Moving day ideas

Weathergirl_76

Hello, 
My property is SSTC to cash buyers who are not in any chain (they are living with family). I have put an offer in for a property yesterday, where the seller is not in any chain either, as they are moving in with their partner, so providing my offer is accepted my move should be straightforward. 

I will be getting a removal company to move from A to B. It’s not a huge distance (approx 15 mins between properties). I won’t have anyone helping me this time, so I need to try and make it as less stressful for me as possible (I know this process is stressful, I want to try to minimise it). I was thinking if I move out from my current property the day before completion, stay in a B&B that night, when the removal people take my things away, clean and hoover without anything here (to make it easier). The following day, when the purchase has gone through, go to the property and get my things delivered. I am hoping the removal company might be able to keep the things loaded from the day before.  Does anyone think this might work, or, should I just move from A to B and have a scenario where the removal van is at my new property and I will be rushing to collect keys etc on moving day? 

My last sale/purchase, I remember moving out, van loaded and waiting until 2pm to get the keys released for my purchase. The removal men were waiting outside and I was rushing around trying to collect keys from the agent to be able to move in. I want to leave my house tidy and clean, but I will be under pressure to move out and get to the next property. I’m thinking a night in a B&B might be easier. Has anyone done this before? 

paulj2021

Yes it’s nice to leave your house clean but you don’t have to go for spotless, maybe do your normal cleaning the day before and leave it at that. Just leave a nice welcome bottle of booze for the new owners and they’ll forgive a little bit of removals dust! 

doingitanyway

I didn't have anyone to help me move when I moved recently either.  I had a removal company. I arranged for a friend to be there on the day for support and company. I moved in lockdown so no hotels or staying with other people either. I slept on the floor with my house empty wrapped in my duvet! (I would recommend splashing out on a nice BandB/Hotel)

I was not in a chain so I moved out the day before completion to minimise stress. I cleaned up the next day when the house was empty. The next day I said cheerio to neighbours, called the EA to pick up the keys and a different friend picked me up with the last of my belongings, to go to the temporary home. It was still stressful but less so. 

Good luck with your move

oystercatcher

It sounds a nice idea but it will cost more. I would imagine removals will probably double in price as you will be using the van and staff for 2 days instead of one. You can ask them for quotes for both scenarios. Plus the cost of the B&B . 

Personally I would get almost everything packed up into boxes and clean around it as best I could and do the move in one day but it's your choice if you can afford it and want to avoid all the stress.

Weathergirl_76

Thank for your comments. I will get a quote for both options. 

My main concern is that the agent for my purchase understandably won’t release keys until funds have cleared.  Last time, this hadn’t happened prior to lunchtime, and I remember sitting in the car for a couple of hours because the funds hadn’t arrived.  The removal men were sitting outside my new property unable to get in. 

I was also thinking to pack all non essential things and put them into storage, shortly after exchange, then just move on the day from A to B with essentials (bed, sofa, etc) so I have less to manage on the day, plus it would fit in a van as opposed to a lorry, and the storage things follow on after a few days. I may ask for all 3 options (the company I am planning to use offer removals and storage). 

doingitanyway

I took a risk and moved the day before funds had cleared.  I calculated the costs of the person pulling out after exchange would have paid for any of my costs.

I also moved into storage so will have 2 removal fees anyway...

jenni_fer

We've only done it once but have helped friends a few times and our move was infinitely less stressful because I was organised.
1. Start packing nice and early, take the time to get rid of things you don't need and pack up the things you won't need before you move (xmas decs, winter clothes, that kind of thing). Do any of the deep clean type things you can as you go.
2. in the couple of days before you move, get serious about packing, this is when you start nearly camping in your own house.
3. The day before, wash the bedding on all beds, pack a suitcase. sort out a box of essentials that you will need in the current house until the last minute and then in the new house straight away (think loo roll, hand towels and soap, drinks etc, screwdriver etc might be useful for last minute dismantling). Find a sensible corner for anything you are leaving behind (instruction manuals, matching paint, note & bottle of wine). Pack absolutely everything except your bed and anything you'll need the next morning.
4. Morning of the move. When you get up, strip your bedding (leaving duvet in cover etc) and put it in a black sack. Put in your car if possible, along with your suitcase, or well labelled with the rest of the stuff for the van (Label as 'BATHROOM' so it's easy to find! Have breakfast etc and then pack the last few bits. Try and enlist a friend to come and help clean / be there for moral support. The moving company should turn up really early and start emptying rooms in no time. As they empty a room, clean and hoover it, if you have a decent removal company you should have plenty of time to leave the property as clean as you like.
5. When you get the keys for the new house (you'll probably have to wait a while, don't forget the removal men will use some of this time to take a lunch break and you should too), re-make your bed asap and locate the suitcase, then no matter what else you get done you'll be able to crash into your bed when you are exhausted.

Good Luck!

ETA: Forgot to start this with, staying somewhere else feels like an added stress and expense, doing both on the same day shouldn't be that stressful, it's the getting everything out that is hard and you have to do that regardless!

Robin9

Sleep on a mattress on the floor rather than B&B

AnotherJoe

Just get the removal company to pack. Mine came in like a tornado through the house the day before and packed about 90%, did the rest the next morning leaving plenty of time for cleaning. 

Keep it simple, there's no need to be booking B&Bs etc and it wont get you into the new house any earlier.

 

hazyjo

Agree with AnotherJoe. Honestly, for the hassle, the cost of a b&b and probably storage, and boxes, paper, bubble wrap, tape, etc, you really might as well say for them to pack. You'll be in exactly the same boat on moving day.

lookstraightahead

I never do it all at once.

But it depends on your budget really, and weighing up the money v the stress. You could keep things in storage with the removal company.