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Original poster

For asking - help me!! I need to pack to move/be organised and I'm 36 weeks pregnant

39 replies

StirrednotFried · 20/08/2025 08:41

Hive mind, I need direction. I'm usually an accomplished, level headed and fairly intelligent human being but right now I'm overwhelmed, exhausted and did I say, overwhelmed?

I'm almost 36 weeks pregnant. Married (DH is more than doing his bit) and have 3 helpers at home off school ranging in age from 17 to 12 - all hardworking, capable and supportive. Baby is mine and DH's first (and last together).

Ok, this is the dilemma. We live in our current home, very comfortable and perfectly ready to bring a baby home. We have 5 bedrooms, lots of space in general and no need to really 'set' anything up.

We purchased a second property as a dream project to renovate and then move into. It's about 5 minutes from where we live, beautifully set in an acre of land with stables attached and once completed, will be a truly wonderful family home.

It's likely that baby is going to arrive in the next 2/2.5 weeks (c-section needed) - DH has been working flat out to get the other house ready in time. Kids have spent most of their summer there too building furniture etc and helping where they can. I finished work yesterday and am now on 'mat leave'.

We are at a halfway house point, packing here while frantically trying to get things ready there. I'm feeling super anxious about not having a space ready for the baby and or facilitating the move so near baby's arrival.

DH and the kids are fantastic and cracking on, telling me to rest and not worry but I cant.

I need to know if this makes sense:

I'm thinking that I set baby's things up in our current bedroom.
That way if the other house isn't ready in time, we're sorted here.

We pack as much as we don't use daily and get that stored at the other house (I have a huge car, seats down I can get a lot in there). We ensure we have the things we need to hand and only move those when we're ready.

I need to pack hospital bags, baby and mine - please someone give me a shake with a list or a to-do on this. The online lists are huge!

I fit the car seat in my car, ready to go.

Shit, we don't have any nappies - ok, I start a list.

I then need to think about notifying utilities etc but that won't be until we actually move.

We are not in a chain or anything. We own the renovation property outright and we will be putting our current one on the market after we've fully moved out. Our only deadline is baby's arrival.

Please, please help me to structure a process, timetable, to-do, anything to get some semblance of a plan together because right now I'm sat thinking WTF!?

Thank you 😫♥️

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
ItsAWonderfulLifeforMe · 21/08/2025 07:21

I think posters on here will be a bit confused how you’ve got enough money to buy 2 mansions (and raise 4 children!) but you won’t pay for a packing service!

LittleBearPad · 21/08/2025 07:08

StirrednotFried · 20/08/2025 08:47

Just to add, other than being utterly exhausted, physically I'm perfectly fine to crack on.

Kids are all hard workers so tasks can be allocated and family and friends are offering daily help.

I just need a structure to work from for my own sanity.

We need to pack/organise:
5 bedrooms
A huge internal garage/pantry/gym
Kitchen
Office
Lounge
3 bathrooms (1 small toilet too but nothing much in there)
A hallway with various storage items containing shoes, coats etc.
Large back garden, BBQ's, furniture, gardening tools

Mind has gone blank....

I haven’t RTFT and will do now.

Pay removal men to do it. You can also pay them to unpack

Imnotgonnamiss · 21/08/2025 07:03

In terms of packing what we found super helpful was to pack into boxes based on where things would go in the new house and label them all with a room name and number. Keep a list on phone or excel of what’s in each box. Make sure some boxes have the stuff you’ll want immediately. It sped up getting us set up considerably as we knew exactly what to open first to get us able to use the house and what could sit in the corner for a little while

DongDingBell · 21/08/2025 06:38

Oh, and you can probably sit on the utilities. You must have bills at both places currently. It will just be the balance if usage that shifts. That, and telling everyone you've moved etc can wait because you'll still be responsible for both. Insurance is probably the only ones who need to know.

DongDingBell · 21/08/2025 06:36

OK, my suggestion is:

  1. sit down on the sofa, and Google a hospital bag list. Get amazon to deliver it all.
  2. ask the kids & DH to go through everything they own, and bin, recycle, donate what they can
  3. ring some removal companies. Get a couple of quotes to fully pack and move you. Don't necessarily gowith the cheapest, but the ones you'd feel most comfortable with.
  4. ring some cleaning companies. Get a company in your s rub the house that has just bee renovated before you move in.

For 3 and 4, make sure they are clear the date can suit them - you have the keys, the house is empty.

Original poster
StirrednotFried · 20/08/2025 21:11

Knackered but it's been a good day and the brain dump from this morning was needed. I think I'm forgiven considering my situation 😆

OP posts:
Original poster
StirrednotFried · 20/08/2025 21:10

Hello!

Thank you for such super suggestions, I really have appreciated them 😊

To answer a few questions:

Existing DC are mine from previous marriage.

