When would you start packing?

clw1

I'd start asap with doing things like shredding really old paperwork, going throught the wardrobes and dumping clothes that you don't want anymore, clearing out the garage, sorting out all the stuff in the loft etc. Basically getting rid of the stuff that you won't be taking to the new house.

I'd then start boxing up the stuff I was taking with me a couple of weeks before I moved aiming to have most of it done a day or two before. I'd also recommend getting as many boxes as possible as it always needs more than you expect and making sure you have loads of parcel tape and marker pens to mark what is in the boxes.

DannyboyMidlands

I wouldn't bother at all. Just get a van of the appropriate size and put the stuff straight in. Anything not in a cupboard or drawer just gets put into bin bags and brought along too.

But then I'm not a hoarder.

Lois_Lane

It's never too soon to start in my opinion, however the most important thing is de-cluttering. Moving house is an ideal opportunity to get rid of accumulated stuff that you don't really need.

Be honest, if you've got clothes and shoes you haven't worn in the last 2 years, you don't need them - give them to charity or sell it on ebay if it's any good. Same with all possessions really, apart from things you want to keep for sentimental reasons.


Clear a room at a time, separating things into 3 categories:

1. things you want to keep but you don't use at the moment
2. things you need now and until you move
3. things you don't need at all.

The items in number 1 can be packed, those in number 2 can be left where they are kept, and number 3 can be disposed of. Clearing out gives you the opportunity for a thorough clean too, saving time on moving day.

Don't forget those glory holes that get overlooked but can take a long time to sort out - the cupboard under the stairs, the loft, the garage/shed, utility room, cellar etc.

There can be quite a short space of time between exchange and completion, in fact they can happen on the same day, so it's always best to be ready.

Good luck with the move - don't get too stressed!

LL

Regshoe

DannyboyMidlands wrote: »

I wouldn't bother at all. Just get a van of the appropriate size and put the stuff straight in. Anything not in a cupboard or drawer just gets put into bin bags and brought along too.

But then I'm not a hoarder.

I wouldn't pay for a removal company and I am defnitely a hoarder. My reasons for not paying are:

1. I'm far too tight.
2. As a hoarder it's a good opportunity to force myself to sort through things and get rid of stuff, or at the very least reorganise it. Did this the last time I moved (from Parents to Rented) and got rid of loads of stuff, particularly old clothes. I'm sure most people could pull together a fair few boxes of stuff that they should get rid off when moving. If you get it packed up for you, in all likelihood it will end up sat in your new loft/garage/under the stairs for years to come.
3. I don't really like the idea of strangers going through my stuff, even if it is fairly uninteresting.

That said I would need 1 or 2 friends to help with the larger furniture (of which I don't have that much) and if you are moving a lot of big furniture I can see the advantage in getting other people to do it for you.

As for when to start packing - it depends if you have a decent gap between exchange and completion then I wouldn't bother until after exchange. As a potential FTB in the next 12-24 months I expect to overlap my rent for a month or so to give myself plenty of time to decorate and move in to wherever I end up buying - so there won't be any rush.

Regshoe

Lois_Lane wrote: »

... those glory holes.....

:rotfl:I suggest you don't try googling that term.....

And bah - you beat me to the decluttering idea whilst I was typing!

Lois_Lane

Regshoe wrote: »

I wouldn't pay for a removal company and I am defnitely a hoarder. My reasons for not paying are:

1. I'm far too tight.
2. As a hoarder it's a good opportunity to force myself to sort through things and get rid of stuff, or at the very least reorganise it. Did this the last time I moved (from Parents to Rented) and got rid of loads of stuff, particularly old clothes. I'm sure most people could pull together a fair few boxes of stuff that they should get rid off when moving. If you get it packed up for you, in all likelihood it will end up sat in your new loft/garage/under the stairs for years to come.
3. I don't really like the idea of strangers going through my stuff, even if it is fairly uninteresting.

I moved house once because my job was being relocated and my removal expenses were paid by my employer. Pickfords got the job but they only loaded stuff into the van, they didn't pack it for me.

My OH often jokes that when we move house it's like a military operation because of how well I organise it. That particular move, we had everything in the right room, beds made and somewhere to sit down and relax by the end of moving day.

LL