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Moving houseplants in London needs a separate plan from moving sealed boxes. A tall plant takes up space above its pot, a ceramic container can be unexpectedly heavy, and a short journey may still involve stairs, shared entrances and time outdoors. Start by agreeing how your plants will travel, rather than adding them to the load when the van arrives.
This checklist focuses on potted indoor plants moving between homes. It will help you give your mover a clear brief and organise the handover without treating every plant as an ordinary household item.
1. Make a plant list before requesting transport
Count the plants and photograph them together, then take separate pictures of larger or awkward examples. Include their full height from the bottom of the pot and their widest spread. A pot measurement alone will not show how much room the leaves need.
- Note whether each pot is plastic, ceramic or another material.
- Identify heavy planters, fragile containers and trailing stems.
- List stands, saucers and decorative outer pots separately.
- Explain which plants you intend to take yourself and which you want the mover to assess.
Send this list with your household inventory. For example, “six small pots in two open boxes and one tall palm” is more useful than “a few plants”. Keep the dimensions and photographs alongside that description.
2. Confirm who will carry the plants and how they will travel
Ask whether the provider can accept the plants, what preparation is required and whether any exclusions apply. Do not assume that a furniture-moving booking includes living plants or that the same protection arrangements apply to both.
Discuss the available vehicle space and the journey, including additional stops or a delay before you can enter the new property. If someone is taking plants separately, name that person in your moving plan so the pots are not loaded with the main consignment by mistake.
Our guide to comparing man and van quotes explains how to record the agreed scope. For plants, the useful question is not simply whether there is room in the van, but whether their particular handling needs have been understood.
3. Prepare pots without crushing the foliage
Where practical, pack a removable decorative outer pot separately from the plant in its nursery pot. Use a sturdy container that supports the nursery pot upright, with padding around the base rather than pressed against the leaves. Label the container clearly so nobody stacks another box on top.
Check the plant’s condition before grouping it with others, including any signs of pests. For a large or delicate specimen, ask a plant specialist about suitable protection. Patch’s houseplant-moving advice is a useful starting point for preparation.
Keep loose saucers and stands in labelled packaging. Match each item to its plant on your list: this makes the destination handover easier when several similar pots arrive together.
4. Plan the route through your London building
Check the route from the plant’s current room to the vehicle, then from the destination entrance to its new room. Note stair turns, lift-door openings, low overhead fittings and doors that need someone to hold them. Send photographs of any awkward point before moving day.
In a managed block, confirm the lift arrangements and moving slot with the building manager. Decide where the plants can wait indoors while other belongings are being carried. Keep that area out of the shared access route, and make sure someone knows which items are still waiting there.
Tell the mover about a long walk from the loading point or an exposed courtyard. Those details affect the handling plan even when the two homes are only a few streets apart. Check the current loading arrangements for each address with the relevant council or building manager.
5. Make a cold-weather and arrival plan
The RHS houseplant guide recommends protecting plants from cold during transport and choosing indoor conditions to suit each species. Keep outdoor waiting time short, and arrange access to the destination before bringing plants out of the vehicle.
Do not give every pot extra water just because it is moving day. Check each plant’s needs and allow any watered pot to drain. At the new home, remove transport packaging promptly and choose a suitable place with the right light and temperature, away from cold draughts or excessive radiator heat.
If you are also booking storage, make separate arrangements for living plants rather than assuming an ordinary storage unit will suit them. The rest of your belongings can follow the plan in our moving into storage checklist.
A quick plant handover checklist
- Plant count, photographs and full dimensions shared.
- Transport and carrying responsibilities confirmed.
- Pots, stands and saucers labelled and accounted for.
- Stairs, lift access and indoor waiting space checked.
- Someone ready to receive the plants at the new home.
- Final plant count checked before the vehicle leaves.
Discuss your London house move
For a move that includes plants alongside furniture and boxes, contact JP Man & Van or call 07925405549. Share your inventory, plant photographs and access details, and ask which items and arrangements can be included before you book.