Moving ourselves - is it crazy???

[kmini]

So we are moving from London to Yorkshire.

We have a large two bed flat, so not an entire house. Not hugely heavy furniture, just the normal sofas, table, beds, tall boys, but still a substantial amount of stuff.

I will be 8 months pregnant so effectively useless in this move.

Dh suggested today that he should do the move himself. Hire some to help load the van with him in London and get his brother to help with unloading at the other end.

He's between jobs at the moment, so he's keen to save us the 2-3K we've been quoted. We are by no means poor, but as I'm going Mat leave and realistically he won't find a new job till we are in Yorkshire, the temptation is to minimise big costs.

I can understand his reasoning and I'd love save the money too, but i just feel it will be way harder than he thinks. I think it will also take much longer than he thinks, which will mean he'll be away close to DC2s arrival date and ill be left in london with our ds by myself!

Basically are we crazy for even considering This?

Thoughts very much appreciated

[Honeyandfizz]

Yep absolutely bonkers, unless you have a huge amount of man power just don't do it. Once you start moving there's always way more than you anticipate plus you have to shift it at the other end too.

[TittyGolightly]

Done it several times with similar distances. Wouldn't hesitate to do it again (but wasn't pregnant at the time).

[trashcansinatra]

Yes you would be crazy. They will do a much better job and you will be lots less stressed!

[Unihorn]

We moved our two bed flat 1.5 hours in about 3 trips. I don't think I'd do that distance personally!

[ThouShallNotPass]

We did it. There's no way we could have afforded a company. We moved 200 miles ourselves. We had a couple of people help load up the large hire van and unloaded it at our leisure at the new house. We did have to make a 2nd trip however as we only had the one van.
When packing, just pull full drawers out, don't empty them. Put them back in on the van. As long as you pack the van properly it's astounding just how much you can fit in.

[Catinthecorner]

I'd start packing now. Anything you don't need right now get it boxed. It will help you figure out how much stuff you actually have (generally more than you think).

[sausagedogrolls]

Oh my goodness, not in a million years. Removal men are fast and strong. In the grand scheme of things it will cost you a few hundred quid but it will be worth every penny.

[littledinaco]

Is your DH good/practical with this type of stuff? Is he physically fit/strong? Has he done similar before?
I think that all makes a difference in how easy it will be.

My DH has moved for us a few times but he's quick at taking beds apart, good at manoeuvring sofas and big furniture, good at packing the van in the right order, etc.

My BIL tried to move with his friend and it took ages as they didn't know what to do in what order do ended up having to take stuff out of the van, couldn't get the sofa out of the door, took ages taking the bed apart, couldn't work out how to get the mattress downstairs, etc etc.

[cheminotte]

Are you going to move out and in to a new property on the same day or do you have any overlap?
We did our own move last year, but had a week overlap between the properties so didn't have to be out by midday.

[frigginell]

It depends on your dh. Is he fit, calm and not lazy? If yes, then I'd say let him do it, save the money. Is he unfit, lazy or short-tempered? If yes, get someone in, it isn't worth the agro.

Whatever the case, keep yourself well out of it!

[Neverknowing]

We did, from a two bed flat as well. We got rid of a lot of stuff though, we did more trips to the dump than anywhere else. I did it pregnant as well. I think you'll be okay as long as you don't have a lot of stuff!

[User2468]

No. Way.

We moved at 6/7 months pregnant, a one bed flat with several sturdy male family members and vans and we were only moving across town. Never a-fucking-gain. It's 100 times more work than you think it is. Never bloody ending putting EVERYTHING you own in boxes.

[kmini]

We've had 4 quotes, cheapest was 2 grand and most expensive was 3.2k! A lot of money which we could find use for.

[kmini]

No overlap. We are renting out our flat and they won't move in till a week after our move.

[littledinaco]

What's the cost of hiring a van, fuel, hiring someone to help? Will your DH need to drive the van back to London then make his way to Yorkshire?

You need to work out all the costs and see how much you are actually saving and whether it's worth it. Personally, if you think DH will manage and it saves, say a grand, I would defiantly do it.

[Ecureuil]

We've done it loads. It's fine.
We moved ourselves when I was 8 months pregnant, with a 6 month old, with a 17 month old and me heavily pregnant, with a 2 year old and 6 month old... and are moving ourselves again tomorrow! Yes, we move a lot...
It would be much easier with a removal firm of course, but we've moved so often that we'd have spent £10k on removals by now at least!

[Ecureuil]

Oh and ours have all been 3/4 bed houses!

[AyeAyeFishyPie]

I think you would be mad to be honest. Save money in other ways.

[kmini]

Thank you. Keep the thoughts coming!

He thinks he'll spend about 500, but I'm assuming 750, so at least 1250 saving.

[MrsChopper]

We have done it twice. Although not such a long distance. Had everything packed well in advance and other house ready to move in. Hired a van and between 3 of us it took less than a day's graft. It's tiring but if your DH is fit and well I reckon the monetary savings would be well worth it!

[Ecureuil]

It's not that's bad! Honestly. We wouldn't keep doing it if it was horrific. There's no way I'd spend £2000 on it.

[Bluntness100]

It's doable, no doubt about it but it's a major ball ache. We helped friends do it, they just wanted everything chucked innthe back of the van and unload at the other end. Was friggen painful but we got it sorted and saved them money. My husband however still says never again.

Moving is painful whichever way you cut it it's really s question of how much pain uou need to and can endure. And there is no doubt doing it yourself is much more painful.

[HighMountain]

Go for it - so long as you have the man power. We move regularly, 8 moves in 12 years or close to it. We usually have a 4 bed house size amount of stuff, and long distances.
Get a big truck, as many people as possible (minimum 3) and just do it.

[TittyGolightly]

We moved a 2 bed flat, 3 bed house and 4 bed house 200 miles in one go!

[TheWanderingUterus]

Definitely doable. Get rid of as much as you can first. Much easier to do it before you move and fewer boxes to unpack. I sold a few pieces of furniture which didn't go with our new house before we left.

Cost us £450 to move a three bed house, which was £50 cheaper than the cheapest 'man with a van' quote. The most expensive was £3000.

It was exhausting though and we had plenty of manpower for the heavy stuff (mattresses were the worst). Poor DH was so tired afterwards, he couldn't have done it alone.