When would you start packing?

go_cat

How close to exchange of contracts would you start packing bearing in mind it could all still fall through

seeking experiences of MSE users

binky123

After exchange of contracts.

sonastin

There is probably a lot that can be packed up and remain in boxes untouched for months - you're unlikely to need your xmas decorations again before you move if the chain is already complete, for example. So you might as well make a start on that sort of packing as soon as you know the move is on the cards. Stuff you need access to regularly should be kept accessible until you're sure that it is going to happen - exchange day would be a sensible time to start on that if you don't want to unpack again. Things you use every day should wait until you get near to completion day!

ultrarunner

One thing not to pack is all of your filing and paperwork as you will need this to hand throughout the process! Put it in the car with the kettle the morning you move out!

heather38

As soon as possible lol!
I exchanged last friday and complete and move tomorrow, I am still packing tonight.
Start to pack up everything you know that you wont need for ages like books, photo albums that kind of thing, these have taken me the longest to sort as I keep looking through them!
It's got to the point now that I am throwing things in boxes and marking them as 'random carp'

kingstreet

Depends on the timescale between exchange and completion. If there's no gap, you have to do it before exchange. If there's a short gap, I'd say at exchange and if a longer wait to complete, a week or so before.

I'd also agree with sonastin in packing things you won't need and get them out of the way early.

Yolina

I packed the day before the move or more precisely, I had the removal people pack for me they did it all in just a few hours... It was fantastic and should I move again, I'll definitely be doing the same - yes it costs extra, but I think it's worth it

Slinky

I'd second what Yolina says, the extra you pay for the packing service really is one of those things worth paying for. I don't recall that it was significantly more expensive than the packing yourself option when we moved 7 years ago, but it made the move a lot less stressful. Far less stressful than the month I spent packing boxes with the previous move.

Mrs_Arcanum

If you are planning to move at some point even if things fall through then now is a good time to start.

hazyjo

Definitely wouldn't pack before exchange! We already had some stuff in a storage unit which we collected after completion.

Also got removal men to pack for us Best thing I've ever spent money on, I think! Depends how big a property you're moving from/to and how much stuff you have. In our case - lots! Especially kitchen stuff (cookware and tonnes of china stuff too) and books.

Jx

pinkteapot

Agree with Yolina and Slinky - we paid the removal people to pack and I would always do it again in future. As were were moving from a small property and only moving locally, they packed and moved us on one day! So the house was completely normal until moving day - bliss!

Bigger house and more stuff now so next time they'll have to pack the day before. They do it soooo fast because they're experts at it and get far more in each box than we would have. Money very well spent.