Moving in four weeks, what can I get ready now?

[Tigerblue]

27 May has been agreed between the parties as a "realistic" date to head for. I've provisionally booked the removers, but don't want to confirm this and get boxes yet, until everything looks more certain.

However, I feel in limbo and wondering what I can do now to save a last minute panic. We have a hall full of stuff to go to the tip which will happen this weekend. I suppose we could get everything down from the loft. Have been trying to give the garden a really good dig over/weed/cut back this week, so after this may pack tools together. Anything else worth doing?

Over the last few weeks I've gone through every cupboard and had a clear out, so what's in the house is what we are taking.

write up a list with all contact numbers for utilities so on the last day you can just write on each meter reading?
organise your forwarding with Royal Mail now - actually not sure how far in advance you can do it but worth doing it ahead as it's so easy to forget

I don't think you'll get away with no gardening for a month at this time of year unless you are planning to leave a jungle.

you can start packing books and reducing kitchen contents to what you actually use. Also make the big list of people who need to be informed of address change, as well as the redirect. The ones who must be told straight away are house insurers, car insurers and utilities. Do all the rest after you move. Make the redirect 3 months at least.

We are moving too on Friday 6th June thank goodness we are nearly there! Have booked the removals to pack the day before then move us on the big day. We are doing a car boot sale this weekend and anything left over is going to the charity shop. Also aiming this weekend to get in the sheds and sort out the crap. Lots of trips to the local tip and the charity shop I think. Soooo excited :-))

Do the current owners have pets?

If you're not ready to start buying boxes/packing, then now is a great time for stocktaking and planning.

Go over the stuff you're keeping with a really ruthless state of mind. How certain are you that you actually want to pay to bring it all across? Is there any stuff you're a bit 'eh' about?

I'd totally start packing now, but I bought a few boxes before we were even up on the market... Either way, organise your packing - winter clothes, for example, or books/ornaments.

Make a list of everyone that'll need to be told about the move - keep track of what post you receive this month, since it's easy to overlook. Put together a list of phone numbers/account details so that you can go through it in one go and won't have to scrabble around trying to find paperwork.
Set up your mail redirect - Royal Mail want an absolute minimum of 5 days notice, and would prefer at least 3 weeks.

Go through your kitchen - can you use up much of the storecupboard between now and then? Start meal planning with that in mind, perhaps?

Some good advice received, thank you. Luckily I've got rid of a lot of stuff from cupboards, and we've gone through the whole contents of the shed and loft, so what's here is what we'll be taking with us.

If I'm lucky I should get away with the garden now. All my bulbs are over, it's never had many weeds and everything else is shrubs (I've cut back a couple) and some flowers coming through which will be ready in the summer. Just want to cut the hedge back between us and neighbour (it doesn't really need doing, but means it won't be bad in a month). Obviously will have to cut the grass a couple of times.

I'm trying to use up some of our food. Think we'll be eating a few odd combinations towards the end.

Will put a list together of people to inform and prioritize. We're going to have our mail redirected for a year, so hopefully that'll cover anyone we forget.

Just received all contracts and transfers from solicitors with request for deposit or whole balance needed to complete, so that will keep us occupied tonight. We are transferring the money so they have cleared funds.

Hiya
Sorry to hijack but does vendor have to tidy
gardens and remove all belongings proir to completion
only asking my place I'm buying has a very messy garden!
Thanks

No, they don't Blackeyez. Common decency suggests that they might but they often don't.

I moved into a house that had clearly not been cleaned since the day they accepted the offer, a loft full of cr@p, and flea infested since they didn't bother with their cats. They were neighbours.....luckily for them, they were leaaving the area. Nor did they mention that the boiler had died. It was condemned the same day, in December. I had an 16 month old and I was pregnant.

I move in 3 weeks, eek. And we have so far packed all the books, dvds and CDs.

Like you, we have cleared out all the cupboards, shed etc, so what is there we are taking. We've sorted the garden, so will just need a bit of ongoing maintenance.

This weekend a load of stuff goes on ebay/ freecycle.

I have made a list of all the people we need to tell in order of priority.

I have packed away all the winter clothes into suitcases ready and the office is all packed up except what we need.

Pack away:

• any clothes not needed
• books/DVDs/CDs
• keep handy just enough crockery/cutlery/utensils to see you through, box the rest
• pictures/prints could come off walls
• loft/cellar/shed clearout
• make up moving day box with some essentials

You could pack up the loft and sheds as surely these are things that are used very very infrequently?

My friend moved last week and was surprised when doing a visit the week before moving in to find the vendors had repainted throughout and had the carpets shampooed.