Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Flip

Original poster

packing up the house to move...is there an easy way to do it???

23 replies

fifisworld · 27/06/2007 10:53

Im moving on the 10th july and have started to pack things up in ds's room. Being the smallest i thought it would be the easiest but its a nightmare.
I cant do too much as ive got ds here who's only 1 and im pg but i really need to get stuck in to it.

OP posts:

fennel · 27/06/2007 10:55

Labelling of boxes will really help. Get lots of boxes and a thick marker pen. Label as you go which room the box will go into in the new house. and also label roughly what's in it and how vital it is. so "Toys, ds's room, not urgent". then you don't HAVE to unpack that box immediately. "Ds winter clothes, loft". etc.

foxinsocks · 27/06/2007 10:55

pay your movers to pack

oliveoil · 27/06/2007 10:56

have you had a clear out first?

go round and throw out stuff/charity shop/ebay whatever

I bet you have tons cluttering up your house, we all have

then do as fennel says

fennel · 27/06/2007 10:59

Paying movers can be brilliant but doing it yourself is better for getting rid of extra crap as you go (we've done it both ways in the last 2 years).

Olive has a good point. Along with the labelled boxes have 3 bin bags. Charity shop, Recycling and Bin. I saw that one a life laundry programme, it really speeds up the whole process.

admylin · 27/06/2007 11:04

I've packed up to move quite a few times and did it all myself. When I was a couple of weeks away from move day I put the things I would need aside as if I was going on a 2 week holiday - in suitcases and also kept a minimum of cups, plates etc then I knew I could just go from room to room and pack anything that was left. I also left a couple of files with papers that I knew we might need.

foxinsocks · 27/06/2007 11:05

yeah but if I was pregnant and had a 1 yr old, I'd pay someone else to do it . The quotes we had were, bizarrely, not that much more to include the packing.

Original poster

fifisworld · 27/06/2007 11:10

I dont know if the movers would pack for us, i dont know if i'd want someone looking through all my stuff tbh.
Ive gone though ds's room and got a black bag full of crap so i know that whats in there now needs to come with us.
And ive labelled what ive packed so far, it just seems like theres so much to pack and thats just from 1 room.
Plus dp works full time so i've got no help until the weekend but i dont want to leave it all until then incase it doesnt get done.

OP posts:

LucyLamb · 27/06/2007 11:22

Really - get the removal people to pack - they are doing mine - I have no qualms about them rummaging through my stuff !

But then I have no choice as I work full time. I did all the packing when we moved alst time - never again ! I spent as much buying boxes, tape and bubble wrap as the removal companies charge !

barbamama · 27/06/2007 11:32

We moved recently, I went through stuff at my leisure a few weeks before and threw out crap then got the packers to pack - was only £150 extra and was best money ever spent - I too was pregnant with a toddler (though we put him in Nursery the 2 days of the move which helped) and had flu the week of the move and couldn't have done a thing. the removal guys were great, came the first day and packed - no going through underwear or anything if that is what you are worried about as they moved the drawers full and just put the clothes into wardrobe boxes, second day loaded it all up and did the move. Alos put everything in the right rooms at the other end and helped us assemble the beds etc. I put everything we might need over the move period, change of clothes, nappies, kettle etc in one downstairs cupboard and told them not to pack in there. Worked out really well. Seriously, do yourself a favour and get them to pack - if you have a lot of stuff at least.

auntyspan · 27/06/2007 16:58

We moved last friday and spent the week before going through rooms and 'sorting' and then did all the packing the day (and night) before.

DP had to do about 10 tip runs as well as another half dozen charity shop runs but it DID mean when we came to pack up it was fairly straight forward.

If you can afford packers I would do it, esp if you're preg.
Def label boxes - you think you'll remember what's in them but you won't!!

Good luck xx

Egg · 27/06/2007 17:04

Oh it is good to read this. We will be moving in the next few months, and I am pg with twins. I am not looking forward to it. It will be my first ever proper move. Tell me though, we are planning on paying packers to do it, once we have sorted through stuff, but do you leave your knickers etc in drawers and the packers pack them?????????

