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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To consider getting a removal company to pack for us?

98 replies

mrszimmerman · 05/10/2011 16:06

I have friends who have considered this an absolute necessity, also, some of them have the serene expression of a Buddha and some of them are fairly loaded.

I have other friends who don't even use removal companies. They are very fit or have strong relatives and not that much stuff. They are not quite as serene as the above category but there are other factors too.

I have a two year old and an older child and a ton of stuff and I have not done very much packing yet.

Any advice either way? I partly wonder whether getting the movers to pack for me is an admission of defeat. Or whether you'd have to be super organised to get them to do it for you anyway.

All advice on this subject would be gratefully received particularly as the whole thing is making me want to hide in a cupboard and never come out.
Grin

OP posts:
heleninahandcart · 05/10/2011 19:25

Let them pack. Its amazing, you can bugger off down the road concentrate on other important things.

eatyourveg · 05/10/2011 19:27

db has just moved house with his dw and 2 year old twins. They got the removal people to pack but are having a nightmare unpacking because they can't find things. Boxes are labelled with room names but you have to unpack every single box to look for one item. Eg cheese grater might be in with cups or napkins. Odd items are used to fill up boxes so they have found toys and dvds in most boxes. It has its ups and downs and you just have to weigh up which is the lesser evil

ronx · 05/10/2011 19:35

I used a packing service last time I moved and I would recommend it any time.
All I had to do was to get rid of any rubbish and keep anything that I didn't want them to pack in the downstairs loo. A team of four men turned up at my house at 9am - and most of the contents of my house were packed away by 5. They came back the next day to finish the job.
I was 8 months pregnant and also had a two-year-old, so could not face the hassle of packing.

IwanttobeShirleyValentine · 05/10/2011 19:41

I have the packing service EVERY time we move now. I didnt the first 2 moves thinking I could do it better, be more organised and know where things are packed!
I was wrong. The packing service is FANDABULOUS!!!! They pack very very quickly and very very well. They pack a room at a time and as they see it.

My tips would be - clear out before they come as they pack EVERYTHING as they see it! They are very good at labelling boxes but do make sure you have what you expect to be in the rooms in the right rooms. For example: If you have semi started to pack and have put the lamp from your hallway on the dining room table, they will pack it in a box labelled dining room and call it something like "table lamp dining room". It wont be in boxes labelled hallway nor called "table lamp hallway" as obviously the packers dont know where you normally keep it.

I always find it best to keep mugs, kettle, a few knives forks and plates available for use. Sometimes we have slept on a blow up bed on removal night, so keep any bedding you need aside too. We ALWAYS take the vacume ourselves so we can vacume the old house last thing and the new one before boxes get dumped everywhere. Its surprising the mess that gets left behind in the old place once its all packed - dust etc. I keep all of this in a tucked away corner with a big sign on saying "DO NOT PACK". I also make sure main packing person knows its not to be packed and if I see other packers in the room, make them aware. Really the best place for it all is in your car tbh. No packers/removals have ever packed the kettle and mugs I have to say!! LOL. Oh and another thing to keep handy is a washing up bowl (clean) so I can fill it with cold water to keep the milk fresh as you will be making lots of cuppas for all the helpers. I usually get some donuts in as well for everyone.

You will be amzed at how quick and well they pack! You wont regret it!!

WomanwiththeYellowHat · 05/10/2011 19:58

Yes to packers! We had bishops move and would recommend them!

Grumpla · 05/10/2011 20:04

YES YES YES!!!

I had to pay for packing when we last moved at extremely short notice. It was the best £300 I've ever spent. I would seriously take that over a holiday / new clothes for a year. Would have taken me weeks to do what their team of 4 achieved in about four hours.

Took me six months to finish UNpacking, mind...

OhCobblers · 05/10/2011 20:30

I've not read all the replies yet OP but i've always had packers before and after children.
The best money spent and generally they unpack too - perhaps not in the right place but you can sort that later and at least it gets all the BOXES out of the house!!!
the best money spent. Always handy to have an overnight bag separately in your car though for all of you plus the kids favourite toys for overnight too. I remember DH left DC1's all time favourite toy and the next thing you know the cot had been dismantled and packed!

