Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask for your moving tips?

30 replies

SachaStark · 22/04/2018 22:23

DH and I are finally moving from our tiny rental to a slightly less tiny rental! Let the champagne flow.

It's been five years since I've moved, and I feel a bit lost at sea with it all. I feel like there must be tricks/tips/hacks, and generally sensible ways/orders of doing things.

For context, I am already a committed Kon-Mari-ing minimalist, so am all good on decluttering, it's more physically packing stuff, and the order in which to do/move things. e.g. I have stacks of books... has anybody found a manageable way to both be able to pack and lift them yet??

We are lucky enough to only be moving a couple of miles, and we get the key to our new place two weeks before we move in, so hoping to do things in dribs and drabs, rather than doing everything on moving day.

Am I unreasonable to ask you to share your moving tips with me?

OP posts:
Happygummibear · 22/04/2018 22:26

're books put some in a box and then fill with less heavy things like pillows and curtains etc.

Clothing in chest of drawers..tidy them up then take drawer out full cover with a towel and move as a whole. No need to pack and unpack.

Last thing to pack is a kettle and a few cups and cleaning stuff. Those things can be put in the back of a car.

Tv. Cover with large bits of cardboard and or bubble wrap

BananasAreTheSourceOfEvil · 22/04/2018 22:27

For every box you pack, write a list of what is in the box and sellotape it on the top. Then label the box for the designated room.

Makes life so, soooo much easier when you need to find something

Happygummibear · 22/04/2018 22:28

Oh and clothes in a wardrobe. Take out big bundles on hangers and cover with a black bin liner. Tie the coat hanger hooks together with a hair band or elastic band..they can be transported in bulk and then easily rehung

SachaStark · 22/04/2018 22:30

Thanks for the idea for packing the TV in cardboard pieces! DH's TV is his favourite thing, but I refused to keep the box (it was bigger than the square footage of my kitchen).

OP posts:
GlassSuppers · 22/04/2018 22:32

I'm moving too OP so could also do with some packing tips!
Thank you for starting this thread!

SachaStark · 22/04/2018 22:33

Oh, Bananas, you are speaking my organisational language! Love the idea of a list on each box... would I be mad to print on colour-coded paper and then colour code the rooms of the new place?

OP posts:
frasier · 22/04/2018 22:35

If you are an organised person, so your flat is fairly sorted with what goes where, pack one room at a time.

SachaStark · 22/04/2018 22:35

Thank you so much for the hanging clothes packing tutorial, Happy, that sounds so perfect for us. We hang all our clothes, and I really can't be bothered with the idea of folding them into a suitcase, and having to unfold them again a two mile drive later. That sounds way, WAY easier.

OP posts:
SweetieP1e · 22/04/2018 22:35

My biggest tip to everyone is label boxes with which room they need to go to as well as whats in them. Moving day is tiring enough without having to search for the box with the teaspoons in only to find it on the top floor.

Pack a small travel kit/bag with your toothbrush, toothpaste and other toiletries, your pjs, two cups, milk, sugar and some tea bags. Sounds nuts but it means you can get a take-out on the first night and are sorted until breakfastSmile.
Don't expect the house to be clean Sad. Ours wasn't and we didn't get the keys until the day we were moving in. You've got it for a couple of weeks so you should be able to sort things the way you want them before you start moving stuff in.

Good luck and enjoy your new home!

frasier · 22/04/2018 22:36

OP, if you are hiring removal people they would LOVE colour coded boxes! One sheet on the box (with contents) and then a blank sheet on the door of the designated room.

Elmosmum · 22/04/2018 22:36

Make the bed first - you'll be too tired to do it later 😁

Longdistance · 22/04/2018 22:38

Books and cds boxed up first.
All clothes, bedding, drapes to be put into laundry bags.
If clothes are on a hanger, take them off, and place them in the back seat of the car.
Keep kettle, mugs, tea, coffee, sugar, milk together and labelled in a box.
Clothes can also be put into wheelie cases.
Shoes in laundry bags again.
Any posh glasses ( we kept the boxes and stored them there, with bubble wrap).

FreudianSlurp · 22/04/2018 22:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SachaStark · 22/04/2018 22:42

Ah, we are very lucky, Sweetie. New landlord is going to be our best friend. He is movingly to Canada for 40 months for work, and wanted tenants he knew. He's very tidy himself, but he is also getting a professional cleaning service in during the week prior to us getting the keys. Makes a nice change though, I know.

Thank you for the tips on first night essentials, and you're right, take away that night sounds mighty good!

