Moving House Old Style

redglass_2

Has anyone mentioned getting the keys changed? Might be worthwhile buying things like a new lock cylinder in advance and packing it with the handy stuff like kettle or toiletries, so you can sort out that job straight away. You never know who's got a copy of the current keys.

rosie383

Hi all.
Haven't been posting on the OS board for ages but have been lurking. I've been on the house selling board a lot lately but wanted friendly advice so thought I would come back home to OS!
We have sold our house and unfortunately have had to pull out of the one we were buying but that's a story for another day.
I was wondering from any of you who have moved, do you have tips to make use of things which would otherwise go in the bin?
For example, each time I throw a cereal box in the recycling, or a pringles type tube, I'm thinking to myself that I am sure there would be some great use for them but can't think what and am trying to get rid of all excess clutter.
So share your packing tips with me please.
I have already freecycled, ebayed or recycled or donated clothing. It's more packing that I need help with.

mioliere

I'm not currently moving, although I hope to soon. I've been re-organising and I recently bought these http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00DTIPPQE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 to store duvets which were taking up valuable space. They are excellent for storing many different things. Besides the duvets I bought them for, I have bagged up spare curtains, bedlinen, towels, and so on. The bags have freed up lots of space and I will definitely be buying some more for winter clothes storage, and so on. The size in the link are ideal for one double (king-sized) duvet, or two singles, but they come in different sizes. Well worth the money and great fun to watch all the air being sucked out!

GreyQueen

I'd get my hands on as many carrier bags as possible now, esp as they are going to be charged-for (single use ones) at 5p each in October.

With carrier bags you can; wrap plates and bowls individually to stack them (newspaper will make them inky and have to be washed off). You can also nest glasses once plastic bagged, thus avoiding the risk of having them lock themselves together, which is tiresome. Also, put each saucepan in a plastic bag and tie the bag around the handle, then nest the pans and keep the lids close to them. This will stop the pans banging together in transit and also stop them marking up each other.

You can also plastic bag already-opened bags of foodstuffs from your pantry, to avoid messy spills.

You can also look at things you will be transporting anyway, such as household linens and cushions, as packaging materials for breakables.

If you have cereal boxes and small pictures, they can be nested inside the box. If you will be transporting bottled stuff, how about a cardboard wine bottle carrier from the supermarket?

Pringle tubes could be used for nesting a column of small glasses (plastic-bagged first, of course. Or transporting sharp knives or other cutlery. You can also use cereal boxes to make cardboard scabbards for transporting sharp knives safely. I have them saved from my last move in the back of the cutlery drawer.

String is useful for doing things like tying up rolled rugs, lashing clothes-airers in their folded position so they stay folded in transit, tying cushions and duvets into bundles.

Egg cartons could be used for transporting tiny ornaments. Buckets are handy ways of grouping cleaning materials or other items with spillage potential. Newspaper can be scrunched into balls and contained in carrier bags for padding boxes without inky side effects.

Generally speaking, I's say max out on boxes, really good parcel tape and large marker pens and labels. You'll use a lot more of these than you'd believe possible.

Good luck! And don't forget to buy lots of chocolate and keep it close to hand for the move, it really does help.

rosie383

Grr. Typed a long reply then the cat sat on my head and jiggled me so it went!
Perfect tips so far. Keep em coming!

timehastoldme

The most efficient move we ever had, we colour co-ordinated. We would pack boxes by room we wanted them to go in to, and then stick a coloured label on the box, so yellow boxes went in the kitchen, green in the living room. It saved masses of time. Card boxes like cereal boxes are good for micro-managing, so one for all pens to go into the study box. If that makes sense?

rosie383

Makes perfect sense!
So I need to buy more packing tape, markers, coloured labels and snaffle as many plastic bags and boxes as poss.
Oh, any idea which supermarkets will give away nappy boxes etc?

Dozey_crow

Also for bubble wrap or packing materials have a look around the fruit and veg section of the supermarket there is usually loads there also places like the Range have loads of packaging from their items that go on the shop floor. It may be worth asking?

rosie383

Fruit and veg section is a great idea. No idea what the Range is though.
I've just been out raiding the recycling bin but typical, only managed to find one cereal box. Other weeks it would be a treasure trove. I'm off to ask the neighbours to keep me their bags and boxes.

Owl

And pack the kettle, tea, coffee, milk and sugar (along with biscuits!) in a box that will be first out in new house! That way, even if it all goes a bit pear shaped, you can still have a cuppa!! Or, the bodies you "persuade" to help you can be rewarded with tea at regular intervals!!