Moving a student child's belongings after uni

[reallybusymummy]

Our eldest finishes uni after 4 years this July. With the last 3 years in a shared house, there are 3 car loads of belongings to transport. With the next move looking to be 250 miles away from uni, we are looking at the ways we could have all their things moved, without 3 x 500 mile round trip weekends. A removal company was our first thought, but are there other moving options?

Hire a van?

Do they need the 3 car loads of stuff or can they cut down the volume? Roof box or trailer or hire a transit van. Passengers could travel by public transport so you can fit more in the car?

At this stage of life I could fit everything I owned into my car, and I considered it my problem to move myself too.

Sound harsh but your adult child should probably have a clear out and take responsibility for their own belongings.

We hired a man with a van. Cost about £200 including insurance for a 210 mile trip. Completely worth it.

What will they moving into because they might not be able to keep it all afterwards, so worth getting rid of now. Otherwise, I’d look to hire a van especially if you can leave it at the new place instead of driving it back.

Why isn’t the owner of the items sorting this problem?

Could they hire a van from a major chain, so that it doesn't have to be returned?

@Kerberos do you have adult children?

I do and as their parent, I still want to provide help and support where I can. Just because your child reaches 18 , you don't stop loving them and wanting to help them.

As I said, I'd hire a transit van and drive it in convoy with a car.

I hired a transit van with my then bf

If DD/DS needs our help (neither drive) we will hire a transit van. They are quite easy to drive.

Ah can see we have already reached the 'your child is over 16, s/he needs to organise everything themselves now with absolutely no help from you' stage 😂

@Motnight yes indeed.

Definitely a man with a van. That's what I did for all my moves around that age. Compare prices to just renting a van yourselves but if affordable, having someone to help load and unload that amount of stuff is great (pretty much essential for me as parents were overseas so I was on my own)

(and it obviously saves you having to drive it back again. Returning a hire van in a different city will greatly increase the price)

@Motnight

Ah can see we have already reached the 'your child is over 16, s/he needs to organise everything themselves now with absolutely no help from you' stage 😂

Not really. The “child” has just done 4 years of university and lived independently for the last 3. So I’m guessing not 16.

My mum bought a car over from Ireland to England for my move to do my masters. She also did the same when I was 25 and starting my PhD.
She also shipped over some antique furniture from my nana house after she passed.
I'm a functioning independent adult but that doesnt mean my mum cant help me occasionally.

Get them to throw out/sell/donate excess then get a man with a van. (I'm assuming that your son is living at home next in which case he won't have the space for that much stuff in his room. )

[quote Antiqueanniesmagiclanternshow]@Kerberos do you have adult children?

I do and as their parent, I still want to provide help and support where I can. Just because your child reaches 18 , you don't stop loving them and wanting to help them.

As I said, I'd hire a transit van and drive it in convoy with a car.[/quote]
No. I am remembering back to when I was a 22 year old adult and didn't have enough stuff to fill a van as it all fitted in my car.

It's not about not caring, by that point I was independent and didn't need their help to organise basics like moving my stuff about.

We are just debating the best way to do similar - Dd has been away for 6 years but will be based closer to home after uni. She has been pretty good about having a clear out every year but she has a lot of stuff still - possibly more clothes than normal for a student as she has a whole set of smarter clothes for her placements.

We are planning two trips - one end of next month and one when she is properly finished. If we can get accommodation in her uni city we may stay overnight on at least one of weekends - will be a mini break for us & might take youngest to see some unis enroute as he will be applying next year.

@Kerberos perhaps if the op's child only had a car load of stuff, they wouldn't need help. But they don't so do need help.

I second a man with a van - one year it included transporting DS as well (He'd managed to book his moving day when we were away on holiday).

I was going to say man with a van too. Would suggest they have a clear out before they move too as opposed to after!

Thank you for your thoughts and replies.

Our lovely student has had a clear out already and started to box up what's not needed, which gave them a good view of the total number boxes.

They had looked into removal services too.

I thought I'd ask here, in case a box and ship service or similar was known.

They had found a UK wide man in van service, charging £237 for a mid week service, which looks to be the best bet www.anyvan.com/

Many thanks to everyone

It depends how your family works . Some assume it is their job to move themselves others dont.
I find it a bit much at times as have a dd who struggles to make decisons without us and is in 2os . I want to encorage dd to not automatically assume that it is via us that things are sorted but to start to assume it is her job but if struggles of course we will help.
Saying that .. i would automatically want to help or bw ready to help in this particular sitiation and would absolutetly be lookimg at man and a van first off all or van hire .