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Where to start with packing :(

We have decided to sell and the agents guy is coming this week to take the pics, we'll be on market over/just after Christmas.
Where do I start with packing?
I'm an organised person normally but am feeling daunted already.
Yesterday I boxed up to declutter rooms for viewing and got really stressed and worn out.
We've lived here for 34 yrs, 3 bed flat, normal amount of furniture but as a MSE'er lots of bargains/stuff.
This is not usually a problem because being organised I have a place for everything, yet when I started to move about the 'stuff' I was overwhelmed by it.
Taking loads to charity shop today, contacted online last night for removal quotes (so wish I hadn't), endless calls last night and today.
I'm in London and quotes at moment are £1500-£2000. only going East to South London, takes less than 15mins in car.
Any suggestions for cheap removals?
All over the place today and just seen on other thread not to have pics taken with Christmas decs up.......................put them up yesterday because I found them in cupboard and used spare space to chuck other junk in :rotfl:
TIA
LL
We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars........................


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Comments

  • Pixie5740
    Pixie5740 Posts: 14,515 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Eighth Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    Be ruthless. De-clutter as much as you can now.


    How many removal companies have you contacted so far? I've moved 4 times in 3 years and my next move will involve movers as I cannot face packing up everything again, loading it into a van and then unpacking it all on my own....again.
  • If you are DIYing the whole lot. Then ouch. Just get all the boxes, bubble wrap and tape you can and start filling boxes. I would sugest writting on every box the room you want it to go in to.

    If you are using a removal firm to do the move. Then you might as well get them to do the packing as well. The incremental cost of the pack is not huge. Ours was £1,200 for the move. Then £350 for the packing service. £350 might sound a lot, but the amount of time it would have taken us.

    Proffesionals have all the right stuff and know how to pack. Which is not as easy as you think it should be. 3 people came to ours and packed an entire 3 bed semi plus large shed, plus loft in 7 hours. To say we were a bit nervous at 9am on the day before we were moving, when nothing at all was packed is an understatement, but they flew through it. And they packed it all better than we ever would have done.

    The other benefit is if anything does get broken - it doesn't matter if it is down to how it was packed, they packed it too.

    If you can afford it, money spent on the removers and packers is absolutely worth it imo.
  • LilacLillie
    LilacLillie Posts: 2,930 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Pixie5740 wrote: »
    Be ruthless. De-clutter as much as you can now.


    How many removal companies have you contacted so far? I've moved 4 times in 3 years and my next move will involve movers as I cannot face packing up everything again, loading it into a van and then unpacking it all on my own....again.


    Thanks guys.
    I was ruthless yesterday, but there is just SO much stuff.
    Had about 6 calls since 7.30pm last night and my inbox is now filled with companies that want to come and give a quote.
    I'm feeling stressed by them, didn't exoect that much response!
    Went on a compare site, so wish I hadn't now, could really do without pushy sales calls on top of clutter.
    LL
    We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars........................


  • rosie383
    rosie383 Posts: 4,981 Forumite
    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/66390668#Comment_66390668

    We rented a storage locker for the period when we would be doing viewings which was a great help. And sold a load of stuff on ebay rather than chucking it all.
    Check out this thread as it is brilliant!
    Father Ted: Now concentrate this time, Dougal. These
    (he points to some plastic cows on the table) are very small; those (pointing at some cows out of the window) are far away...
    :D:D:D
  • ACG
    ACG Posts: 24,213 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper I've helped Parliament
    Can you not just hire a van and get a few friends to help?
    My last house move (2 years ago) cost me about £150. £50 for the van, £10 for diesel and a few pints for my brother and mate.
    I am a Mortgage Adviser
    You should note that this site doesn't check my status as a mortgage adviser, so you need to take my word for it. This signature is here as I follow MSE's Mortgage Adviser Code of Conduct. Any posts on here are for information and discussion purposes only and shouldn't be seen as financial advice.
  • hazyjo
    hazyjo Posts: 15,474 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Paid £1k for packing and moving. Trust me, it is worth EVERY PENNY. I would never ever attempt to pack again, and I would never ever attempt to DIY move again. I would cut back in other areas than removals. Honestly, they're in the day before, pack it all up, load it all up, drop it off the next day - it's like magic. I could kiss them all. Everything's wrapped perfectly, tonnes of bubble wrap, all the heavy lifting done. I'll say it again - MAGIC!


    I used Inline Removals at least four times in the past. They once moved me from Eltham (SE9) to Highams Park (E4) so am sure they can help. Can be found online.


    PS if you do DIY, don't pack up what you would want left out if your sale falls through!


    Good luck :)


    Jx
    2024 wins: *must start comping again!*
  • rosie383
    rosie383 Posts: 4,981 Forumite
    I would be careful about packing too much at this stage. For various reasons we have been in the process since May. I packed all of the school uniforms and school books needed for this year as we had thought we would be settled by August. Had to get thdm all out again. I also have had to get all the extra winter clothes and bedding out again and pack away the summer stuff.
    If you are packing, and the sooner you start the better, then make sure you know where things are and that you can open and reseal bags and boxes if necessary. And remember that until you sell you really don't want to have lots of extra boxes stacked around during viewings. I'd say your time would be best spent decluttering before you start to pack anything. Also a decluttered house looks much more spacious, and if you get rid of unnecessary stuff out of your cupboards, you have more space to hide stuff when viewers come, sometimes at short notice.
    Father Ted: Now concentrate this time, Dougal. These
    (he points to some plastic cows on the table) are very small; those (pointing at some cows out of the window) are far away...
    :D:D:D
  • Yorkie1
    Yorkie1 Posts: 11,786 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Another vote for getting the movers to pack you too. I moved 1/4 mile and it was worth every single penny for the reduction in stress!
  • pinkteapot
    pinkteapot Posts: 8,044 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Agree absolutely re having removers pack. Use a BAR registered firm (British Assaociation of Removers).

    It's even better when you have loads of stuff in a small space because they'll pack the day before you move and you can live normally until then. Otherwise you end up with boxes all over the place for ages and run out of space to put full boxes.
  • Pixie5740
    Pixie5740 Posts: 14,515 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Eighth Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 15 December 2014 at 10:01PM
    If you fill in any more enquiry forms online, put your phone number in as the dialling code and then the rest as zeros. I do that whenever I'm looking for a quote so I just have to deal with emails and then phone the companies I like the sound of at my leisure.
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