Tips for moving without removal service

[LemonadeKing]

We are going to be moving next Friday without the help of any removal service. We have a van and a few friends to help but we have a lot of stuff. Any tips for making the day easier/smoother or things we may not have thought about?

If you haven’t already, invest in a set of boxes- the £30 will be well spent. Having enough boxes that stuff can be properly packed makes everyone’s life easier. A set of boxes will stack in your van better than odds and ends.

Obviously a box of essentials in a car- toilet roll, mug, tea bags, biscuits.

A sense of humour- it’s horribly stressful.

Label every box
Pack before the morning that you are moving
Pack a suitcase for yourself for at least 48 hours and take in a car
Pack an essentials box to include loo roll, cleaning bits ect
Consider how you will Al get fed on the day - we did the food to order from Morrisons as it was least faff
Declutter to the max now,

Enlist more friends and family to help, because at least half of them will drop out on the day or the day before.

Start packing now! ( start with rarely used things/books etc)
Label your boxes
Don't make the boxes too heavy.
Plan to have a takeaway for supper. Focus on that when everything turns to rat shit!!
Laugh don't cry.

Go buy £20 of reusable Tesco 50p bags.
You can fill them right up and you know you can carry them.
We filled with towels clothes, bedding and soft items and used theses to fill in any holes as we packed the vans, things move as you drive so wedge them in.

Send the kids to stay with grandparents/someone else for the day and overnight

Are you in a chain and moving? Are you beholden to moving everything that day? Do you have a safe driveway?

If you have a safe driveway get the van from the day before and start loading it the day before.

If you’re in a chain and you’re all completing that day then remember you will not be at liberty to do multiple trips and let it take all day - once you get your new keys you need to get out to let the new people in and they need to do the same. You’ll need to aim for your loading and leaving to be done by early PM latest, hence the day before loading being an absolute bonus if you can.

Get rid of absolutely everything you can - minimise what you move. Empty the loft/garage/shed etc into boxes the prior days.

Good luck!

Put thin rope round heavy boxes to keep the bottom from falling out and all your stuff falling straight through. Been there done that!

Leave cleaning stuff and a glass for tap water or a bottle of drinking water out as it can be sweaty work. You could buy some for each of your helpers.

The cleaning stuff is to give the place a once over. I would hoover, wipe sink and bleach toilet for an hour and flush before leaving.

We had to move during lockdown with no help from friends/family and only 1 man to drive a removal truck but he wasn't able to come in, it was for transporting only. Tbh it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be!

Have a ruthless clear out.
Pack away everything that's not in use for the next week.
Don't bother emptying drawers etc just move the frame and put full drawers back in at the other side.
Group hanging clothes into 10 items, tie an elastic band to hold the hooks together and place in a binbag (think garment bag style) then hang at the other end.
Use fabric e.g.scarves, tea towels etc as padding for breakables as you'll be packing those anyway.
Cable tie wires to stop them unraveling and cut when plugging in.
Put a box in the bathroom and one in the kitchen to fill with anything you'll need to use until the last minute.
Pack room by room.
Sharpie every box clearly and just unload straight to the appt room.
Put clean bedding on the night before and pack in bags in the morning so you've atleast got a made up mattress if you cba building beds straight away.
Dismantle all furniture the night before.

Consider how you will Al get fed on the day - we did the food to order from Morrisons as it was least faff

We went to Toby carvery as we had a couple of hours to wait for the keys and we had to drive past it between old house and new one.

DP and two mates did the big stuff with a tail lift box van and I took bits and pieces in the car. Cats went to a cattery for a couple of days.

Keep the kettle and teabags to hand, and some hardy mugs...

We are not in a chain so that makes things easier but will only have a van for one day. I'm not sure as we share a driveway but we can start as early as possible. Thanks for all the advice!

It depends how much you have.

Put the mattress on the floor for the first night (if backs will cope). Put shower gel etc and towels in box and put straight in the bathroom so at least you can have a shower in the morning.

Label boxes by what room you want them in, not where they came from, but also put a description of the contents on it.

Clear out the rubbish, be ruthless. Do not let anything you don't want into your new home escape the bin. Beware...it's sneaky

How many trips are you anticipating? If more than one, get all the bulky items in first. Even if not, try and unload them first. Nothing worse than tired arms and that sideboard still to move in...

