House moving tips and advice?

[MurderOfGoths]

We have no date for a move yet, but know it's happening at some point (hopefully soon). And as I'm pregnant and suffering from SPD I'm trying to get stuff done while I still can. As we don't know when we are moving we are trying to be prepared for both moving while I'm heavily pregnant and while we have a newborn.

So far I'm at the packing up books and making lists stage.

What things made moving easier for you?

All of our previous moves have been very rushed and stressful, so it'd be nice not to be in such a panic. Especially as we have a toddler to contend with too this time!

My lists so far include the boxes that will be last out of this place and first in to the next (eg. cleaning supplies, supplies for the move day, packing supplies, the toddler's box and possibly a box of newborn stuff). Any advice on not obvious stuff for those boxes would be welcome!

Oh and of course, advice on what not to do!

Can you had a removal firm around to quote for you?

Just a few tips from what we do (I've moved 9x in the last 5 years ), I'm sure others will be along with some great ideas!

• don't get too caught up in painstakingly organising everything thinking it will all be tidy and lovely for the next place. Because eventually, you get bored, you slow down, and in the end you have 5 lovely organised boxes and then a pile of random rubbish that you've thrown into the van at the last minute.
• do be very honest with yourself about what you want to see in your next home. Now is the perfect time to have a clear out, so think about your new property and just start letting go. From the big to the small, take what you need and love. Even with things like clothes, linens, cutlery, everything. Makes the start in a new home and the move easier but also helps to organise life overall (especially useful when expecting a baby!).
• have a necessary day pack: eg hand soap, a hand towel, kettle, mugs, tea, a spoon, biscuits, milk & sandwiches, cleaning wipes, whatever you think you might like to have access to very quickly. Ie not a box, but something you keep with you in a rucksack or similar that doesn't get loaded into the back of the car/van. Organise your hospital bag now if you haven't and also keep that separate (I moved at 33wks and only managed to find everything and get the bag sorted 2 days before I gave birth! Not ideal)
• rope in lots of friends, preferably strong and enthusiastic friends
• don't have book boxes... they're very, very heavy...

DH would say get someone else to do it all, as he is so fed up of moving I may add to this list as time goes on, hope some of it is of use!

PS my books went into a mixture of just lining the bottom of a box and going into strong wheeled suitcases.

• have someone to look after the toddler for the day, if you can.
• have someone to do your side of the work if you are heavily pregnant or with a newborn; I remember sitting down in the living room of my old place and just crying and crying because I was so exhausted, and we actually had about 4 friends helping us, but I still had to pack loads of boxes and clean (friends were carrying stuff to van and then unloading at the other end) and I was just so tired. Then once DS was about 1wo we tried to carry on with some of the organising in our new place, but I over-exerted, some stitches came loose and became infected, I couldn't move for about a week after that

deepfried Going to wait until we actually have a better idea of when we'll be moving to start getting quotes.

delasi With all the other moves we skipped the few neat boxes and went straight to chucking everything in wily nily We're not at quite your number, up to 7 in 6 years. This will be number 8 (and then hopefully never ever again)

We've actually found the boxes that DS's nappies and wipes come in are perfect for books, big enough to hold enough books without weighing too much. And luckily we seem to have an endless supply of those!

Forgot about the hospital bag too, so thank you.

Ouch about the stitches!!

Fix a moving date. Sounds obvious I know but you need to put a date out there in the chain and make sure that it is communicated to the various agents and solicitors - you will then get feedback as to whether that date is suitable for everyone and may have to move it around it bit. It can drag on weeks and weeks longer if no-one actually names a date. Also when you name the date you will suddenly find out all sorts of strange things - for instance our seller was goign on holiday for 8 weeks so had to move before x, also our buyer was renting and had already given notice so needed to be moved in asap. No a mention of this before we put a date in the mix. You have to push to get moved in before you well.... have to push.

I moved twice in eleven months with three young children... the things that I found useful were numbering the boxes and keeping a seperate list, so box one was living room dresser and as I knew what was in the living room dresser i knew what was in the box. I know that not everybody would want to do this >).
I would go into each room now and pack what you are not using.
Get rid of anything you don't like /use.
Get an online shop to arrive at your new house on the day you move.
Put all important documents together in a bag so that you can find them quickly.
Pack a suitcase with enough clothes for a few days for all of you.
Pack bedding in vaccum bags so that you easily find them to make the beds up.
Pack a bag with post maternity clothes so that if you are moving while pregnant you dont have to sift through boxes to find them when little one arrives.
Even if you dont know when you are moving I would get quotes as the last thing you will feel like doing is doing that when you are heavily pregnant or have a newborn.

Declutter as much as you can now. I moved so much that has gone straight to the charity shop and I did declutter stuff before we moved as well. Think also about furniture, will all your furniture fit in new place and where? If not why move it?

Also get more boxes then you will ever think you need. I have ended each move by frantically showing stuff in shitty plastic tesco bags because that was all there was left. (Also have some shitty tesco plastic bags as a backup if you are like me!)1#

Watching this as we're due to move just after Christmas so any hints and tips are great!