Moving House Old Style

Rummer

Just a few ideas:

• Massively declutter before packing
• Freecycle for boxes/packing materials and check supermarkets/local shops for boxes
• Use clothes to pack breakables so every bit of space productive
• Moving during the week is cheaper than at weekends
• Get multiple quotes for vans/removal men

Nicki

The answers could be different depending on your circumstances.

If you are moving a fully equipped house from Glasgow to Belfast, then the advice is to get lots of quotes, use as small a van as you can (by decluttering before you pack) and move on the cheapest day of the week possible.

If you have a lot less stuff and it isn't particularly high value, it might actually be cheaper to sell some of your bigger stuff in Glasgow and buy secondhand again when you get to Belfast. In that way you might be able to get away without taking a van over at all. When I was moving backwards and forwards from university from Belfast, some of the big haulage companies who operate on both sides of the water (eg Bairds, Dukes, etc) would happily take a crate of stuff on board if they had room for a small charge and drop it off at the depot nearest to your intended destination for you to collect.

zippychick

Our moving house OS thread may help?

ill merge this later on for you

Zip

tryingtobethrifty

I would try a removal firm and just see the price they are quoting for moving you. I don't know how much it would be but would be interesting if they were close to the combined cost of hiring a van (returning it to Glasgow or returning it in Belfast?), fuel and your boat fare. The other option would be to see if you can container it over on a 'part shipment' (I'm not sure if that's the right word) but if removal companies are going over and have some room they can add your stuff in too.

We have used Bishops Move in the past, twice now. It was an extra £100 (about 5yrs ago though) for them to pack and unpack the stuff.I know you're trying to save money but I always felt it was worth it not to have to buy and pack the boxes myself. You have all the stuff out until the day you move and it's all unpacked into their rooms at the other side.

katieowl_2

Tip from years ago from one of the Shirley Conran books, that proved to be true.

Get a quote from one of the massive firms...as often, because of their infrastructure over the country they work out cheaper.

Pickfords (who provided boxes and packed for us) came in the cheapest by a couple of thousand pounds when we moved from London to West Wales three years ago!


Kate

Fishcake_Random

Morning Old Stylers,
I am moving home (hopefully) a week Friday, and I was hoping you could all be kind enough to offer me some advise.

What frugal/old style/future proofing things would you do when moving into a new home.?

So far I am planning to;
*Line the kitchen cupboards before using them - easy cleaning later.
*Back the radiators with tin foil - ready for winter
*Scrub any extractor fans while I have easy access
*Bleed radiators?
*Clean the back of appliances - Washing machine, Fridge freezer to make them more efficient.

I'm sure you must have tons of others.

x x x

maman

Don't take any rubbish with you to your new home!

Have a good sort through all your cupboards and drawers and throw/donate to CS anything you don't use.

While the weather's good wash any blankets, curtains, winter jumpers, scarves, gloves etc. so they'll be clean to pack away.

valerie57

Really plan out your storage so that there is a place for everything - and then unpack to that place. The risk is that things get put somewhere "for now" and in my case remain there for 15 years and counting!! Strong support from me for the earlier post advising not to take rubbish to your new place as well.

FairyPrincessk

use the opportunity to use up any old food and replenish store cupboards after moving in.

Make sure to plan simple meals for the first few days until everything is unpacked.

Use the opportunity to wash all curtains, blinds, and linens that aren't otherwise done more frequently. (like dust ruffles, mattress protectors, doilies etc.)

Not strictly OS, but very MSE-re-evaluate all of your utilities, and consider any small changes you can make to be more efficient (i.e. arrange furniture so you can switch things off at the wall easily etc)

Butterfly_Brain

When packing put the name of the room that it is going into on the box and make sure that the kettle,water filter jug, tea,coffee and milk plus some biscuits are in a separate box and is the last thing out of the old house and first thing in the new one. I would have plenty of bottled water as well especially in this heat.
Pack some tins and packets of food that can be made into a meal in a short time, you don't want to be slaving over a meal when you are shattered.
Get rid of all the old clutter and rubbish that we all have hanging about, just in case it is needed