OP posts:
GreenTulips · 22/04/2018 22:43

Add to the car box - scissors knifes screwdrivers cups for helpers tea coffee biscuits local takeaway number pen and paper for electric meters etc - list of phone numbers you may need - like sky looking at DH loo roll and cleaning stuff cloths spray washing up liquid

Pack the suitcases as overnight bags - tooth brushes PJs clean clothes etc

Ask a removal company if they loan wardrobe boxes - they are large with hangers in - pick up and plonk in clothes

Sort out beds and kitchen so you can at and drink!

marmiteloversunite · 22/04/2018 22:45

Pack some bedding, towels and toilet rolls in a big bag, like an Ikea blue bag. Take it separately with you in the car so you can make your bed and go to the loo! Also pack an overnight bag with wash bag essentials and a couple of days worth of clothes.

Clambering · 22/04/2018 22:45

Book an online grocery order for the morning after you arrive so that you can reduce the food that you actually take with you - but don't have to go to the shops when you're busy unpacking. Take photos of your old place as you go and your new place while it's empty - it won't look like that again until you go!

lhastingsmakeup · 22/04/2018 22:46

I would really recommend hiring a moving service who will pack everything for you. It really helped alleviate some of the stress for me.

BananasAreTheSourceOfEvil · 22/04/2018 22:46

Oh Sacha! Colour coded paper is my MO.

Also- when packing plates etc. DOUBLE THE TAPE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BOX!! (voice of experience and sound of very many broken plates).

Get the number of the nearest takeaway. No one cooks on moving in day.

SachaStark · 22/04/2018 22:47

Yes, another good point about keeping scissors, craft knives and screwdrivers to hand- thank you, I wouldn't have thought of that!

OP posts:
SachaStark · 22/04/2018 22:51

Will consider using that for the next move I reckon, Hastings, thank you! I don't think we will this time, as we really do live in a shoe box, and I don't think we own enough stuff to get our money's worth!

OP posts:
Catinthecorner · 22/04/2018 22:52

If you can afford it hire help. If not start packing now.

You can get smaller packing boxes specifically for books which helps with the weight issue.

Pack the stuff you need least first and number as you go. At the other end you know to start unpacking from the highest number and work down to box 1.

Wash bedding a day or two before you go. Don’t fully strip the bed, just box the duvet and pillows in the clean bedding. Makes making the bed at the other end a bit quicker.

persypear · 22/04/2018 23:05

Was going to write what exactly what bananas said! We moved a few too many times so here are my top tips :)

In additon to bananas tip, also number the boxes and have a master list with a brief description of contents to stick on a cork board or cupboard door. That way, months later when you still haven't unpacked everything (!!!) you will know where to look for XYZ.

We have also travelled drawers without unpacking them as gummi suggests and it works really well for clothes etc.

Jute shopping bags are also awesome - easy to carry and versatile!

Especially if you are moving yourselves, use lots of smaller height boxes rather than all tall/ square ones. They are easier to lift and less daunting to unpack and can be shoved under a bed until you can unpack. Ideal for books, CDs, paperwork, knick knacks etc.

Keep certain things like ID, cheque books, utility bills etc safe and to hand so you can do the address changes more easily.

Write a list of all the addresses you need to change - and keep adding to it as there is always something like the library that is easy to forget. Some addreses can be changed early and this helps.

Mail forwarding is brilliant and will catch anything you haven't changed addresses on - then you can add the thing to the address list.

It is great that you get the keys early - I would do any painting or easy DIY before moving your stuff in.

Measure the space for applicances if you need new ones or have your own to take. Sometimes fridge spaces can be odd widths, and also washing machines tend to be bigger and taller these days so don't just assume that they will fit simply fit underneath a counter....And measure depth too ours just fits but does stick out a bit to avoid squashing the pipework but its worked out OK.

If moving a fridge/ freezer, don't forget to run down your food in the run up to the move as most appliances need to stand for a while before they can be turned back on (mainly if they have been tipped over for carrying/ transport but better safe than sorry IME). Its much easier if you dont have loads of stuff needing to be kept cold!

And don't even try to cook on moving day :)

Hope it all goes well OP. Packing up a bit everyday is great but if you have a system and a plan it can still go really well at the last minute - even if it does take forever!!

persypear · 22/04/2018 23:16

Just caught up on other posts!

Its great that you will be moving into a clean house. Finding that your new hom eis a pit of filth is just the worst. I can sympathise Sweetie.

And making the bed as a priority is genius elmosmum. It is a bastard job at the end of a long day.

On that note, just another thought - don't forget something to cover your mattress with in case your hire van is grubby. Dust sheets are good and you can secure them with clips and rope etc, which are also help to give you something to lift the bugger with. I almost lost my finger nails once when there was nothing but an edge seam to grab hold of!

April229 · 22/04/2018 23:25

Have one big ikea bag that you use for all the little bits and pieces of random stuff. The spare iPhone cable behind the couch etc. Everything gets chucked in and then is the last thing to be taken to new house so there is now sorting through endless boxes to have helpful things you need quickly to hand.

Pay a cleaner to sort out the old flat the scecond you leave so your whole focus is on new house.