Disconnecting Electrical Appliances Before a Move: Switch Off, Cool Down, Label

On moving day, the gateman is waiting, the truck is at the gate and someone is still pulling a plug out of a wall with the cooker still hot. In a house or office, the electrical side of a move is where people get shocks, burn their hands and lose small parts. A few steps done the night before make it safe.

The rule is simple: everything off, everything cool, everything photographed, everything labelled.

The night before: switch off properly

Turn off every appliance at its own switch first, then unplug it at the wall. Do not yank the cord. Hold the plug, not the wire. Once everything is off, switch off the main breaker for the rooms you are clearing, so nothing can be turned on by accident.

If you use an inverter, switch it off before you touch any battery or cable. Do not handle damaged cables or anything that smells of burning. Call an electrician. Follow the manufacturer's guidance for each appliance.

Let hot things cool

Cookers, irons, water heaters, kettles and generators stay hot long after they are off. Leave them to cool completely before you wrap or carry them. A hot iron on a mattress in the truck is a fire waiting to happen. Give a gas cooker and its cylinder their own care, and read moving a gas cooker and cylinder.

Photograph the back before you unplug

Take a clear photo of the back of every TV, decoder, router, cable box and desktop computer before you unplug a single cable. The picture will save you from guessing which cable goes where at the new place. For an office, take one wide photo of the whole desk setup as well.

Label every cable

Use masking tape and a marker. Put the same number or word on the cable end and on the matching port. "TV 1", "Decoder", "Router". Coil each cable loosely, tie it with a strip of cloth or a cable tie, and tape it to the back of the device.

Keep remote controls, adapters and power bricks with their device in a labelled bag.

Pack by type

• Screens and TVs: wrap in blankets and stand upright. See moving a TV, home theatre and sound system.
• Computers and networking gear: use their original boxes if you have them, or padded boxes. Details are in moving computers, servers and networking equipment.
• Heavy appliances: fridges, freezers and washing machines need separate steps.
• Small appliances: blenders, microwaves and irons go in boxes with soft padding.

Water and plumbed items

Anything connected to water, such as a washing machine or water heater, should be turned off at the tap and drained before moving. Water inside a unit can leak into the truck and damage furniture around it.

At the new place

Do not plug everything in at once. Check that the sockets work and that the voltage is normal for your appliances. Plug in the fridge, wait a while as the manufacturer advises, and then bring the rest back one by one. If a power surge protector or stabiliser is part of your set-up, check it first, as explained in moving stabilisers, UPS units and power backup equipment.

How to do this on Sphere

Open Sphere, choose a truck or pickup van, and describe the electrical items in the load: "1 fridge, 1 freezer, 2 TVs, 1 cooker, 1 washing machine, boxes of small appliances". Say which items are heavy or delicate. Propose a price, and nearby verified drivers will accept or send counter-offers. Agree loading and offloading help with the driver before you accept an offer. See house moving in Lagos for more.