DH is splitting mat leave with me, he's also doing 2 weeks after she's born and if needed, will take unpaid leave after the 2 weeks are done. He's very lucky in his professional position to have that autonomy and flexibility and his team are fantastic. It works both ways and he's supported a fair few colleagues in a similar fashion.

He's 50, has DC from his previous marriage who are also fantastic and supportive.

I'm 44 😵‍💫 and this baby is our first and only together. Total surprise but a lovely one.

Today (after my AM meltdown) my DC have spent the day helping, decluttering, packing their things and done 3 runs full of boxes with me between here and our new place. They've been amazing and I'm very lucky.

DH is fitting worktops at the house, we've dropped dinner off for him.

My eldest teen has built the rocking stand for the moses basket and set it up in our bedroom so baby now has somewhere to sleep.

Younger teen and littlest have set all baby's washed and ironed clothes up in a set of my now empty drawers here.

We've got a fair few bits for a tip run tomorrow afternoon and in the morning, oldest teen (and ddog) and I will carry on here and younger 2 are going to be with DH building desks for their new bedrooms and generally helping.

We are a team. We have a vision as a family and while it's stressful, we're learning as we go and we're taking it a day at a time.

We're trying to pack, label and move as much stuff to the new place as we can. Movers are now organised to come in and take the big stuff.

Bottom line, if baby arrives and we're not ready, we won't move but if we can pull it off before, why not? 😁

OP posts:
Lovehascomeandgone · 20/08/2025 21:00

We moved an hour down the road when I was in the middle of a high risk pregnancy and I had always done all moves etc myself. Due to the situation I paid for a moving company to come pack and move me. They had it all packed up in a morning and I was all moved in the afternoon. I would personally do that and get it all into the new place. You can supervise the move and where you want boxes to go without the pressure. Realistically keep it light for hospital, baby needs nappies, water wipes and baby grows, you need face products, some essential toiletries, pads and some comfy nightdresses, knickers/bras and coming home clothes. Also a snack and drinks bag. Get the car seat in the car tomorrow and tick it off the list.

Xmasxrackers · 20/08/2025 19:53

Op. Id concentrate on baby for now. Have a day getting everything for baby done, hospital bags, nappies, bedroom etc. and then if you have the energy I’d spend a few days declutterring so you aren’t taking anything to the new house you don’t need. Then book the moving people. That way your things will be streamlined and you’ll only take what you intend to keep. Have a few friends or family help put boxes into the right rooms on the other end and keep a box for kettle, cups, plates, clothing etc. But focus on making sure you and baby are sorted first x

tommyhoundmum · 20/08/2025 19:25

StirrednotFried · 20/08/2025 08:47

Just to add, other than being utterly exhausted, physically I'm perfectly fine to crack on.

Kids are all hard workers so tasks can be allocated and family and friends are offering daily help.

I just need a structure to work from for my own sanity.

We need to pack/organise:
5 bedrooms
A huge internal garage/pantry/gym
Kitchen
Office
Lounge
3 bathrooms (1 small toilet too but nothing much in there)
A hallway with various storage items containing shoes, coats etc.
Large back garden, BBQ's, furniture, gardening tools

Mind has gone blank....

It's so lovely your family are so helpful especially your children

SeasalterSadie · 20/08/2025 19:03

My BP went through the roof just reading the initial post....

Jesus chill out, stay where you are until the baby is at least a month old

Things are familiar and comfortable, you need to be resting and slowly preparing

TickyandTacky · 20/08/2025 18:59

Wow. Priorities seem all upside down. Chill for now, you sound like you're in a right state. The length of your posts over something actually quite simple is OTT. Feet up and wait for the baby. There's no rush!

outerspacepotato · 20/08/2025 18:56

Packers and moving company.

You're stressing yourself out and this is really not the time for that.

GiveDogBone · 20/08/2025 18:49

Get a removal firm to pack and unpack for you. It’s not that expensive in the scheme of things (owning two houses for example). Would be a couple of grand absolute tops.

DollyMixers · 20/08/2025 16:24

I think the most obvious (and in my opinion only sensible option if you’re desperate to be in the new place) is to book a full packing service for asap before c-section.
Get in the new house now and use the energy you have already being fully in the new house before baby, and then it’s already ready to
come back to after hospital.
You clearly have some money to be able to chuck at the problem and it would take the stress off of your dh, the kids and especially you.
either that or resign yourself to staying put for the next few months…

Nevereatcardboard · 20/08/2025 16:14

StirrednotFried · 20/08/2025 08:56

We're both very involved in the project management for the new place so I've got good insight. We'll be cutting it close with one major internal job, fitting of new radiators throughout but we should be 90% there by the end of this month.

DH has legitimately broken himself to get things done, he's used all his AL and then unpaid leave to take time from his very full on job. Then when he's been working, he's finished and worked through the night, sleeping on a mattress at times. It's partly why I want to do my best to get moved but don't know if it's doable.

I completely agree around the least sexy jobs and him leading. Genuinely, he's been amazing. I want to lighten the load of packing this place up on top of everything else.

