even a day is not just inconvenient. It is a problem for your business.
Book Your Removal Company Around Your Work Diary
Pick your moving date with your job in mind. Ask for an early slot so the van is loaded and gone before your first meeting of the afternoon. A weekday move, mid-month, tends to be quieter than a Friday at the end of the month, when everyone else is trying to move too. Just Removals London works house removals seven days a week with early starts, evenings and weekends available, so you can choose a slot that fits around your diary rather than the other way round. Book a few weeks ahead if you can. It gives you time to warn clients, block your calendar and line up cover for anything that cannot wait.
Sort Your Broadband Before You Pack a Single Box
Broadband takes longer to move than furniture. Research from Uswitch found the average wait for a new broadband connection after a house move is eight days, and full-fibre installations can take up to four weeks if your new home has never had fibre before. Contact your provider as soon as you have a moving date and give at least 14 days' notice. Ask whether your contract can simply transfer, since many providers can move an existing service faster than setting up a brand new one. Do this in week one of your planning, not the week before the van arrives.
Protect Your Home Office Kit on Moving Day
Your monitor is not built like a sofa. Screens, hard drives and desk chairs need proper protection, not a bin bag and hope. A professional crew will wrap monitors and printers separately from the general boxes, using bubble wrap and sturdy cartons rather than whatever is lying around. Just Removals London includes free protective wrapping and floor coverings on every move, and our packing and unpacking team can pack a home office carefully so cables, chargers and paperwork all land in the right box. Keep your laptop, charger and any files you need that day in a bag that travels with you, not in the van.
Have a Backup Plan for the Day Itself
Plan for a day without your usual internet. Even a fast broadband switch can leave you offline for a few hours while an engineer finishes the job. A mobile hotspot from your phone is normally enough to cover emails and a quick call if you need it. Tell clients and colleagues in advance that you will be offline for part of moving day, and block it out in your calendar so nobody books a meeting you cannot make. If a call absolutely cannot move, a local café with reliable Wi-Fi is a reasonable fallback while the crew finishes at the house.
Let the Crew Do the Heavy Lifting So You Can Keep Working
You cannot pack boxes and answer emails at once. Trying to do both usually means neither gets done well. A fully insured crew that handles the wrapping, loading and heavy lifting frees you up to step away for calls without worrying about your sofa scraping the door frame. Whether you need a full house move or a smaller man and van service for a flat, DBS-checked and uniformed movers let you stay near your laptop instead of down at the van with a wardrobe on your shoulder. That is worth paying for when your day rate depends on being reachable.
What to Do If There Is a Gap Between Homes
Completion dates do not always line up. If you are between tenancies or waiting on a chain, your desk and files might need somewhere to sit for a week or two. Secure storage keeps your home office equipment safe and dry until your new place is ready, rather than crammed into a relative's spare room or left in a van overnight. This matters more when you work from home, because you need to know exactly where your kit is and how quickly you can get it back. Ask about short-term storage when you book your move, not after your completion date shifts.
Setting Up Your New Home Office on Day One
Unpack your desk before you unpack the kitchen. Getting your workspace built first means you can be back online the same afternoon, even if the rest of the house is still in boxes. Ask your crew to place your desk, chair and any shelving in the room you plan to work from, so you are not dragging furniture around after they leave. Furniture gets dismantled and reassembled as part of the service, so your desk goes back together properly rather than balanced on its side. Once your chair and screen are in place, the rest of the unpacking can wait.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much notice should I give my broadband provider before moving house?
Give your broadband provider at least 14 days' notice before you move. Research from Uswitch shows the average wait for a new connection is eight days, and full-fibre installations can take up to four weeks if the property has never had fibre before. Contact your provider as soon as you have a confirmed moving date to reduce the risk of being offline.
Can I keep working on moving day?
Yes, many people who work from home do stay partly online during a move. Block out your calendar for the morning, keep your laptop and charger with you rather than in the van, and have a mobile hotspot ready as a backup. Most people find it easier to plan for a half day offline rather than trying to work through the whole move.
Will the removal crew wrap my computer and monitors properly?
Yes. Just Removals London wraps and protects fragile items, including monitors, printers and desk equipment, as part of every move, with free protective wrapping and floor coverings included. Keep anything you need immediate access to, such as your laptop or chargers, separate in a bag you carry yourself.
How far in advance should I book a removals company?
Book four to six weeks ahead where possible, especially if you need an early morning slot to get back online quickly. Just Removals London works seven days a week, with early starts, evenings and weekends available, so you can choose a time that fits around your work commitments.
What if my broadband is not ready when I move in?
Ask your current provider whether your contract can transfer rather than starting a brand new connection, as this is often faster. In the meantime, a mobile hotspot or dongle covers emails and calls until your new line is live. Confirm your install date with your provider before moving day so you know exactly what to expect.
Can I store my home office equipment if there is a gap between moves?
Yes. Secure storage is a practical option if your completion dates do not line up, keeping your desk, chair and equipment safe until your new home is ready. It is worth arranging this when you book your move rather than waiting until a delay happens.
Moving house while working from home takes a bit more planning, but it does not have to cost you a day's income. Sort your broadband early, protect your kit, and let a fully insured crew handle the heavy lifting while you stay close to your laptop. Get in touch with Just Removals London for a free, no-obligation quote and a move date that works around your job, not against it.