How long do I get to move?

marmitequeen

If your OH is a teacher in a state school s/he is allowed a 'moving day' - part of standard teacher contract (otherwise they've block many a chain, only being able to move during holiday time). The school might not publicise it as it's a pain, but if any problems phone your teaching union and they'll support you on this. If it's a private or public school (fee-paying) the contracts are different and you'll need to check, but most schools I know will allow a day - after all, give someone a day and they'll give you a week's extra work as goodwill goes miles. (In my experience as someone responsible for staffing in a secondary comp).

Having said all that: pay the money - get others to do the sweaty work!

kst101

I'm pretty sure that teachers are allowed to have a day off for moving - although I know that it can be hard to actually arrange it.

Chinkle

I think you are being overly optomistic about the amount of physical work involved as well as the stress of moving day.

Usually you are waiting till at least lunchtime for all the solicitors to confirm the monies are in the right place. You need to be absolutely ready to go, ie everything packed and ready to be loaded as soon as you get word. Your FTB will probably have a lot less stuff than you and be itching to take possession.

Ideal OH should be on hand as well as a couple of guys to do all the heavy lifting.

PasturesNew

You can get some cheap self-storage units and move a lot out prior to the day, minimising your moving time/stress.

What I'd do is probably rent 2-3 small units. In the first one, pack things you absolutely won't need (probably ever, certainly not for months), like the Xmas stuff, winter clothes, clothes you've kept "in case". In the second one I'd pack up things I would need, just not for a week. e.g. spare bed linen, kitchen stuff, towels.

Maybe a 3rd one for tricky furniture.

These can cost as little as £5/week. So, on the move day you move the bare minimum, next day you can go collect your tricky furniture and things you'll need in the next week ... and the other stuff can sit in storage for another couple of weeks.

If you rented two at £5/week for two weeks and one larger one (tricky furniture) at £10/week for two weeks, it'd only cost you £40.

Of course, finding self storage might be a problem if you're in a remote area. My nearest is 20 miles away and they're only open Mon-Fri 9-5 or so. But some are self-access 24/7, so if you're in/near a big city it's much more doable.

VickyA_2

I agree with all those people who are telling you that your OH is entitled to a moving day. I'm a teacher and have moved house this year.... and got a moving day. As did another friend who moved a fortnight after we did, who works in the same school.

Old_Git

has your OH never heard off a sickie .They need to be there for the move

tyllwyd

By the time you've rented a big enough van, you'll have spent some of the money you would have spent on a removal company.

And what happens if you, say, put your back out moving heavy furniture without enough help? Apart from anything else, how would you move the rest of your stuff?

I've moved a few times, and it is exhausting just running around packing, tidying up, moving bits and pieces - I wouldn't dream of doing it with a house's worth of stuff to move. Moving stuff out of your house into storage units then out again sounds mad to me as well - all that work twice over.

sundin13

You know what - I think you lot have firmly made up my mind for me. Movers it is.

Now just to find a nice low quote!!!

Thanks all

S13

iamana1ias

I've moved at least 6 times, including over 300 miles, and have never used anything but hired vans and mates with muscles

Moving is easy if you are organised about it

Evilm

Its not really ok to ask the vendors to allow easy access and they are unlikely to allow it.

DIY moves are not worth it, definitely hire professionals for the emptying, transporting and filling. Unless you are not moving furniture and have very little its worth the money you pay even if it sounds like a lot. It also gives you some insurance should things be broken, lost etc.

When we moved we had little notice so had a really difficult time on our hands and from that I would suggest the following:

- pre pack most of the stuff you don't need regular access to very early (even weeks in advance if you can): out of season clothing, rarely used toys, figurines and pictures etc.
- The supermarkets often have lots of large boxes and if they don't have an obvious area where they store them for customers to reuse then ask them and they can usually tell you what days and times they will be available - sometimes its very early in the morning because thats when they unload and they can't keep them hanging around taking up space. This will save you from having to pay for so many from the Removals firm and allow you to pack earlier.
- Have friends over to help you pack in the last week or so in the evenings... makes it much less stressful and more fun to deal with the sheer hell of moving house!
- Empty the loft and in-accessible areas early - you don't want to be scrabbling around in the loft Friday morning trying to ensure you haven't forgotten something. In our case it was the tool cupboard that suddenly seemed twice as large!
- Get packing included in your removal quote - its worth the money! You will end up with 2/3 men around the house for 2-3 days but it is worth it and they do insure the stuff they pack against breakage and its much less stressful. Whilst you have quite a bit already by this point at least you know it WILL get done!
- pre prepare boxes for the last minute things such as bedding, pillows etc that you won't be able to pack until the morning of the move, pre label them and then all you need to do is seal them up.
-our removals allowed chests of drawers, bedside cabinets etc to be moved whilst still full - unless there is something heavy in there you might as well make use of the space and save yourselves the time!
-If you label the boxes carefully and plan out which room they need to go in do what we did: We had boxes marked with room numbers and the doorways to the rooms labeled with a Post -it to say which room it was... the removals men needed very little assistance and I could concentrate on the more important stuff in the house instead of directing traffic.

Most of the time the removals vans like to be fully packed by about 11am on the day of the move... on average you get access to the new keys (and to hand over your old ones) between noon-3pm and then can be in the new house and unpacking the van from 1-5pm. With our house they started Thursday morning but with Packing services you may have them from Wednesday. Be prepared for this and the fact you will have no time to do food during the last few days and be prepared with a cool box of easy to access snacks and drinks (you will need them) and have takeaways and paper plates to avoid last minute washing up.

Most important: remember to breathe! It will be over and worth it!