How many moving boxes do I need?

Geoff1963

Also get a couple of dozen 10 pence supermarket bags. And some bin liners. And a roll of packing / duct tape.

Rodders53

Unless you have the luxury of renting your flat so can move over a couple of days do NOT scrimp on getting removal company quotes and paying for experts to do that bit. (Professional packing can be surprisingly cheap, too).

(Prices can vary a lot even though all may be BAR members).

If you have to be out of the flat before completion - to give vacant possession to the new owners - then you almost certainly cannot d-i-y move. Unless you have lots of competent mates and a very big van plus numerous cars to load up. You will NOT be able to do multiple trips to off-load then back to reload as you can't own both places at the same moment in time!

It's also a lot more stress than it is worth to d-i-y move.

quotememiserable

I think you need 23 boxes.

Yazmina

Rodders53 wrote: »

If you have to be out of the flat before completion - to give vacant possession to the new owners - then you almost certainly cannot d-i-y move.

Really? We have to hand over the keys by lunch time and we are planning to do most if it ourselves. Just to add a further headache the front door was installed at an angle and doesn't open to a full 90 degrees. Going to have to get a handyman to take it off it's hinges and prop it up outside while we get the sofa out.:o

Yazmina

quotememiserable wrote: »

I think you need 23 boxes.

:rotfl: Thanks.

getmore4less

PasturesNew wrote: »

Smaller are better - ones you can carry yourself without struggling... as that means you're able to move them about yourself.

There can be no answer to "how many" as everybody has different belongings, of differing levels of fragility.

For bedding/clothes I got the vacuum bags - they're great. There's even a GIANT one that took a whole double duvet and pillows in one go, just folding it into quarters. But you then don't want vacuum bags to rip - and other people might "grab" them and cause that, so some good "heavy duty" dustbin sacks I found the perfect solution to drop the vacuum bags into.

Kitchenware/crockery will be your biggest issue. That's where all the weight and fragility lies that'll take more boxes than you expect. Due to weight, go for smaller boxes for those.

Best thing to do is just to get "some boxes" and start.... then you'll see the size of your problem.

You will never be able to choose the right number/sort of boxes and will always be irritated when you have to unpack one, or wish you'd got another in a particular size..... but that's just how it is.

Modern Bags for Life (I like the Aldi & Lidl and CoOp ones so far) are a great size too for carrying some things that didn't need a box as such.

If going heavy duty bin liners skip the vacuum bags just use the bin liner.

Murphybear

Oh the joys of moving

Think of a number of boxes then double it:D

We are moving on Thursday. This is my 20th move since I left home to go to University in 1971 with one suitcase. Your possessions increase exponentially with every move. We have a 3 bedroomed house and 20 years worth of stuff that was in the roof. We brought down the stuff from the roof to pack ourselves and it took 12 giant crates plus enough other bits to fill one double bedroom.:eek:

The removal firm (who are a local family firm and come very highly recommended) are doing everything else including packing, plumbing in the washing machine and dishwasher.

Fortunately we are upsizing

Good luck with your move

htaylor16

We've just moved from a 4 bed to a 4 bed, j think we used at least 500 boxes, plus 6 wardrobe boxes (which are bloody expensive if you don't use a removal firm). You can buy packing packages from eBay, But try local remote companies as they often sell boxes separately. FWIW our move cost £1500 including full packing service and dismantling and rebuilding all the beds in the new house. I would never move or pack myself, it takes longer and is more stressful than you think.

Slinky

Yazmina wrote: »

Really? We have to hand over the keys by lunch time and we are planning to do most if it ourselves. Just to add a further headache the front door was installed at an angle and doesn't open to a full 90 degrees. Going to have to get a handyman to take it off it's hinges and prop it up outside while we get the sofa out.:o

I predict you've got a move from hell coming up and you'll never do a DIY move again. By the time you've got to your new place and unpacked the first load you purchasers will be on your doorstep trying to move in. That assumes your vendors aren't doing the same as you and moving out in dribs and drabs so you can't get in.


There are many ways to save money, not using a packing service and removal company when you've got somebody coming into your home behind you, is seriously not worth it.

[Deleted User]

quotememiserable wrote: »

I think you need 23 boxes.

I made it 22.675, but I had assumed they would be carrying the dog.