Next get the high value and fragile items in, then you don't feel as worried if you really don't finish unloading before dark.

Dont forget to put the phone chargers in your 'first box' or handbag.

Speaking of the first box, put cold drinks in too, bonus points if you can keep them cold. And biscuits / snacks.

What does a LOT of stuff mean?

I have a lot of stuff, there were over 200 boxes and we had the biggest removal truck possible plus a separate van for my plants

So be really sure that one van doing multiple trips is going to cover it

Offload any DC that are too small to properly help to friends/family.

Any thing that needs dismantling goes back together easier if you don't lose the screws. Screws and bolts into sandwich bags and labeled.

A decent breakfast and lunch break. A takeaway for dinner is a must. Alcohol is also usually needed.

We paid for removals this time. It was the best money I ever spent.

Have a box and suitcase of essentials for the first couple of days and label all your moving boxes - the more detail the better especially for the kitchen.
We’ve moved several times and I’ve learnt that the kitchen always takes the longest to pack.
Also the cardboard wardrobes you can get from Argos are well worth the money; less packing, clothes stay nice and you can live out of them for a few days (longer if needed)

DECLUTTER!!

I've never used a removal service and I've had 20 different addresses (although I've settled down now, and last moved 7 years ago). I love moving house as it's a perfect opportunity to get rid of all the crap I no longer need.

Be ruthless. Check your boxes and see if any of them could be diverted straight to the charity shop or the tip.

Plus everything @UsernameNotValid said, great advice.

Dig out your tool box/junk draw find all those Allen keys that are essential. Ditto screwdrivers, hammer etc You don’t want waste hours searching for essential stuff once things have been packed.

Be ruthless now, anything that’s really good quality pass to charity shop or else be prepared to get rid. Most tips need to be booked in advance so look and see if stuff in garden attic or shed that you don’t be want to move and get rid.

Go through kitchen cupboard and old tins/packets there is always lots of out of date stuff that will be drag to move and if possible get them in rubbish recycling before moving day.

@LaurieFairyCake when I say lots of stuff I mean probably 80 boxes plus furniture. Unfortunately we can't book a removal service as we won't have a moving date until about 24 hours before, its been a nightmare to organise as it is!

We will have to keep going until it is done!

Buy lots of cling film. Take drawers out of the chest and wrap them in clingfilm to keep the contents inside. Same with plastic drawers. If you have anything that you can lift with the contents in situ, wrap it in clingfilm and then place and unwrap at the other end.
Have one person in charge at each house, to direct loading/unloading.
Buy an electric screwdriver.

I've never had a removal service and have moved into 3 rentals and current bought house. Tips would be to keep only what you need/use, don't hoard stuff. Have regular clear outs and don't be scared to get rid of things. We have usually had a family member with a can help us with the big stuff and everything else in both our cars. Pack stuff up now and label the boxes. Only leave essentials until you need to move. I'm trying to stick with the no clutter/nothing you don't need rule in our new house but already, 3 months in, the garage is full!

It’s not easy removing furniture & appliances & installing them in the new place unless you’re fit & have a strong back. A van doesn’t seem big enough for a house full of furniture plus boxes.
It’s worth getting a quote, the company will be able to call in staff at short notice.

As you pack the boxes label them with the room/space they are going IN to, and bullet point what's in them (on the SIDE of the box, can still see it when they're stacked) At the new place label those rooms and spaces as soon as you get in and ask everyone to put things in the right place. I know bathroom and kitchen are obvious, but different bedrooms might not be. You can also take a photo that shows most of what's inside the box, then you can scroll through your phone to save you having to unpack everything at once.
Pack an overnight bag with a few bits for everyone (pants, PJs, toiletries and medicine etc) then there's no manic unpacking at bedtime.

Do not attempt to organise as you pack.

The beauty of professional packers is how they give no fucks as to whether that sock should be there and oh look Auntie's present and I wondered where that lid was and do you remember when... Nope, they just pack with minimum movement of contents.

If you had not finished decluttering and organising your shit a week before the move, don't try to do it as you pack, that ship has sailed, do it when you unpack.