We have moved! (+ Fantastic Services giveaway)

So after lots of packing, sorting, and definitely not enough de-cluttering (I am a hoarder) we have finally moved out of our flat in London and moved into a house in Manchester.

It’s a bittersweet move as I loved our life in London, but now we have a daughter, hubby and I are opting to be closer to family, fresher air and more space.

Speaking of which, clearing our space was a nightmare. I can’t quite believe how much crap we managed to amalgamate over our seven years in the capital. It’s even more of a feat considering that we were in a two-bedroom flat – it’s like we were playing Tetris in real life.

Then there was the question of transporting all of our possessions 240 miles up the road to Manchester. With a toddler in tow, hiring our own van just wouldn’t do. So luckily Fantastic Services came to our rescue. Twice.

Firstly, the removal team from Fantastic Services managed to mule all our stuff out of our flat, down two flights of stairs and all the way to our new home.

What was more impressive, (and nerve-wracking for me) was that they did this without us being present in the flat and therefore able to point them in the right direction amongst the bags, boxes and furniture.

Everything arrived intact on our end, and the lovely removal guys even did a bit of feng-shui at our new house, using their expertise to advise where things would fit best. This was more than helpful for me, as I was too busy being dumbstruck when I saw the van empty like Mary Poppins’ magic bag.

But it was with their second offering – cleaning – where Fantastic Services shone (pun intended). After our worldly possessions had vacated the property, the team’s other offering – Fantastic Cleaners – sprung into action. They provided an end of tenancy cleaning, which basically means they won’t stop dusting, polishing and scrubbing until the job is done.

I was long gone, setting up on the other end in Manchester when Fantastic Cleaners were doing their magic. But hubby made a trip back down to London to see the flat and could attest to their work. The place was spotless, and here’s some before and after pictures to prove it.

Please don’t judge how we lived based on the gross ‘before’ pictures.  We were in the midst of moving so barely had time to eat let alone clean.

Now aside from what I’ve already mentioned, I like Fantastic Services for a couple of reasons –

• They are efficient – as they’re a network of service providers, you can be confident they’ll turn up on time and won’t let you down. I’ve used cleaners regularly in London. And while a couple have been brilliantly punctual, others were often late, or have even cancelled last minute, leaving me high, dry and surrounded by my own filth (I’m exaggerating, but not by much).
• The end of tenancy cleaning team came with their own products, so I didn’t have to make a mad dash to Sainsbury’s to get some Viakol (that’s one thing I definitely won’t miss about London, that damn stubborn limescale).

And the good news is, I’ve teamed it with Fantastic Services to pay it forward and offer you a Fantastic giveaway (ooh, get me with my puns).

Fantastic Services are offering a £100 voucher to one lucky reader of HalimaBobs, for you use towards a service of your choice. And with options of cleaning, gardening and handymen services, I’m sure you’ll find something. So give yourself/hubby/dad a break by entering my giveaway below.

The gift voucher is available for entrants within M25 (incl. London, Oxford and Manchester. See the end of this post for further T&Cs…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ad info: This is a campaign by sponsored by Fantastic services. The removal service was provided at a small discount, and the end of tenancy cleaning was gifted and this is a paid post.