Moving day tips please!

[BornToFolk]

We'll be moving house in less than two weeks (gulp!)

I'm starting to panic about the actual moving day. Last time we moved it was just the two of us and we had considerably less stuff...

We're only moving a few streets away and my brother is moving us (he's a proper removal man!) DS will be in nursery that day, which helps, although we're going to try and pick him up early so he has time to get used to the new house before bed. We also plan to get him to pack/unpack his own little bag etc.

What are your top tips for moving day? I know to keep a box of essential stuff separate and will remember to read meters before we go. Anything else?

I had taken my son a few times to our new house for 2nd, 3rd, 4th viewings so he knew the place, but when he saw our furniture in it on moving day he freaked out, ran out of the living room shouting NO NO NO NO NO. It broke my heart! He was about 18 months at the time. We took him out to the back garden and calmed down, had a play.

And luckily we had friends coming over for a quick toast, and they brought their kids, and everyone had a good run around and then went inside together. Somehow, seeing everyone else acting like this was normal / something to celebrate put my DSs mind at rest and he was fine after that. He slept in our room for a few nights, but he's not a brilliant night sleeper regardless.

In hindsight, I think this is when he was becoming a lot more cognisant of whats going on around him and I wish I had actually explained what was happening rather than springing it on him. He is also always v tired after nursery so picking him up early would have helped.

The trick it to make sure that everything gets put as closely as possible to where you want it to end up.

Have plenty of marker pens around and then label every box according to the room in the new house that it needs to go to (and ideally a brief description of what is in it). I labelled all the nonessential stuff (books, ornaments etc) as 'spare room' so they would be put out of the way until everything else was unpacked.

Make sure you know exactly where each piece of big furniture is going to and ideally label them according to which room you want it to go.

Invest in picnic food and equipment - including paper plates, plastic knives and forks, portable salt and pepper etc. And then do a quick shop somewhere like M&S for food on the day (or takeout works too!).

Are you packing yourself or are the movers doing it? if doing it yourself, make sure you have enough wrapping paper, masking tape etc. NOTHING is more annoying than running out at 2 am the day before you move. Nothing.

Be realistic. Accept it won't all be done in one day. I am always convinced I'll be entirely unpacked and settled within 24 hours. And then get all surprised and upset when I'm not!

If DS needs dark to sleep - consider investing in one of those portable black out blinds in case the new place doesn' thave appropriate blinds or curtain rails - I've yet to move somewhere where I could actually hang up a curtain the day I moved in.

If you can afford it, get a cleaner in to help you on the day you move - she can clean inside cupboards, do heavy vacuuming etc while you're doing other things. This is important because no matter how clean the previous owners/tenants were, when their furniture is gone you'll be shocked at what's left behind.

Good idea about paper plates, thanks! I think we have some kicking about somewhere so will put them into the "essentials" box.

We're packing ourselves. My brother dropped off a load of boxes and packing paper but will check on the tape situation. I remember from last time that we used more than I thought we would...

I've got the week after off work. Priority for moving day is to get DS's room set up, anything else can wait till the day after...or after that!

My advice is don't feel you have to pack every plate, bowl etc separately buy a roll of bubble wrap for the delicate things and then just put all your dinner plates together and wrap them tight, don't forget you can also use tea towels and towels to wrap things in works and you have to pack them anyway!! I always write as I pack on a piece of card what's in each box then just stick it on the top, saves loads of time at the other end, I'm also a fan of putting as much as you can either in a spare room or garage so you can get things out as you want rather than feeling the need to empty boxes there and then. Don't forget the wine for when you sit down at the end of your long day!! Am moving Monday!!!