Moving to a completely new area - need tips please!

[herethereeverywhere]

I am moving from London to Northern Ireland in a few months and am at lost on where to start with the organising! It will be myself, DH and DS who will be 7 months old as well as a cat. I have only ever moved just down the road before so moving this far away (with a child and a cat!) is making me panic just thinking about it

Anyone ever done a big move and have any tips for a newbie? The practical side of both the move itself and settling into a new area?

Thanks

Have you already lined up somewhere to move to, and do you have a place to sell first? I guess the first thing would be to line up quotes from removal companies and take it from there. If you're planning to drive over rather than fly, you could take your cat with you and plan plenty of stops on the way. Do you have any family who could come over and help look after your ds while you pack and organise, and then travel back with you? Good luck - I did the move in the other direction quite a few years ago now. Which part of NI are you moving to?

I'm from NI but moved to London a long time ago. Where are you moving to?

Am moving to the Bannbridge area of Co.Down. We are renting a house there and renting out our London flat so the housing situation is sorted its the practical side of moving that is worrying me! My family lives in Bath but I might be able to persuade my mum to come and help :)

there are many cheap flights to NI from Bath via Bristol!
I Love NI accent!

is there a mumsnet local section for where you are moving - I got loads of tips from there when we did the move
also websites of where you are living - I found what was going on where I was moving - and went a long to a few things - when to a toddler group a week after we moved and met people that way
get quotes for the removal firm to pack- worth every penny in my view
expect to find the first few months quite hard
make lots of effort to meet people -