OhCobblers · 05/10/2011 20:32

all time favourite toy IN THE COT

notcitrus · 05/10/2011 20:42

Get the profs to do most of the packing.
Exceptions would be stuff you know you can do without for ages - pack yourself as early as possible, and suitcases for everyone of important stuff you will need on the first night (kids vital toys and blankets...)
And mark a space in the kitchen of stuff not to pack, and put the kettle, some old mugs, biscuits etc there!

£900 on moving our old flat was some of the best money we ever spent, and only about £150 of that was packing.

LapsedPacifist · 05/10/2011 20:44

Another yes here! Moving is incredibly stressful, especially with very small kids.
Packers make a huge difference!

Original poster
mrszimmerman · 05/10/2011 20:45

This is the most amazing thread!
Not a single vote for self packing!
Thanks very much for all this excellent advice, I feel slightly less hysterical and distressed Grin
I haven't moved for ten years and tend to find it weirdly distressing.

And as so many of you say, given the absolutely gargantuan pile of money it's costing us to move then it's got to be worth it.
Any companies anyone would recommend would be great.
My friend was moved by a company who sent 3 strapping young Auzzies in shorts, she was very giggly and slightly ridiculous (I forgive her) when I rang while they were there.
I've been recommended Diamond, The Old London Moving Company and Simply Removals.
Thanks
Thanks thanks thanks!

OP posts:
MissBetsyTrotwood · 05/10/2011 20:46

Do it. We would never move without it again. Most companies offer a half pack option if you're a bit strapped for cash.

MilicentBystander · 05/10/2011 22:27

We've used Pickfords several times and they have been excellent AND cheaper than anyone else!

begonyabampot · 05/10/2011 22:31

Done it all ourselves and used removal company. RC so much easier - just need to have a brass neck with your undies and vibrators.

mutha2two · 05/10/2011 22:36

In a heartbeat yes but good idea to have a sort out first as they will wrap everything in sight and there's nothing worse than unravelling something painstakingly wrapped that you meant to drop off at the charity shop months ago

smelli · 05/10/2011 22:39

No way. I'd rather pay and have a holiday afterwards! Putting stuff in boxes is not very difficult!

Alibabaandthe80nappies · 05/10/2011 22:40

You cannot have a holiday for £300 :)

onagar · 05/10/2011 22:41

Does anyone know if they would be willing to dispose of some stuff while they are at it. When I move (soon) there will be some big items of furniture I won't want to take to the new place and it would be easier if they could take them to the tip for me.

Alibabaandthe80nappies · 05/10/2011 22:50

onagar our council will collect big items if you call them. You could probably arrange for them to come the day before the move or something.

SchnitzelVonKrumm · 05/10/2011 22:51

Do it do it do it! If they're moving you anyway it's not even that much extra. We moved on a Monday, they packed and moved EVERYTHING, including picking up stuff from a storage unit, on the day and we were in our new house drinking tea with the children playing in the garden by 3 o'clock. Best 150 quid I've ever spent.

CocktailQueen · 05/10/2011 22:53

God yes, do it! get the men in!! Much easier :)

(But take ALL things that YOU think precious with you; that you can't live without; that are irreplaceable; that you would hate to lose/have broken. Just in case!)

Grumpla · 05/10/2011 22:58

Ali I certainly could have had a holiday for £300! Me, the caravan, petrol money and the thirty or so bottles of Tesco Value Gin it would have taken me to recover from having to pack everything myself whilst dealing with a toddler at three days notice because our buyer was a twat.

Ceic · 05/10/2011 23:19

My last two moves were opposites - the last-but-one move, we did ourselves. Our last move, we paid for the professionals to pack and move us.

The professionals beat us hands down, even though we had more stuff by then and were moving much further away. Money well spent, especially as DH had just broken his ankle and they took his motorbikes for us too.

Our professionals were Shore Porters.

Whatmeworry · 05/10/2011 23:23

Did it ourselves before kids, wouldn't think of doing it ourselves now.

Morloth · 06/10/2011 04:28

We just had a quote to move with the company packing everything, AUD$6,500!

So this time we are going with the pack ourselves but get movers to do the furniture and load the packed boxes. Still costing $3,500.

I almost threw up when they gave me the quote.

I think movers are much cheaper in the UK though, last time I paid for a move there it was about £1000.

YANBU if you can swallow the cost, I personally couldn't this time though, so instead I am procrastinating!

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