Moving to a cottage starts with a list
Moving to a country cottage differs from moving flat in one respect: you're not in a hurry, but you're driving a long way. Every unnecessary trip means an hour there and an hour back. So it pays to spend an evening on a list and take everything at once.
Go through the flat and sort things into three piles
What you'll really use at the cottage, what you'll just store there and what is actually rubbish. The third pile tends to be the biggest. A cottage isn't a storeroom for things you can't bear to throw away — otherwise in a few years it will become a warehouse you'll be moving all over again.
Wrap textiles and mattresses in plastic film. In a damp, unheated building they soak up moisture over a single winter. The same goes for books and cardboard boxes, which are better replaced with plastic boxes with lids.
Check appliances before loading
Plug the old fridge in at home and let it run for a day. Hauling a hundred kilos of appliance that won't start once it's there is wasted effort. Also transport the fridge upright and, after unloading, let it stand for several hours before switching it on.
Secure the washing machine with transit bolts. Without them, the drum moves around on the bumpy road and damages its mountings. The bolts usually come in the original packaging, or they can be bought separately.
Load in the reverse order to unloading
Load last whatever you'll need first. At the cottage you usually don't have a crew of people on hand, so make unloading easier by having the furniture for the ground floor ready to hand straight away and the things for the attic at the bottom.
Payload varies by model, usually 1 100 to 1 450 kg. With furniture you'll rarely reach it, but with building materials or paving very quickly. You'll find the specific figures for each van in our fleet.
Choose your date according to the weather
Cold and rain make the job take twice as long. Furniture gets soaked, the path to the house turns to mud and unloading in the open becomes a battle. If you can, choose a dry day — you can collect the van non-stop, so you can even set off early in the morning.
Cancellation is free no later than 72 hours before the start of the rental. If the forecast turns far enough in advance, you can move your date without losing anything.
Driving out of town and what to sort out on site
The last kilometre is often the worst
Check the access to the cottage before you set off. A narrow dirt track, a low branch or a gate that a fully loaded van won't fit through can ruin the whole day. A longer van has a bigger overhang and behaves differently from a car when reversing up a slope.
Keep the height of the van in mind. Underpasses at old bridges, entrances to courtyards and low barn roofs are the most common places where vans get damaged. Memorise the height of your van right at the start.
A loaded van brakes differently
A full van needs a longer distance to stop. So on country roads keep a bigger gap and go into bends more slowly. The load shifts during a sudden manoeuvre, and that sets the van swaying.
You'll feel crosswinds on open stretches. A tall box body acts like a sail, and when you come out of a forest into open fields, a gust can pull you sideways. Hold the wheel firmly with both hands and reduce your speed before you reach such a stretch.
The motorway vignette is included in the rental price. So you don't need to sort it out anywhere before the trip. However, you may only drive within the Czech Republic — trips abroad are not permitted.
Make use of the return trip too
There's almost always something to take away from a cottage. Scrap metal, broken furniture, roofing sheets or worn-out tyres. An empty van on the way back is a missed opportunity to get rid of years of clutter in one go.
Mileage within the Czech Republic is unlimited. Extra kilometres aren't charged, so you don't need to factor in the distance to the cottage at all when booking.
But check where you'll take the waste. Collection points in smaller villages are often open only a few hours a week and sometimes only accept waste from local residents. Find out before you fill the van.
Returning the van
You pick up the vehicle with a full tank and return it full. So plan your last filling station before the return in advance, especially if you're coming back late in the evening. All the vans run on diesel and have a manual gearbox.
It goes back to the same location where you picked it up. You can park your own car there free of charge for the duration of the rental, so you don't have to work out how to get there. You'll find details on pick-up and return in the FAQ, and more tips on our blog.
