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Original poster

How fucking bastarding long does it take to UN - pack?!?

26 replies

LaurieFairyCake · 13/10/2013 18:42

I've been doing it since Friday 5.30 am! - there were 30 boxes in the kitchen. Took Friday and Saturday.

They're done.

Today we started on the living room - lots of furniture moving - almost done

My bedroom has not been started - I can't even get into bed now as I've done the moving around the furniture into the right place part - that and the living room has taken all bloody day.

Aaaaargggggh!

How long did it take you?

OP posts:
OnePlanOnHouzz · 13/10/2013 18:46

Oh dear !! It does take ages ! But when it's done - its done !! Feel for you !! Have a strong cuppa and a biccie to give you strength !! :-)

StillNoFuckingEyeDeer · 13/10/2013 18:50

Started on Friday.
We haven't actually moved all of our stuff yet, but I can't cope with bringing any more stuff over to the new house until we clear some space.
DH finds clutter so traumatic that he keeps hiding everything randomly in wardrobes etc, which isn't really solving the problem.
We will probably have some stuff that never gets unpacked. I think we've got a few boxes that haven't been opened in the last 3 years (6 moves).

Thingymajigs · 13/10/2013 18:51

We moved last weekend. Friday, Saturday and Sunday all packing and unloading and now we still have two boxes left without homes (boxes of unidentified cables). It takes forever but perhaps was a bit slower for us as I'm pregnant and can't lift.
It does start to drive you mad but at least it spurs you on to get sorted. Or in my case it encourages my nagging reflex.

Helliecopter · 13/10/2013 18:54

We've been in a year...there are still boxes in the loft that I haven't unpacked Blush

SuddenlySqueamish · 13/10/2013 19:06

So far 5 months and counting. Although we promised ourselves that anything still in boxes after 6 months is because we don't use it and is either going in to long-term storage in the attic or being chucked/recycled

FriskyHenderson · 13/10/2013 19:19

Go minimalist, but with a Turner Prize inspired art installation of boxes, arranged in a Very Significant Manner Grin

ByTheSea · 13/10/2013 19:44

Wwe 've been over four months now. Still a few boxes left.

Talkinpeace · 13/10/2013 19:50

in the case of two boxes .... 12 years
actually I'm lying.
after 12 years we put them in storage while the loft was converted and then brought them back out of storage still sealed and put them in the new loft
that was five years ago. tape still in place

Tinkerisdead · 13/10/2013 19:50

Ermm i moved last friday, i was unpacked by sunday. My monday we were all clean and straight.

I'm not trying to gloat, ive moved four times since 2010 and ive got it down to a fine art. Dont pack drawers, take then out and carry then full, slot back in at the other end, wardrobes we lift out and lay the clothes in our car and then just hang it back up again. Plates etc i dont wrap, i stack in a sturdy laundry basket and carry them in. I had 30 boxes but the above meant that it was easier, and i downsized this time too. Like i say im not crowing, just giving some tips if you move again. Smile

cupcake78 · 13/10/2013 19:59

Yes it can take a while but it doesn't have to! Wrap plates/valuables in towels and sheets, never use newspaper otherwise it all needs washing.

When you pack have a bin bag and chuck out. Same as you unpack. Be ruthless.

Keep clothes on hangers and lie in back of car or put on hanging racks. Move draws with contents in them as far as possible.

Its a lot easier to rearrange once your unpacked. Main aim, get boxes out. Have a very good idea of where things are going before you move.

Original poster
LaurieFairyCake · 13/10/2013 20:15

Lol at the doctorswife - there were 30 boxes in the kitchen - there are 75 overall.

Plus another 50 ish/plus 30 vacuum packed in a garage a few miles away.

And as to putting clothes in the car - the removal men filled 18 of those wardrobe boxes - about 7 have gone straight into wardrobes which is great but there's still 11 to be taken out and folded for drawers.

I've moved 28 times but had completely forgotten what it was like as I haven't moved for 8 years and we have about 10 times as much stuff due to dd.