I'm thinking the same thing, set baby's stuff up in our bedroom.

Show quote history

Is your DH going to be able to take any time off after the baby is born? You’re going to need him to help out when you come home from hospital after a c section.

If I were you, I’d be focusing a lot more on the new baby than the new house at this stage. Babies don’t care where they sleep but YOU need a comfortable, safe, clean and peaceful house to recover from the birth. Sorry to ask, is this your first baby and the older DCs your stepchildren?

Also I agree that you should get professional packers in to help.

lanthanum · 20/08/2025 15:47

I'm not sure I have much advice to offer, despite having moved at a similar stage. (It was supposed to be at least a month before she arrived, but with delays and then her premature arrival, it ended up being 5 days after we got out of the prem baby unit. Like you we were lucky enough to be able to overlap the properties, but only a little.) I think that being ready for the baby to arrive in the current house is sensible, so that there is no pressure, especially if they turn up early.

The main problem with a packing service is probably where things end up. We'd actually managed to pack nearly everything ourselves, which meant everything was labelled with the room it was going to. If you've got an easy one-to-one correspondence between rooms at the old and new house, that's probably not a problem, but if not, then you might want to prioritise packing/labelling anything that won't be going to a corresponding room (or moving it to the corresponding room in the current house). Having the teen helpers for unpacking may be helpful, but you might want to map out where you want things in the kitchen, for instance.

Most useful discovery: the top of two packing boxes is exactly the right size for a changing mat. Hey presto, a changing station in every room, at whatever height I wanted! (Ours were mostly full of books, so nice and solid as a base.)

Biggest mistake: bunging all my non-maternity clothes into a box as I outgrew them, on the grounds that I wouldn't need them again until we'd moved. I ended up having to send DH home from the hospital to rummage for something that would fit. He did okay, fortunately.

On the day, DH and the removers left while I was still sat on a beanbag feeding DD. I had a friend booked to pick up me, DD, beanbag, Moses basket and car seat. I did very little to help with the move on the day.

Good luck!

Yellowpingu · 20/08/2025 13:59

StirrednotFried · 20/08/2025 09:03

This is what we've agreed. Did it work well for you? How did you organise the pre-packing part? Or did the removal people do that too? And who unpacked/organised at the other end?

Show quote history

DH said they were like ants, everywhere and he couldn’t keep up! Remember to set aside crockery etc and enough clean clothes otherwise they will pack everything. He had family members helping him unpack at the other end and we had a very disorganised kitchen for a while! You could label cupboards with what you want in each and get your DC to pitch in. Good luck!

SecretNameAsImShy · 20/08/2025 12:52

I had a c-section and definitely would not have been able to move house until at least 2 months afterwards. I couldn't believe how much it took out of me. I was 39 so maybe a bit older than you. You won't be physically able to pack and shift boxes and you will still have a newborn to look after. If it were me, I would try and get moved before the baby arrives but as others have said, get the moses basket set up in your room - let's face it they are easy to move at the drop of a hat.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 20/08/2025 09:32

I would stay put and nest where you are and then move once baby is a month or two and you’ve recovered from your c section. There are always things that go wrong like a shower not working or something, and you have no financial pressure to move as you seem to be able to pay for both houses ok?
otherwise if you must move, then just bring your maternity clothes and toiletries and baby stuff over to your bedroom there, and stuff for making up bottles etc - let the kids and husbands stuff go over gradually?
or - get moving people to do it all in a day

kiwiane · 20/08/2025 09:22

You could sort baby / necessary kids stuff and pay for packing.
If I knew you even vaguely I’d be willing to help you - put a call out for anyone you know to offer support. If packing is sorted then cleaning and looking after kids is still up for grabs.
However ensure your partner takes time off and plans well - no one wants to help if the husband is being a lazy arse.

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 20/08/2025 09:16

Yellowpingu · 20/08/2025 08:54

My DH moved us whilst I was in hospital having DS (prematurely and by C-section). My tip: book a removal company with a packing service. Best money we’ve ever spent.

This

Greymalkin12 · 20/08/2025 09:10

Just focus on the hospital bag, nappies and set up the crib and then that's off your list. If you have energy / emotional energy after that (and still have time before baby) reconvene and plan the rest. Might be more fulfilling to do it at leisure and get things exactly you wish them after birth. I didn't have any huge projects but at 37 weeks was up and down the loft like a jack in a box and driving to the tip obsessively trying to marie kondo my home - nesting instinct!

Sunflower3000 · 20/08/2025 09:06

I think you’re crazy to try and move before the baby is here. It’s an unnecessary self imposed deadline. We moved when our first was 8 weeks old, it was fine. Take a bit more time to make sure the new house is totally ready, and move at a steady pace

WinterOnItsWayOut · 20/08/2025 09:05

Book a packing service
Book a packing service
Book a packing service
Book a packing service

Honestly, as PP said it is the best money you will ever spend. Or stay until after baby is born

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