To start packing 13 days before move?

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We're (myself, DH, 3 DC's - 4, 3 and 1) moving in 13 days from a 2 bed flat, to a 3 bed house.

I want to start packing now, as so far, literally nothing has been done. I've started some minimal deep cleaning as life with three small children in a small environment equals chocolate finger prints everywhere and the occasional wall drawing, so I've been doing some touch up painting and skirting board/door cleaning etc to get the ball rolling.

However, in my mind, 13 days is quite a race to get our entire lives packed up and spotlessly clean our current flat, on top of looking after our three small children!

DH thinks we have all the time in the world, and I needn't start packing anything yet!

AIBU to just start? I planned to do the kitchen and the bathroom today - putting away things like the slow cooker, soup maker, a few utensils, stacks of plates and the majority of cutlery, pots and pans that never really get used etc. In the bathroom - just leaving out the essentials... you get my drift!

I ideally want most rooms packed up within the next few days so that I can properly clean everywhere, as going backwards and forwards between the kids demands and needs means I feel as though we don't actually have a great deal of time!

Sorry for the long post! Any veteran movers with an insight to when I should reasonably start packing and deep cleaning - please give tips!

13 days to go & nothing packed! 😱 We’ve bought & sold 3 houses in the last 12 years & tbh as soon as each of our properties were sold stc we started packing! You really need to start! What are you waiting for? Don’t pack the microwave & a few plates, cups & knives & forks & literally pack everything else! I would also leave clothes last - but everything else should be packed already! Good luck with the move.

You should have most of it done by now, you just need to keep essentials out.

Err I started weeks before .. surely you need to sort stuff and pack what you don't need and work backwards .! I never understand why people make such a big deal about packing but if you leave it to the last minute I imagine it will be stressful! Sort pack and label everything you don't need !

When I moved last year my biggest regret was not starting to clear out unwanted stuff much sooner. I spent far too much of my packing time driving to the tip and to charity shops with everything I realised I didn't need. I could have done that before even putting my house on the market! I was actually glad I didn't pay for a packing service as all that stuff would have ended up coming with me.

God, I'm stressed out just reading this! When we emigrated we were packing for about six months, but that was because we had to get rid of a lot of stuff. It was pretty stress free though. The move after that we were only moving 2 km, but we did it in two days and it was an absolute nightmare, emigrating was far easier! Our last move we made sure we had plenty of time, it took us two weeks to move and clean and leave the rental in good nick (they are very fussy in Oz). I very much hope to never ever move again, I hate it! But yes, start packing!

I've always started de cluttering and packing as soon as I've sold/bought because there is never enough time and I get so stressed then.

Declutter as much as you can. Pack everything you do not use on a daily basis so for us I packed all the plates except 4 etc.

I also always have a box of emergency supplies for the day of the move with cups, kettle, cat supplies etc. All the important papers are in my work bag. I also pack a set of bed linen for each bed, towels for one each, toiletries and an outfit each for the next day in a suitcase. These three things come in the car with me. It means that when things are unloaded you can have a hot or cold drink and make up the beds ready for the end of the day.

How exciting for you all!

Luckily I did have a purge of all of my things a few months ago - I went on a little Marie Kondo type spree and got rid of loads of my clothes (I'm talking about 70% of stuff - three kids in less than three years meant I was hoarding a lot of items I could only dream of ever fitting in to again!), loads of 'personal' items; basically shitty things I was holding on to for no real reason, that were tucked away out of sight and haven't been used or seen in years. I was quite brutal with what I chucked out, so I don't have too much stuff thankfully!
We also had a skip about a month ago, threw out loads of stuff from our loft, all the broken things we'd been keeping hold of as we couldn't get to a tip - the skip was full within a weekend!

DH still thinks I'm panicking over nothing, and that I'm starting packing too soon! I keep trying to explain to him that although the packing itself may not take us too long, we still need to clean absolutely everywhere as it's a rented property, and whatever we're doing, be it packing or cleaning, we have to do it while juggling our 3 DC's, which ultimately means even the most simple of tasks take forever because you're constantly stopping and starting!
But apparently, I'm being silly and 'we'll get there' 🙄

I guess if you've done a good declutter you're actually ok for space! We feel crammed in without boxes around, especially the kitchen so the idea of having boxes around horrifies me.

Our moving plan involves an overlap of around a week and moving minimal stuff to the the new place to allow "camping" there then blitz packing.

Without the overlap I'd send 1 adult plus all DC to a hotel for 1 or 2 nights while the other adult does it all in 1 long push, possibly an all nighter if necessary!

OMG my last move took me a month of packing.

I did it alone, but even so everything takes twice as long as you expect.

I am now itching to come and give you a hand !!

We go on holiday in 9 days and have already started packing!

Every time I have moved I started packing as soon as I knew I’m moving without even knowing a date.

Should add the Removal Company did my China and Glass pack, so one month was just for everything else.

@inmylifeIlovedthemall haha that would be amazing if you could! Having someone here to back me up and say 'yes, we absolutely SHOULD be packing!!' would make my life a lot easier and make me feel less dramatic!

I haven't managed to get anything done today! Baby has been clingy so all I've actually done is throw on some loads of washing 🤦🏻‍♂️

I can feel the time slipping away and so far have one measly box packed up, welp!!!

My friend is moving in 3 weeks time and she has packed almost everything except the big items

We left it to the last minute last time we moved and it was a nightmare. Had to draft family to help us and were up until midnight the day before we moved cleaning. Not ideal with two young children.
We're moving later this year and I've started packing already.

Pack literally everything you won’t use. Keep a set of crockery/cutlery out for each person. A mug each and maybe a single spare in case something happens. Bakeware, pack it. All the off season clothes, get them packed. Tidy some necessities into easy access boxes. Pack up most things in the airing cupboard - keep out a towel or two each, spare bedding for the kids in case of accidents but change your bed now and make do, pack the rest. Pictures, clocks, ornaments can be packed now.

yes, start now.
even if you book packing service (so, so worth it) you need to start now to make it less stressful

It depends on how much stuff you have and how far away the new house is. I started packing the day before moving and we got everything to the new house on the day

We had 2 weeks notice to move, we managed to do it all in time but the last 2 days were very full on & I was exhausted by the end of it. Definitely start packing now & label everything really well.

Good luck & congratulations on your new home

Men don't have a clue about packing generally.
I remember my then partner offering very kindly to pick up two huge plastic storage crates with lids to help me move house. I think he thought my things would fit in these as he'd moved flats with one or two big boxes.
These storage crates wouldn't even hold my underwear drawers! He hadn't got a clue.

It wasn't until I arrived in a Pickford type van he realised exactly how much 'stuff' not clutter I owned.

Just crack on, every box packed and labelled with cross referencing on an inventory is one job less to do.

Gosh, I am amazed at these replies! I would just start going through and chucking things you don’t need / want, taking things to tip and charity. 100% pick the packing option. They will get in done in a day and you will save yourself so much stress. Have you booked a removal van?

An (unwelcome) reminder that if you want to donate to charity shops you may well need an appointment. I tried to donate something to Emmaus and the soonest the soonest they could take it was 9th June!

coco123456789 I couldn’t agree more, I posted earlier how my whole 4 bedroom house was packed in just a few hours. The cost was a couple of hundred of pounds, obviously not everyone can afford this but if you can I really recommend it. I moved on a Wednesday and even on the Tuesday morning my house was completely normal, no boxes anywhere.