Moving house while packages are still on the way: address, forwarding and returns
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
You're moving, but you still have four open orders and a return ready to go. Here's how to keep track of your addresses, your mail, and the packages that arrive during your moving week.
The key has been handed over, the van is back with the rental company, and then a message pops up: your package has been delivered to the neighbors. At your old address. It's not a disaster, but it takes an afternoon, a bike ride, and sometimes a discussion about who bears the costs. Moving and online ordering clash for exactly two weeks, and that can be avoided if you plan it out beforehand.
Below is what to arrange before, during, and after the move — as a private individual, with an extra section for those running a webshop or studio from home.
Set an ordering deadline and stick to it
The simplest thing you can do is draw a line. From about ten days before the moving date, don't order anything else to your old address, and only start ordering again once you have the key to your new home. Sounds strict, but it saves the most hassle.
Then go through the orders that are already on their way and make a list with three columns: what do you expect, when, and at which address. With most webshops, you can only change the delivery address as long as the order has not yet been processed — after that, you need to contact the carrier, and then a pickup point or a different delivery day is often the only option left.
Don't forget the things that don't feel like an order: a subscription box, a magazine, an order you returned last month that is coming back as a replacement.
Mail and packages are two different streams
Mail and packages are handled differently, and that's precisely where people misjudge. PostNL offers a moving service to forward mail to your new address, and also a forwarding service for temporary forwarding. Check those pages to see exactly what's included, what it costs, and how long it lasts — that can change, so don't rely on what you've heard. In any case, don't assume that a forwarding service also handles your packages: check that before you count on it.
What else you keep track of yourself:
The address in your accounts with webshops and marketplaces — this is the place where it most often remains unchanged.
Your fixed delivery preference (neighbors, pickup point, back entrance) is often stored at the address level and needs to be updated.
Delivery apps with a saved "home" location.
The name on the mailbox. Without a nameplate, a package or letter can be returned as "unaddressed."
Returns: handle them before the box closes
A return that ends up among your belongings during a move is almost always a return that is sent too late. Handle open returns in the week before the move, not after. Save the shipping receipt digitally, not as a loose piece of paper in a moving box.
If something still needs to be returned after the move, put the new address as the sender on the package, even if the return label has the old address. If the package is returned as undeliverable, it goes back to the sender — and you want that to be your new address. A recycled letterbox box A6 in a bundle of 100 (€ 17.95) or the A5+ size per 100 pieces (€ 24.00) is handy to keep separate for precisely these kinds of loose shipments.
Keep one box separate that won't be sealed
Everything can go into a box, except the items you still need for shipping. Put those together in one open bin or box that goes into the car last and comes out first. This should include:
On each 50-liter moving box (€ 3.50), write not only the room but also a number and a keyword: "12 — kitchen — pans." Numbers help you quickly see if a box is missing; the keyword saves you from opening four boxes to find one charger.
Write on the side, not on the top. As soon as boxes are stacked, you only see the sides. When opening, use a utility knife instead of scissors, and cut along the tape seam so the box stays intact and you can use it later.
Selling from home? Four extra tips
Anyone who ships orders from their home address also moves a business process. This requires a few things that private individuals can skip.
Put a shipping pause in your webshop — better to be closed for two days with a clear message than to have ten customers waiting for a track-and-trace. Also include it in your confirmation email.
Update your sender and return address on your shipping platform, packing slips, and invoices. The return address is most often forgotten and results in packages arriving at the old address for months.
Warn your suppliers before placing a large order. A pallet of boxes delivered to the old address is a more expensive problem than a lost small package.
Seal the boxes with your inventory. For example, use VOID security seals, 60 pieces (€ 9.95), so you can see upon arrival if a box has been opened en route.
Count on at least one day between "everything is inside" and "I can ship again." In practice, your first workday will be full of finding your labels and reconfiguring your printer.
The week after
A week after the move, check if anything was delivered to your old address and if all accounts now show the new address. Also, review your track-and-trace messages for shipments marked "undeliverable"; otherwise, they will quietly disappear within the carrier's system.
Everything you need to move and keep shipping is gathered under Moving Boxes, Packaging & Shipping, and Tape. Not sure how many boxes or how much tape you need for your situation? Email info@verpakkingdeals.nl with the number of rooms or the number of packages per week, and we'll help you calculate it.
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