Thankfully the stuff in the garage miles away isn't coming out til 8 months as it's going to be distributed round an unbuilt as yet extension

OP posts:
Talkinpeace · 13/10/2013 20:24

I utterly dread moving. We plan to in five years. Am starting to summon up the courage now.
Its not the normal stuff that's the issue. Its our strange collections .... and the plants ..... head firmly in sand.

Tinkerisdead · 13/10/2013 21:23

Ahhh see there comes my other tip into play then declutter declutter declutter Wink Grin

Talkinpeace · 13/10/2013 21:28

They are not clutter.
They are pretty valuable collections in display cabinets. But wrapping them is a nightmare. We decluttered when we emptied the house for building work six years ago but the plants were stashed up the garden ....
THe books are a combination of work and habit.
We'll just have to hire very brave packers!

exexpat · 13/10/2013 21:31

I had over 500 boxes and items of furniture, delivered in three batches (international move, some stuff in storage etc). It took me at least six months, but that was partly because I was waiting to have bookshelves built to unpack the books onto.

PrimalLass · 13/10/2013 21:34

Moved 4 years ago. There is stuff that went straight in the attic never to be seen again.

RedundantExpat · 13/10/2013 21:35

another expat: I often still have boxes wrapped up from the last move by the time I schedule the next one.

I am very impressed OP, that you have been so methodical. Give yourself a pat on the back for getting one room done at a time. and have a Brew

Jan49 · 13/10/2013 22:12

I moved house this year. Aimed to complete unpacking in 6 weeks (just me to do it). Ending up with new target of 10 weeks lol. Unpacked about 75 boxes and left about 25 packed as I'm keeping the stuff boxed. So about 75 boxes in 10 weeks. It took me 2.5 weeks to pack them.

That's a lot of clothing, OP.Shock I've decided I hate wardrobes as I can't move them easily, so I've got rid of them. I now own one fabric and pole wardrobe which my adult ds and I share for stuff that needs hanging, plus a chest of drawers for each of us.

wonkylegs · 13/10/2013 22:49

We moved in the summer, I'm currently looking at 4 still completely packed boxes visible from my bed alone. There are loads around the house.
We haven't unpacked some deliberately as we are having lots of work done(rewiring/kitchen/bathrooms/heating/windows /complete redecoration etc) and it's easier to juggle stuff around if it's still in boxes. I've currently got 1 perfect finished room & 1 complete bar the window so we're slowly getting there.

lighthousesea · 14/10/2013 09:30

Time to de clutter?

CatAmongThePigeons · 14/10/2013 09:38

I unpacked in two days, we had a huge removals lorry (the biggest ones you can find). I'd labelled each box and made sure I had places to put them before I opened them.

I worked around DS1s new nursery hours, so I knew I had a time limit and I didn't want to live in a box hell any longer.

I would seriously edit what you have as you unpack. So much easier than doing it once you're all settled.

QuietNinjaTardis · 14/10/2013 09:45

We moved at the end of August and we are still not unpacked. Mainly because we've had a million things go wrong and we've had some rooms decorated and new carpets. We can finally start unpacking properly now but we still need some stuff doing s no idea how long until we've finished. I'm hoping some time before the baby's due at the beginning of dec Hmm

BraveMerida · 14/10/2013 11:26

(Sheepishly glances sideways at the Crown cardboard boxes in the corner left untouched from over a year ago...)

Ezza1 · 14/10/2013 16:46

We moved 4 months ago. Our 'box room' is, well, rammed full of boxes Hmm

Ruddy nightmare - we have had to do some major works on moving in though, rewiring, new kitchen and such like.

Oh and I've recently given birth to DC4... Not that I'm making excuses or attempting to justify our lack of unpacking to myself, daily or anything. .. Grin

perspective · 14/10/2013 20:27

We moved in the summer. After 4 solid days if unpacking we were left with 40 boxes of books. I sorted bedrooms and kitchen first. Sorting the books took another 2 days. I'm stunned that we managed it! Last time we moved we still had a room full of boxes 18 months after moving date. Ds was just a baby though ( my excuse ). This time he wad old enough to demand payment to help unpack....