How to move a studio flat in one day

Moving a studio flat seems like nothing until everything lands on the same day: the boxes, the fridge, the bed, the keys to the new flat, handing back the old one and a van that has to park somewhere. You can do it in one day without finishing at midnight, but only if everything has its moment.

The quick answerYes, you can move a studio flat in one day if you arrive with everything packed. The week before: book the day and time, get the boxes and pack whatever you're not using. The day before: empty and unplug the fridge, get your first-night box ready and keep keys and documents to hand. On the day: the move in the morning and handing back the old flat in the afternoon, with photos and meter readings. With us, a studio flat is €349 with 2 movers and no extra hours.

The week before

• Agree dates with both landlords and pick the time of the move once you're sure of the keys to the new flat: without them there's nowhere to unload. If you can, pick them up the day before. With us you can start at any time between 8:00 and 22:00, any day, Sundays included.
• Ask in both buildings (the concierge or the property manager) whether there are rules for moves: times, use of the lift, whether it needs protecting.
• Check where the van will park. In Madrid, using the public road for a move needs permission from the City Council in some cases. We'll explain it street by street on our areas pages; if you're moving in the city centre, start with the guide to the ZBE and permits (in Spanish).
• Get the boxes (how many: see the guide on how many boxes you need (in Spanish)) and pack now whatever you won't use: books, out-of-season clothes, decorations. So nothing breaks, see how to fill a box.
• Empty the fridge bit by bit: stop doing the big shop and cook what's in the freezer.
• Set aside what's staying. If there's furniture or appliances that belong to the landlord, mark them with a Post-it so nobody loads them. Whatever you're throwing away or donating, get it out this week.
• Confirm electricity, water and internet at the new flat for the day you move in.

The day before

The fridge

If the fridge is yours and it's coming with you: empty it, unplug it and let it defrost with a cloth or a tray underneath. Dry the inside and leave the door ajar so it doesn't start to smell. Shelves out and wrapped. In the new home, check the manual for how long the manufacturer says it needs to stand before you plug it in, because it varies from model to model.

The washing machine

If it's yours too: do the last wash a couple of days before, turn off the tap, disconnect the hoses and drain the water left in the filter, with a tray and a cloth. If you kept the transit bolts that lock the drum, fit them; if not, check the manual before moving it. And if the fridge and washing machine belong to the landlord, don't touch them: they stay.

The first-night box

It travels with you, not in the van, and it's the first one you open. In a studio flat, what saves you that night is:

• Sheets, a pillow and a towel: the first thing you set up is the bed.
• Toilet paper, soap, chargers and an extension lead.
• Medication, glasses or contact lenses and clothes for the next day.
• A box cutter, an Allen key, a screwdriver and bin bags.
• Water and something to eat that doesn't need cooking.
• The contract for the new flat, your ID and the keys to both homes.

Your laptop, money and anything valuable go in your backpack, never in a box.

The day, hour by hour

An example with the move at 9:00. If you choose another time, the order is the same.

8:00 · Final round

Have breakfast, strip the bed and put the sheets in the first-night box. Close the last boxes from the bathroom and kitchen and leave them together near the door, without blocking the way.

9:00 · The team arrives

Go over with them what's going, what's staying (the Post-its) and what needs taking apart. The team wraps the furniture in blankets and film, takes the bed or wardrobe apart piece by piece and loads up; if it rains, they cover everything with waterproof blankets and the move carries on. You don't carry anything: your job is to be reachable and say what goes and what doesn't.

When the van leaves

A quick round of the empty flat: wardrobes, drawers, the freezer, behind the doors, the clothes airer. Then head off ahead with the first-night box to open up the new place before the team arrives.

At the new place

Before anything comes in, decide where the bed, the sofa and the table go: in a studio flat everything shares one room, and moving a piece of furniture later is harder. Boxes against a wall, without blocking the way to the kitchen or bathroom. Check the bed and wardrobe are put together before the team leaves.

Afternoon · Handing back the old flat

Go back to clean it and hand it over: photos, meter readings and keys (just below). We don't give you a finish time because there's no need: with no extra hours, if the move takes longer, the price doesn't change.

Evening

Bed made, a shower and off to sleep. The boxes can wait until tomorrow; the first-night box can't.

The keys and handing back the old flat

This is where your deposit is at stake. Before you give back the keys:

• Photos and video of everything, once it's empty and clean: walls, floor, doors, windows, bathroom and appliances. Also anything that was already damaged when you moved in.
• The meters: a photo of the electricity, water and gas readings, if there's gas. It's your proof of until when you're paying.
• The inventory: if you signed one when you moved in, go through it with the landlord item by item.
• The keys, handed over in person and in writing: a note or a message with the date, the keys you're returning and confirmation that the flat is handed back as shown in the photos. It's what you'll need to ask for your deposit back.

At the new flat, the same in reverse: photos and meter readings on the first day, before you put anything in place.

How much moving a studio flat with us costs

A studio flat is €349, with 2 movers and up to 10 m³ of belongings: the size is set by the volume of what you're taking, not the square metres of the flat. It includes the van, loading, transport and unloading with the furniture protected, up to 50 km between the two homes, insurance and VAT, with no extra hours.

Packing up to 15 boxes is free too. If what you're taking is over 10 m³, it's the 1-bedroom price: €449. You book with a €50 deposit and pay the rest on moving day.

If you'd rather we did it

You take care of the keys and the first-night box; we take care of protecting, taking apart, loading, transporting and putting together. See how it works on moving in Madrid and get your price with your floors and your furniture. If it's for today or tomorrow, see urgent moves; if something doesn't fit in the new studio, we'll store it for you with our storage with home pick-up. And for timings, there's the guide on how long a move takes (in Spanish).

Frequently asked questions