Did you get your things packed for you when you moved house?

[eleanorsimon]

It's only a few hundred pounds more to get everything packed for you but how does it all actually work? Do you get a team of people throwing stuff in random boxes.

DH doesn't like the idea of people going through our things but I think moving house is going to be stressful enough with two little ones.

Did you have your things packed and would you recommend it? Anything break or get lost?

If you can afford it, do it. It turns a nightmare time into something much calmer and controlled.

Absolutely worth it, especially as we moved during a heatwave. They provided all the boxes, bubble wrap and wrapping paper which in itself makes the cost of packers a lot more palatable. We then returned the boxes for them.

We did do the loft, shed and garage though - they wanted quite a bit more for the loft and as a lot of that was stuff that could go we did that - so then did the garage to give us space to store things.

The biggest cost was dismantling and re-assembling the beds - but it was bunk beds and a mid sleeper, so really worth it.

Another vote for yes here. They don't waste any time reminiscing over sentimental items that someone packing for themselves might do, they just pack. Nor do they go from room to room "categorising" items into boxes, which adds time onto packing. For example I've got cookery books in the kitchen and on shelves in the dining room. I'd be going between both rooms to make sure they are packed together. The packers stick to one room at a time and pack everything in there.

Just remember to throw away your loo brush if you have one! Don’t want shitty water over everything!

Yes. Did it years ago when my work were paying and have moved twice since and both times paid for packers. Worth every single penny. You will not regret it.

Just remember to throw away your loo brush if you have one!

We had the ensuite 'off-bounds' so we could put things in there we didn't want packed. The loo brush therefore hadn't been thrown, so I was going to drop it in the bin as we left.

I forgot to do it. It was left.

Yes definitely have a suitcase with work clothes and uniforms (including shoes!) for a week, passports and other essential documents, move kettle, teabags and milk with you and duvets with clean covers to put onto beds assembled by them.

Get the packers!

We didn’t when we last moved, but when DM moved to her flat we used packers as it would have been too hard for her to do it and we were too far away to be able to help over a period of days.

They were amazing, will use them if we ever move. As others have said they are like a team of locusts. Also can be done in a day so no boxes cluttering up the place for days.

Ensure you mark anything that should stay. I have seen on other threads about packers that when people go to leave their house and go to put their cost and shoes on they have been packed so had to leave in their slippers!

They pack really carefully. My DM had some items that were sentimental to her so they wrapped them extra carefully. They use much more wrapping than you probably would. There were no breakages and marked all the boxes clearly.

Get the packers! We packed about half ourselves but they did all the difficult stuff - came by a few days before to offer more boxes and tell us how much it would be for them to finish.

Did have a bit of discussion over the bin full of fish tank water, which they wouldn't take until half was decanted into other containers...

We didn't and it was bloody awful! 5 month old DD2 strapped to me wailing, or wailing in a carseat, while we tried to finish packing and clear out. We'd had 2 mortgages for a few months because of delays and disasters so couldn't really afford the full moving thing but I wish we'd found a way, it was horrible and I still get stressed thinking about it. It's money well spent I think.

I've moved a few times and didn't even know that packing services exist!
After reading this thread, I'll definitely use one if we ever move again!

Definitely get them.
We had a lovely bunch.
For a start off we nearly lost the house due to the vendors messing around. On the Monday they came to pack for us (moving on Wednesday) knowing it was looking like it all would fall through, saying if it did, then they wouldn't charge us anything.
They packed everything away beautifully, including letting dd who was off school (aged 5yo) "help".
They told us they'd pack the loft for £50 including bringing it all down on the day (normally they ask you to take the stuff down for them) because they could see that we didn't have space to store it downstairs and with 3 dc around knew it would be hard. (and the loft was Full)
Bought a separate van (no extra charge) for our handmade rocking horse.

Only negative was that they pack everything. You know that school letter, three years ago, that dropped down the side of the bed and you couldn't reach so left it there? That will be packed.
Means you have some chucking away and sorting at the other end. But for us that was easier.

No, but we hadn't moved for 10 years so it was important to go through our stuff and chuck lots away/ sell it/ charity shop it. This was really important, even though we thought we had decluttered when putting the place on the market. I dread to think how much shit we would have brought with us otherwise...
It did take a long time and I might not have done it with small children.
We did pay the movers to put things in particular rooms, dismantle and re make furniture etc. It also seemed standard for them to tape up chests of drawers so they could be moved with contents in them.
Good luck!

Ours cling wrapped all the drawers, so literally we were good to go as soon as they were in the house.

We did move some things that we got rid of straight away, but that was more because we had no where for it to go. Unless you have a lot of time and a lot of spare space, packing as you declutter is difficult, I got rid of a lot of things prior to them coming to pack - they still joked that we were the most they had ever moved (family of 5 - most was dh's vintage annuals, football programmes, subbuteo, old computers - the list goes on and on and on.)

Some is still waiting to be unpacked 16months on

We didn’t as my dh decided we could do it ourselves...we very nearly divorced! It took us days to sort out in the middle of a boiling hot summer and caused so much stress!
If I did it again I’d get packers and cleaners in no matter how much it cost.

DO IT
They pack and if you tell them what room is what like your room, sons room etc they put the box's in the right room. Saves your ALOT of time messing and lugging. I'd really recommend doing it takes off all the stress x

As everyone has said it's great, but be aware they are very fast so make sure anything you want kept out doesn't get packed by mistake. We realised after the packers left with our boxes to be shipped to Aus (so wouldn't see them for months) that both our youngest kids' "toy they can't sleep without" had been packed. Ahhhhhhhhh!

We have always had packers (several international moves) - they are super efficient and work really quickly - we have normally had a team of 5/7. You can ask for a few boxes beforehand to pack anything you would rather do yourself - underwear etc.
Also recommend having a massive declutter before the packers come.
Our move from Austria to China was quite complicated - some air freight, some sea, some stuff we were taking on the plane and some going into storage - a couple of things went to the wrong place - some pictures went into storage and a couple of things were damaged (sea freight) but overall very good and insurance sorted out the damaged items.

Having lived in our house for 20 years I had assiduously de cluttered over the previous 6 months. Two small van loads in fact.

Fortunately organising a move is not something DH is remotely interested in so he doesn't get involved in any of the practicalities. On moving day itself he was detailed to collect dd from her 6th form intro day and attend the parents' session.

Yes, it was AMAZING. By 8am, there was a team of 8 guys in my 2 bedroom flat. By midday, ALL of my stuff was unpacked in my new house 20 minutes up the road. I mean clothes in wardrobes, books on shelves, pots and pans in cupboards. They took photos of everything and reassembled it exactly the same - eg the 5 photo frames on top of the dresser in the hallways were arranged in the exact same positions.

Yes. I was very heavily pregnant and n3eded help. They also too our furniture apart and reassembled at the other end. They were fab.
Do it! Definitely worth it.

I agree with everyone who has used packer, yes just pay the extra.

I have moved several times domestic and international and really packers take a load of stress out of moving.

It also makes you (well me) have a clear out and organise my draws etc. so your not packing (and paying for) more 'stuff' you probably dont need.

I have only had 2 instances of problems, a large rug that was wrapped badly, and it was very creased, the company paid for a replacement and a box of wine that went missing, again replaced as everything is itemised. But some companies are better with itemisation than others. But never had any breakages even when been shipped from overseas.

Just moved from a 2nd home and we did the packing ourselves, but saying we have moved so many times it was easy, the removal company said they had never had someone so organised!

I would if I could afford to. I don't even know where to begin.