Blu · 27/06/2007 17:10

The packing service done by Removal Companies is more than well worth it, if you can afford it - and the cost of all the boxes etc is included. They also come and collect the huge mountain of empty boxes a couple of weeks later, if they have supplied them.
They come the day before, do it all in one day.
I just packed a few things that I didn't want them to deal with.
Iguess it depends how much stuff you have, but for me anyhting bigger than a one-bedroom flat or a well-ordered unclutterd minimalist sort of palace, and I would get packers to do it.

bran · 27/06/2007 17:13

The packers probably won't go through drawers and things, when we moved they just taped all the drawers shut and moved the whole piece of furniture that way. There's no need to strip the beds or anything like that, they just sling a cover over the mattress with the sheet on it and move it like that, and pack the duvet/pillows into a box.

If you have anything embarassing or (ahem) adult then pack that in a box and seal it. Pack valuable things like jewellery into an overnight bag with a change of clothes and toiletries and take it with you in the car.

Honestly, use packers it's so much easier on your nerves.

chocolateteapot · 27/06/2007 17:15

Having the removal company pack for our last move was a complete revelation for me and I am never doing my own ever again. Cost about £200 .

andlittlelambmakesfour · 27/06/2007 17:35

I am on my eighth house in 16 years of married life and have 4 dcs of various sizes. Last time we moved I was 7months pg and DH didn't take a day off and invited his big boss for dinner the day before we moved. I dsicovered that his employers will pay for packers and I now always use them. What I find useful though is to go through cupboards and drawers and do the rubbish, charity thing but at least you don't actually have to pack it. Having said that last time I just moved it all and sorted later. You could do a bit of both maybe. Good luck!

funkimummy · 27/06/2007 17:44

I'm with Fennel on this. Have moved house three times in 4 years, and two of those times I've had at least one child under the age of one, so I know how you feel.

Room by room is definitely best. TBH childrens rooms (with toys et all) are usually the worst to pack! Start with something a little easier. I usually go with the lounge and kitchen first. A - because it's easier to know what to keep out and what to pack and B - Because it means I can start downstairs and work up!

bigmouthstrikesagain · 27/06/2007 17:47

when we moved i wa 8m preg and ds was 18months - we got the removal company to do it - it was the bet way - I dissapeared to friends houe and dh supervised - bliss (sorry for missing s's sticky key!!)

We moved over a year ago and I just unpacked the last box yesterday!!!lol

bigmouthstrikesagain · 27/06/2007 17:49

Clarification - we got the removal co. to pack our house up - the day before we moved. They were great.

NoodleStroodle · 27/06/2007 17:51

Are you Cherie in diguise?

cylonbabe · 27/06/2007 17:53

yes, make sure you are nto pregnant!
i was 38 weeks pregnant with four year old ds when we moved. but i was adamant about moving before baby was born as i thought it would be easier than trying to move witha newborn.

my advice
get someone else to look after your child whilst you go aorund the house deciding what to chuck, what to keep.
get an idea of where stuff is going to go to in the new house, then pack and label boxes accordingly.
get lots and lots of help. family, friends, paid packers whatever. get as much help as you need.

Hulababy · 27/06/2007 18:07

I moved house when I was 37 weeks pregnant with DD. Made slightly easier as had no other child at the time. Was hectic though.

I pack room by room. So (in more recent move)all of DD's stuff went in boxes and labelled up. All kitchen stuff in other labelled boxes, etc.

Get decent boxes too, rather than trying to make do. This time we bought lots of proper packing boxes and it made life easier. And lots of bubble wrap.

And geta removal firm in the do the actal removal. When I was pregnant we did it ourself and it was tough going.

muppetgirl · 27/06/2007 18:29

Have to say I agree with those who chose packers are right having done it both ways.
I had to work sodh supervised and it was really nice to get home from work with the beds made, wardrobes were where they should be and ds's cot was all made just waiting for duvet etc and dh looking quite relaxed. We packed a kitchen box so we knew where kettle/plates etc were.

Original poster

fifisworld · 27/06/2007 19:43

Well ive managed to get some things sorted today but ds was playing up so that did hold me back a bit.
Ive already got 2 black bags of crap, i didnt realise how much stuff we had that we dont use.
I think i might have to pack away dp's xbox and 'forget' where i put it so we get it all done over the weekend, otherwise nothing will get done.

OP posts:

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread