Hackney’s former factories, print works and workshops now hold a mix of flats, studios and live-work units, and moving out of one is rarely as simple as packing a bedroom and a kitchen. A home that doubles as a workplace tends to collect heavy benches, long timber, tools, lighting rigs and half-finished projects, often behind a heavy fire door and up a stairwell built for goods rather than furniture. A little planning makes the day far smoother.

Take stock of the working half of the space

Start by walking round the unit and listing everything that belongs to your work rather than your home life. Painters may have easels, plan chests and racks of canvases; makers may have workbenches, vices, sanders and offcuts; musicians may have amplifiers, speaker cabinets and flight cases; photographers may have backdrops, stands and lighting. Note anything that is unusually long, heavy or awkward, and anything that cannot be tipped on its side.

This list shapes the size of van you need and how many people it takes to carry things safely.

Find out how the building handles moves

Converted industrial buildings vary a great deal. Some have a freight or goods lift, others a passenger lift that is too small for a workbench, and some have only stairs. Before booking anything, ask the managing agent or building manager:

• whether there is a goods lift, its rough dimensions and whether it needs to be reserved;
• which entrance movers should use, and whether there is a yard or loading area;
• whether moves are limited to certain days or times;
• whether lift walls or corridors need protecting.

For parking on the street outside, check with Hackney Council about what is needed for a van to wait while loading. Rules differ from street to street, so it is worth asking early rather than on the morning itself.

Dismantle what was built in place

Plenty of studio furniture was assembled inside the unit and will not leave in one piece. Mezzanine beds, tall shelving, large tables and benches bolted together on site usually need taking apart. If you built them yourself, photograph each stage as you dismantle them and bag the bolts and brackets with labels. If not, mention every built-in item when asking for a quote so the crew arrives with the right tools and enough time.

Fixtures that belong to the landlord, such as fitted shelving or lighting track, should stay. Check your lease or licence before unscrewing anything from a wall.

Pack tools and materials safely

Workshop equipment needs different treatment from household goods. Empty fuel from any small machinery, coil and tie cables, and remove blades from saws and cutters where you can. Small hand tools travel well in sturdy boxes that are not overfilled, so they remain liftable. Keep paints, solvents and other chemicals tightly sealed and separate from fabrics and paper, and ask your mover in advance which items they can carry. Finished artwork and delicate instruments are worth wrapping individually and loading last, so they come off first.

Choose a remover used to awkward loads

When you contact firms, describe the building honestly: floor level, stairs or lift, the length of carry from door to kerb and the heaviest single items. A crew that knows what to expect can bring blankets, straps and enough people for the bench that takes four to lift.

As one example, SMS Man and Van works across London, offers vans from small to Luton size with as many helpers as a job needs, and includes furniture dismantling and reassembly among its services. Its quote form asks about floor numbers and lift or stair access at both ends, which suits the kind of detail a warehouse move involves. Anyone weighing up removals in Hackney can use that sort of form as a checklist even before deciding who to book.

Plan the other end too

If you are moving work and home to separate addresses, split the inventory into two loads and label boxes by destination, not just by room. Measure door widths at the new studio before moving day, especially if it is a railway arch or a small unit with a roller shutter.

Moving a live-work space takes more preparation than an ordinary flat move, but most of it comes down to knowing your building, listing the awkward pieces and giving your movers an accurate picture. Do that, and the bench, the amplifiers and the canvases can all reach their new home in one piece.