When do you start packing when you buy a house?

[grannyinapram]

We have just had an offer accepted on our first home. We will be moving from rented so we haven't done this before.
Should we start packing now? There is no chain but we need to wait for surveys and other bits and bobs that take time. Should we wait incase something happens with the survey or they change their mind and don't sell? I'm not sure.
We will start decluttering tomorrow but what about actual packing?

We have been in this position before but we lost the mortgage (coronavirus 🙄) So I don't want to start packing and then end up having to unpack where we are again.

Start decluttering and using up food in cupboard and freezer now.

How big is your place? Do you have kids? Lots of stuff? Stuff in a garage, loft or shed.

We are moving from a 2 bed flat with one sitting room to a 3 bed house with 2 reception rooms so there will be plenty of space BUT I don't want to fall into the trap of bringing rubbish with me to dispose of later.

but great idea with the food- i guess we are doing the pantry challenge now!

Conveyancer here. Average transaction time at the moment is 3-5 months. As another poster has said, use this time to declutter and organise but don’t actually pack yet.

It’ll probably be a minimum of 6-8 weeks - is there a chain above you?

Start sorting out and going to the tip (check if you have to book - you do where I am) it’s quite satisfying!

I wouldn’t say start packing yet

Dear god don't start yet - you've ages to go. Start once you've exchanged, assuming at least two weeks between exchange and completion. or pay someone to do it on the day

Wow I'm going to spend dumb here but what is exchange? is that when you get the keys or is that before?

3-5 months? thats a while! But time does fly when you have things to do...

I dont pack until 1 - 2 weeks before.
Decluttering is always a good idea, oh, apart from lockdown when charity shops are closed!!

There’s no harm in packing things you don’t ‘need’ like ornaments or books to get ahead if you want to make a start. But really you only need a week or so.

We had an offer accepted on ours 8 weeks ago. We are moving to rented as not found anything, buyer is a first time buyer. We haven't found anywhere to rent or packed anything yet. At worse we'll move in with MIL for a bit but I aren't starting to pack until dates are mentioned and we have exchanged. Two adults, a toddler and a baby here.

We have boxes, tape and bubble wrap and I've done a room inventory and box list so I'm ready to get packing once we have exchanged.

Exchange means exchange of contracts. You are then committed to buy and seller to sell. Your solicitor passes your 10% deposit to your sellers solicitor which is not refundable if you cannot complete. Completion being when you pay the balance and get the keys.

I'd begin sorting and decluttering now, but not start actually packing until exchange ie when you know the move's definitely happening. Alternatively you can pay for a packing service - ours cost £400ish a couple of years ago for what sounds like a similar size move. In the scheme of things it's not a huge amount of money, but by God did it make a difference in terms of stress!

oh thanks @titchy
I never realised how much house buying jargon I skip over without realising what it actually means
I seem to have no clue

We exchanged on the Monday and moved on the Tuesday so don't wait!

I started decluttering before Christmas and over Christmas packed non essential items and got down to the bare minimum, stored them all in one room. Obviously it helped we were in lock down so knew no one was coming round. We moved 9 February and I started packing up last minute things two weeks before.

I’ve moved and emigrated, so firstly, pack books and ornaments. Then clothes for winter/summer depending on season.
Invest in those huge laundry bags with zips, handy for bedding, curtains, shoes, cushions, pillows, towels, shoes.
Pack pictures, photos and sentimental stuff.
These bitty things take up time. Larger furniture items take minutes to remove.

If you are renting now and can afford it I would give yourself an extra week in the house once completed. You can move gradually then over a few days. Emptied houses are easier to clean.

Don’t do it yet, you have ages. Wait for the survey and the searches first. You never know what they might bring up.

Give yourself more than a week, don't be like me!

@autumnchill that's crazy fast!

Great tips

Um, we accepted an offer in august 2020. Chain all ready in September. We still haven't even exchanged.

I started packing about 2-3 weeks before we were due to move/complete on our house. Any earlier and I’d need stuff I’d packed and get fed up living with boxes everywhere

Not on the day like me....

Lucky i never got fined for being in what was officially someone elses house

Dh REALISED ON THE DAY he hadnt done the loft...the only place i asked him to do. Apparently there was more in there than he thought.

Against my suggestions to maybe dismantle furniture like the beds the day or 2 before...again done on day...

The poor new owners helped us take the last of our boxes to the car.

Im mortified. Moral of the story... atlest 2 weeks in advance
Dont forget the loft
Dismantle beds

After exchange.

I’m surprised to hear so many people had the exchange and completion in separate days. I have moved the several times and we always had to be out of the house 24 hrs after exchange.

Start decluttering, do not even consider starting packing until 2 weeks before the estimated exchange date.

Yes, you definitely don't need to start yet. I wouldn't start until you exchange because it could always fall through until then. You normally have two weeks between exchanging (paying part of the money) and completing (paying the rest of the money and getting the keys) but it can be any length. It's never too early to declutter though, especially at the moment in case you need to book an appointment at the tip or can't take donations to the charity shop straight away if they are overwhelmed. Most things that you don't need for months could probably just be decluttered! (excluding seasonal items obviously)