Moving house next week - any tips please?

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This might sound quite trivial, but DH, DS(5) and I will be moving house next week. Does anybody have any words of wisdom to make the whole process easier?
a few bits of info:
DS will be at school on the day.
We’re only moving about 10mins away.
We have a removal company but will be packing ourselves.
We’ve sold our house and are buying the new house so no landlords etc involved.
DH and I both drive our own cars so could take some things in those.
HELP!!!

Exciting news - congratulations!

It's been years since we moved house but 3 things sprung to mind straight away:

1. Keep a box separate and CLEARLY labelled (and - from bitter experience - put it in your car before the removal guys ignore the instructions on the lid saying PLEASE DO NOT PACK THIS BOX 🙄) with kettle, teabags, coffee, milk in a flask or cool bag, sugar, mugs, spoons etc plus some crisps, biscuits, anything easy to give you an energy boost. Also a towel, hand wash and toilet roll, plasters, paracetamol and phone chargers. Plus of course any medication you, DH or the wee one will need for the next couple of days.

2. Have a set of bedding ready made up for each bed, with clean sheets etc and get the beds made up early on in the new house so you're not having to do that later when you're knackered. Try to get the wee one's room set up before he comes home from school.

3. A quick check to make sure that all taps work properly and also the boiler would be a good idea too.

Oh and it's almost compulsory to get a takeaway on the first night!

Hope all goes smoothly 🤗

Another thing that just popped in to my mind - when you're packing, label every box on the top and the sides so it's easy to read from all angles which room it's for. And if you have anything particularly fragile, take it in your car.

Label your boxes on every side. If thete is something impirtant in that box, make a note of it. (It took us a few days to find the legs of the sofa last time).

Anything disassembled... put all the screws in a bag, labelled, and keep those in your tool box.

You will need more boxes, paper etc than you think.

Pack expensive items in your car, such as Dyson hot and cold fan and dubarry sailing boots, mine were stolen and it had to be the removal men, they are just the sort of thing that they’d get £50 for down the pub.

Start packing now if you haven't already, have several spare boxes for the last things that are found under stuff, backs of cupboards, keep dustpan brush, plastic bags and cleaning supplies to hand. Move day is full on frantic, get bottles of drink for the removal people and snacks to keep them sweet! Ours did a fantastic job and said not everyone gives them drinks etc. If you can give them a plan of the house beforehand it's helpful and label furniture with the room it's going to. If downsizing get rid of stuff before you move, else it all ends up in the shed, to be discovered 6 months later and moldy!

Pack a small case for each person with their bedding, a towel, any medications, toiletries and clothes. Include any comfort toys for kids. Put those into each bedroom so people can set themselves up for the first night without fuss.

Fragile stuff put in your car.
roll up bedding from the beds and have it ready to roll out in new rooms.
any friends or relatives to hoover or clean new house for you, would be helpful. Keep hoover and cloths cleaning stuff handy and accessible.

Pack towels, bedding, mugs, kettle, spoons, tea, coffee, toothbrush, toothpaste, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, medication, lightbulbs,sugar, toilet roll, handwash ready in seperate boxes on move day and pack it in your car, so you don't find it at the bottom of the boxes pile months later.

Keep out snacks, to keep you energised throughout the day

keep your phone, purse/wallet, cards, in sight, as you don't want to loose them in the move, especially if you want a takeaway moving in night as you'll be too cream crackered to cook.

Keep a bag with pe kit, clean uniform, pj's and a clean set of clothing for dc so you aren't hunting for it

Definitely have bed linen, nightwear, toiletries and any medicines for everyone ready packed in your car so that you can get to bed easily after a tiring day. I also agree with the idea of a box of basics like the kettle, mugs, snacks, loo rolls etc for easy access. I would also suggest including lightbulbs (some sellers do take them!) and some first aid basics because a move is a time when people may get minor injuries.
Do look after the removal crew well and they will no doubt do a good job.
Also, get at least some toys etc ready for DS before he comes home so he can keep himself amused while you continue to unpack, place furniture etc.
Also, YY to the takeaway!!
Good luck and enjoy your new home!

Priortise setting up your DSs room. Talk to him before hand if you are decorating (I mean the quick stuff like curtains, lampshade etc, not repainting!)

Also arrange after school care. If you have willing grandparents, siblings, who offer a sleepover.. take it. It can be quite emotionally draining for young children.

Our NDNs had the same experience as @Thisbastardcomputer plus their important documents, passports, etc.

I bought three rolls of electrical tape - green, yellow, red. I stuck them on the corner of the boxes.
Green - the most important stuff, needed immediately.
Yellow - less important
Red - not important. (Which begs the question why even bring it 🤣 . Yes , two or three boxes still in the shed after 8 years and 2 house moves 😣)

Also, as pp said, write the contents on the box on all sides and the top

If you haven't started packing, start now. It takes longer than you think. We thought we were pretty ruthlessly quick, but it took more time than we thought. Unpacking was weirdly quick by comparison (same night) so we should have spent less time labelling the boxes and just done it by room with the odd low priority box more clearly marked.

Anticipate what you do if your son finishes school before you get the keys. Our completion was delayed until just before 5pm (it was meant to be 1pm) and we had a miserable few hours waiting to get the keys released.

Also make sure your scissors/box cutters are in the kettle box in your car. You can’t start unpacking effectively without scissors.
And yes, be super-kind to the removal crew. Ours turned a stressful experience into a positive one. They do work for you though and if you have one or two specific requirements, just be up front at the beginning. If, for example, you want to prioritise getting your DS’s room and the kitchen unpacked first, let them know. They can load the boxes from those rooms onto the vans last which means they will be unloaded first at the new house and you can crack on. Good luck!

Thank you - these tips are great! I hadn’t thought of the kettle and hot drinks box. I’ll definitely be hiding some things in my car, too!