Great 'Things to do when you move' Hunt

westlondonbuyer

Give the removal men a cash tip at the beginning of the job, "so you're sorted for sandwiches and drinks later". They'll all bring their lunch with them usually, but they'll pocket the money; and hopefully do a good job because they know you're a good sort. At the end of the job it might be too late ;-)

Really2

Pack the Kettle, Tea bags, coffee, few mugs etc in a box and take it in your car.

Nothing worse than not having a brew before unpacking etc.

dizziblonde

With the pets thing - I have an incredibly skitty cat who loves hidey holes. From bitter experience - block up ALL holes before releasing the cat... I've had to retrieve her from under kitchen units and up chimney breasts in the past.

These days I go in advance, unpack the spare room roughly and leave her and her things in there with the door closed and a "Do Not Enter" sign on it until the house is in some semblance of order. She miaows and complains at being hard done by - but it's kinder on her and easier than trying to lift sofas with a psycho furball underfoot (she travels really badly so catteries aren't an option).

ztan

We're packing our cat off to my OH's mother's home for a day or two whilst we move.


We're moving from a 2nd floor flat, to a coach house, so we're planning on filling the bath with cold drinks for our removals team! It's going to be thirsty work getting up and down all those stairs! I read the other thread re tipping, and think it's a good thing to consider. we're going to be sticking with the "feeding and watering" option, as we don't really have spare pennies to rub together, let alone tip removals men.

NEH

ztan wrote: »

We're packing our cat off to my OH's mother's home for a day or two whilst we move.


We're moving from a 2nd floor flat, to a coach house, so we're planning on filling the bath with cold drinks for our removals team! It's going to be thirsty work getting up and down all those stairs! I read the other thread re tipping, and think it's a good thing to consider. we're going to be sticking with the "feeding and watering" option, as we don't really have spare pennies to rub together, let alone tip removals men.

Glad someone else to sticking to the feeding and watering option as well...

We're facing having to move again in 6/12 months so tipping each time will add another bill on an already stretched budget...

1maia

is sell all the furniture and valuable stuff it's hard to sell (if you live rural, like we do, so amazon-only rare hardbacks which take ages to shift, china, that kind of stuff). You'll get ten quid for a victorian mahogany wardrobe with rich carving if you have to sell it in two weeks, and you won't get any phone calls for the huge teak sideboard - our experience. I'm resigned to taking the books with us and selling them on, but the retirement bungalow's literally too small for the wardrobe. When i say first thing, i mean even before you put the house up for sale or go looking for one. It took two weeks to find a house, two months to buy it and sell ours, on my experience i would estimate six months to sell furniture. Although the lucky types who live in London/cities can probably sell it easier.

StevieD253

Here's a good tip to remember. Whatever you pur on the removal van/truck last will come off first. So the best things to put on last are a Toolkit includind a Torch, Batteries, Radiator Keys etc, plus food and most inportant, A Kettle, Teapot, cups etc, so you can sit down and have a cuppa while the removal team are emptying the vehicle.

spirit

Get organised well before exchange. Get your packing boxes ordered if you are not using the ones your removal firm will supply.

Be ruthless, get rid of things you've not used in years, they really won't come in handy but the charity shop will love them. Other stuff you can freecycle.

Make up a house file for your buyers. Put all the guarantees, instruction leaflets etc in it. Also write out for them the nearest doctors, dentists, local shops. Bin collection day, recycling facilities. If you get a local parish magazine, leave them that in there too. Anything local that you think they will find useful. Nearest schools perhaps if applicable.

Then you just hope your sellers have done the same for you!

Move any pots and tubs from the back garden to the front (as long as you can carry them safely) saves a lot of time on the day and ensures they are not overlooked in the hubub of the move.

On moving day, empty 1 room at a time, clean it thoroughly and close the door. then when the house is empty, just do a final walk through and check cupboards and drawers etc to ensure you've not left anything.

rwgray

Six months of Royal Mail redirection was great, but when it was over, where did all that mail go? No matter how thorough you are with COA notices, some low-frequency items are bound to slip through the next: how about annual subscriptions, and programmes for annual events like the local arts festival?

What I ought to have done was write to the new tenants at my old address, telling them my new address and asking them nicely to start forwarding anything they receive. The landlord obviously has not done this, and most people will understandably (after six months) just open anything that looks interesting (in case it needs returning) and bin the rest.

I generally shred anything that comes for former residents at my address before recycling it - because identity theft could affect me more than them!

Rich.x

markdavidson

Some great points here that I'd never have thought of. :T

I put my house on comparethehouses.com recently and in their support section they have a couple of really handy guides I've just printed out and keep in my house moving folder. It's all diarised (right word?) which I think is very helpful. I have emailed them some of the ideas on the forum so hopefully they will take them on board.