Question about moving house

[Odalisque]

This will be our first big house move. When we bought this house we basically moved in with some mugs and plates and our clothes. We had come from furnished rental and bought/ were given furniture as we went along.

Now we're trying to get ahead by getting rid of all the non essentials before our move. We've still got a whole house full of stuff though!

But I'm struggling to envisage the process in using a removals service - what bits are we responsible and what would they do?

Example- we have Ikea furniture upstairs that won't come down the stairs in one piece. Will we need to undo it all back into flat pack or will they?

Do we need to physically have everything ready to go in boxes?

What does a packing service actually entail?

Any insights to the process would be gratefully received!

A packing service does everything. They will dismantle furniture, unplug TV wires, pack every single item they get their hands on. It is 100% worth paying for.

All you need to do is make sure you keep separate stuff you will want immediately in the new house and they will do everything else.

A packing service will basically pack everything you have into boxes; they may keep clothes in drawers etc and pack the drawers, depending on how robust the drawers are, but they will take everything and pack it away. Hanging clothes are put in special tall boxes on their hangers.

A moving service will just move the boxes. You would need to talk to them about taking furniture apart as that may or may not be a service they offer. You would need to put all your stuff into boxes that can just be picked up and moved, unless seperately discussed.

Essentially, talk to the packers! They will probably offer a range of services.

It depends on the service. We always had to dismantle the wardrobes and beds for example. (And large garden furniture). They may have special bags for other things. Bookcases they would take the shelves out, and stack them at the bottom to make them more stable.

Packing... they pack as they see, not in an organised fashion.

My personal method was double decluttering... as you organise to prepare to move, get rid of stuff you know you don't want. As you unpack, its stuff that doesn't work in your new home.

We've moved numerous times and have never paid for a packing service so don't know about that.

When you dismantle furniture you don't need to return it to its flat packed state, just small enough to get down the stairs worked for us.

We're ruthless at getting rid of whatever we don't need and then start packing weeks before the move. By the time it comes to move we only have the bare essentials out to be packed.

Running down the fridge, freezer and store cupboard supplies is useful too.

Different companies offer different levels of service so best to get them round for quotes and ask these questions to them. They normally say clothes etc n draws can stay in draws for move. If they pack they will pack everything for you. If you pack everything needs to be boxed ready on morning of move.

Best to put in a car anything you will want as soon as you get the keys as you can bet kettle will be in the box which is last off the van! We also put in car a few very precious bits we wanted to make sure didn't get broken, but normally they are very good and nothing does get broken.

They also wont transport pets or cans of paint.

Packers will pack everything unless you tell them not to pack some things.

Movers will move. I am moving soon and the firm I use will take apart the dining table and beds and then reassembly them the other end. They might not have to take your IKEA furniture apart.

I've moved alot. The way I do it is to get rid of things I do not want or need. Pack as much as possible. Pack an essentials box with teabags, mugs, kettle, milk, cat stuff and a bottle of wine etc. Pack all the important papers into my work bag. Pack a suitcase with sufficient outfits including pyjamas for a few days, toiletries, towels and bed linen. So you can live out of this whilst you get things sorted. Then the essentials box, the suitcase, workbag and cat go in the car with me. I've usually gone out for lunch prior to getting the keys but this time the house is vacant.

Then we move, the beds are put back together and before we eat or have wine I make the beds so we can just flop at the end of the day!

This is all so helpful, thank you.

I would add that if there is anything you are concerned about them moving/transporting/potentially going into storage and consequently getting lost or damaged - then move it yourself.
It is very rare for things to go wrong but they can.
So when we have used a complete removal service, I took charge/possession of jewellery and the household safe with important documents etc - the stuff that would have been a nightmare to replace if it had been lost. If it’s irreplaceable to you - take responsibility for it yourself!

Everyone we spoke to would partially dismantle flatpack - and assigned a cost dependant on work required - the double divan beds were free (2 bolts) the large kalax was about £30. Some flat pack they got out of the house without taking apart - like a 3 door wardrobe 🫨

If we paid for packing they would turn up the day before, pack nearly everything into their boxes and load it all up on moving day.
If we self packed, some provided boxes, some we needed to provide boxes, and they turned up on moving day to pack it all.

You need to ask everyone who comes to quote what is included, as it's not completely standard.

In the box of essentials to take - kettle, drinks, mugs etc, don't forget loo roll, soap, and a hand towel!
We used packing service last time we moved. They were excellent. Move day was Friday. They came in Thursday - 4 or 5 blokes - and packed everything in boxes (apart from our stuff we had put aside to take in the car). Kept this on our bed and told them not to pack those bits. They dismantled beds and put back together at other end. Think that was only furniture dismantled - managed to get everything else out as it was. There are stories of them packing full bins, so make sure your rubbish is out first! And post it note on anything staying. Also managed to clean behind them- kitchen cupboards etc. Get people round to give a quote as they need to see how much needs moving (including loft and garden shed, garden furniture etc).

Packing service will pack everything. You will need to agree with them if they will dismantle furniture. It is 100% worth it.

I got 3 quotes, two similar price (under £2k with about £400 the packing element) and one at £3.5k. The quotes were video calls so they could see the rooms, what was in them, how much stuff, what needed dismantled (beds, one wardrobe, bunkbeds) and if they were building anything at the new house.

They came to pack two days before move day. Finished packing on move day. Then moved. All we had to do was keep a bag of essentials in car, stop them from packing other stuff that wasn't to be packed and then hoover/clean the empty rooms behind them.

We did pack some plastic boxes ourselves, mostly of delicate things or personal things. They still moved them, just didn't pack them.

I would totally recommend getting the quotes though, that way they give you an idea of how much, how long it will take and what is definitely included or excluded.