My Organised House Move

gingernutbizkit

hi all,

I'm starting a new thread as we are starting the process of moving house and thought I would keep a diary of our journey. I'm sure I will have a lot of questions along the way and will welcome any advice anyone can offer. I have never bought and sold before so this really is a new adventure.

Our situation so far is that we have lived in our property for over 10 years. We have extended it as much as possible but with three growing children we now need to move rather than actually want to. Mostly we need a fourth bedroom (or potential to create one). It's a shame really as we really do love the property we're in and probably would end up with smaller size rooms in the next place - unless we could find an extra £100K!!!

We have had three valuations done and agreed to go on with an EA. The valuations were £245K, £240K and £230K so we're going on for the middle price. We had a meeting with a broker today and can comfortably find somewhere up to £330K. Worryingly we were told we could actually go up to £380K so obviously the banks are still to learn anything from the financial crash!

Photo's have been taken, measurements etc and we will be on rightmove by Wednesday :eek:

The main job at the moment is to start decluttering. There is no way we can leave this until we have sold as we have so much [STRIKE]rubbish[/STRIKE] treasured possessions I plan to do a car boot on the last bank hol of May and to start to pack things that need to come with us but aren't needed in the next few months. Just bought some boxes off ebay but no doubt will need more. Also started to look around the supermarkets for other free packing materials.

Ging x

gingernutbizkit

I thought I would start a jobs list to get me going so here goes....

Week One.

[STRIKE]Email photo's to EA
Confirm house details with EA[/STRIKE]
Create new budget to confirm what we can afford to spend
Meet with broker again - arranged for next week
[STRIKE]Start to look at other properties and create list of option[/STRIKE]s
[STRIKE]Board up outside.[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Arrange energy assessment[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Organise a plasterer
Move bookcases off the landing[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Tidy up garden and take photo'[/STRIKE]s
[STRIKE]Carpet in smallest bedroom[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Get some boxes to start the packing[/STRIKE]

Declutter List.

[STRIKE]Conservatory book shelves[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Kids book shelves[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Hallway paper work[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]DS3 older toys[/STRIKE]
Lounge magazines
Kitchen recipe books

Seanymph

If you have a nearby greengrocer or farm shop (privately owned) they have an endless supply of stacking plastic boxes, and banana boxes (have lids) or apple boxes (which don't.)

If you ask they will positively fill your car with them every trip!

pawlala

If I have one piece of advice from my house move earlier this year its to do as much as you can as early as you can. Even down to booking Sky, BT, broadband, aerials etc weeks in advance. I finished all my storage a month before the move too so I had as much space as possible when really moving out.

And eat out the freezer as soon as you know you're moving date!

TOBRUK

Hi gingernutbizkit, I'm in a situation where I am in process of selling and buying! My house was on the market for aound 14 months.

I haven't had a date yet but am packing boxes every day! It's the sorting out before you can pack that takes up a lot of time .... going through paperwork and shredding, sorting through drawers, cupboards etc what to keep and throw!

I seem to have a list for every day of things that I need to do!

I have almost emptied the freezer now! I would be able to finish packing in a day now if I had to - that takes away unecessary stress! I have emptied the attic!!

Good luck

gingernutbizkit

Thanks all.

Generally my wife and I are quite last minute people but I'm determined to get ahead and be organised. We have never moved before and with three kids in tow (if I can't get someone to have them) I am willing to try anything to reduce the stress levels later on

Feeling quite motivated at the moment so intend to get loads done now. Cleared the boys shelves and our book shelf with some donations to the car boot and now a clear cupboard to put them in. Also realised that there are some jobs that need doing before anyone comes to look around this place. I've almost clear DS3's room ready to put down the carpet that has been waiting for 6 months! Removed the bookcases off the landing so it looks bigger and arranged a friend to skim a door way although I was tempted to put up a big poster!!! Main job is to tidy up the garden which will be a couple of days work and sort out the paperwork in my office area that I keep putting off!

I have a greengrocer at the end of my road so thanks for that tip x

Ging x

gingernutbizkit

Morning folks!

Todays plan is to get the smallest bedroom sorted in our house. We have a piece of carpet ready to put down and I have almost removed everything from the room. Unfortunately I have discovered quite a bit of damage done to the room by our youngest - the joys of being a foster parent! Now we have to fill several holes and repaint as well which I am not happy about.

Also must get up to lottie. I'm determined not to allow other areas of our life to slip over the coming months. We only started our allotment two months ago and there's still quite a bit of work to do up there.

Two magazines also sorted from our huge pile too - we easily have 50 in total .

ging x

googler

Who to tell that you’re moving…..

Accountant
Banks (High Street and Online)
Book or Music Club Subscriptions
Broadband Supplier
Building Society
Burglar Alarm Servicing or Monitoring
Car Insurer, Car Clubs (AA, RAC etc)
Cleaners, Ironing Service, etc.
Clubs – Rotary, Community, Sports etc.
Council (both old & new) - Council Tax Department
Council – cancel any Parking Permits
Credit Card(s) Provider
Dentist
Doctor
DSS (or whatever they're called these days)
DVLA
Electricity, Gas & other Utility Suppliers
e-mail provider(s)
Employer
Family & Friends
Gardener
Hire Purchase Companies
Hospital, if you attend regularly
Household Insurance Supplier – Building and Contents
Home Phone Supplier
Inland Revenue, or HMRC
Internet Service Provider (ISP)
Library
Life Assurance Supplier
Loan or Credit Companies
Magazine Subscriptions
Milkman – cancel deliveries
Mobile Phone Supplier
Neighbours
Newsagent – cancel paper deliveries
Online Retailers (Amazon, eBay, Paypal, Play, etc)
Optician, Hairdresser, other Beauty/Health professionals
Pension Providers
Royal Mail – set up your re-direction service for 3/6/12 mths
Satellite or Cable TV Supplier
Servicing Contractors (Boiler, CH, other Appliances)
Schools & Nurseries, Childminders, Babysitters
Stores or Chains with discount or club cards
TV Licencing Office
Vet, Kennels, Cattery
Window Cleaner

gingernutbizkit

Thanks Googler. That's quite a list!! I think my weekly to do list will be growing huge the nearer we come to a move!

Ging x

geoffky

We moved in last aug and have found that the mail still needs redirecting even now...We signed for 3 months at first but it was no where long enough.

gingernutbizkit

Mrs Ging regularly amazes me and today was one of those days. I helped her to move everything out of DS3's room at midday and before he went to bed at 8.15pm she had repaired the wall, done two coats of paint, removed the flooring, laid a carpet and moved everythign back in. What a star :T I'll have to think of a way to thank her..... (I think she's too tired for the obvious ) The bedroom is looking really good now and DS3 has been warned not to change that fact!

I on the other hand have only managed to water the plants at lottie (whilst sighing over the weeds that have sprung up from nowhere :mad:) and planted about 15 pots for our patio area. Otherwise I have been trying to stop world war 3 between the kids and make sure everyone gets fed and watered.

Tomorrows plan is to really crack on with the garden and get it looking lovely again.

The plan for now though involves chocolate, wine and a bath :beer:

Ging x