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Original poster

Packers from the removal company - what do they actually do?

36 replies

Aberchips · 16/06/2014 18:07

Just that really? Do you just let them in & let them get on with it? Or do you have to have packed up some of the smaller things already?

Obviously I'm going to have a big clear out/ declutter before we get to the packing stage, but I would have thought if I just let them in & say "there you go" they're going to have a fit! Our stuff is so disorganised!!

If you had packers what did they do from start to finish?

OP posts:
ItMustBeBedtimeSurely · 16/06/2014 18:08

Everything. They pack up everything and box it by room. You don't have to do anything, although you'll probably regret it if you don't declutter!

AWombWithoutARoof · 16/06/2014 18:11

Ooh, was just thinking about this! OP, did you find out how much it adds on in terms of cost?

JackieBrambles · 16/06/2014 18:11

They will literally pack rubbish, like an empty milk carton, do throw out anything out really don't want to move!

JackieBrambles · 16/06/2014 18:12

*you really don't want to move

lotsofcheese · 16/06/2014 18:13

We used packers for our recent move; the cost was only £144 to pack a 3/4 bedroom house - it was a a no-brainer! They packed everything. The only thing I packed myself were important documents eg passports & my valuables eg jewellery.

Sixweekstowait · 16/06/2014 18:14

They are the nearest thing to heaven on this earth - who cares what they cost!

SirChenjin · 16/06/2014 18:15

They pack up your house for you (except the bits you don't want them to pack like my knickers). It was the best £300 we have ever, ever, ever times infinity spent.

Sixweekstowait · 16/06/2014 18:15

£144 - bargain!

Doristhecamel · 16/06/2014 18:17

They pack it very fast and as they find it. They don't faff around looking for the other slipper or the pepper pot that matches the salt. If you leave a mug in the lounge you won't find it in a box marked kitchen at the new house.

They are fab. We move every 2 to 3 years and always have the packing service. Just gave a major De clutter beforehand and have everything exactly where it should be on the day.

CharmQuark · 16/06/2014 18:18

You let them get on with it.
They don't make decisions and there will be some rather off mixtures of items in a box but they will be packed on a room-by-room basis.

I think if they have packed they will be reposnsible for any breakages.

They provide all the boxes, and they come and collect them afterwards when you call and say they are empty. This is more useful than you might think - Aquiring 100 empty boxes and then keeping them empty takes up a lot of space.

Original poster
Aberchips · 16/06/2014 18:18

AWomb from what I have heard from others it varies but is around £200- 300 extra.

OP posts:
dottyaboutstripes · 16/06/2014 18:45

We packed along with ours last time as it was a bit of a last minute decision and we were really behind. They were really no-nonsense, speedy workers! And yes, when we unpacked, we found they'd packed the rubbish bags we'd put ready for the bins Grin

HauntedNoddyCar · 16/06/2014 18:56

They're worth what it costs.

You may want to pack a small box of ahem personal items though. And they don't pack keys.

Kerberos · 16/06/2014 23:44

Agree they do pack everything so echo putting it in the room it is supposed to be in.

And make sure fruit bowls are empty. We remembered ours 3 days after we moved and found it in a box marked kitchen. We've just found the potatoes packed with the pans.

rebeccamg · 17/06/2014 09:45

They are amazing!!! Do worth the money.

CalamitouslyWrong · 17/06/2014 09:50

They're so, so much quicker than you ever could be.

CharmQuark · 17/06/2014 10:05

One of the main benefits is that it all gets done in one day, the day before you move - no living with half packed boxes for a couple of weeks.

Do pack your 'day pack' of essentials for moving day before they come. Your box with kettle, tea, mugs etc - the removal men work very fast and stoip for numerous quick cups of tea. Also, bits and bobs you need for the kids, your phone, and keep out cleaning gear if you are going to clean after they have packed.

VeryPunny · 17/06/2014 11:06

Second only to the anethetist who did my epidural with DD in terms of amazing people to walk this planetGrin

Seriously, they are amazing and worth every penny. All you need to do is stay out of their way. Keep keys, important documents with you otherwise they WILL be packed.

Ours got through 80 teabags in a two day move though - that was about 6 people moving a 4 bed house.

keatsybeatsy · 17/06/2014 11:12

Going against the grain here but I hated it and wouldn't use the service again. it just felt so intrusive. They were all a bit whiffy too and the idea that they had been at all my stuff was horrible.

I found it all really stressful and will be doing it myself (well, with kids and DH) when we move soon.

They bubble wrapped lipsticks individually Hmm . . .

mateysmum · 17/06/2014 11:16

Another one here who would never, ever move without using packers. If you get a good crew, provided you keep the tea, coffee and biscuits flowing, they will work at an amazing speed and you just keep checking and answering any queries they have. Fastest, hardest working guys ever were the philipino guys who moved us in and out of Dubai in 40c heat. Incredible and done with a smile!

haggisaggis · 17/06/2014 11:20

It is worth it but yes they do pack everything - including the empty pickled onion jar with vinegar left beside the sink by dh.. unpacked it carefully wrapped in several sheets of paper.
I found the packing great but when you come to unpack there are boxes everywhere - they try to put them in the correct rooms but they are in a hurry so will not ask and just put stuff where they think it should go. We had loads of boxes and trying to make space to unpack was really difficult. We had breakages - one lamp and a few glasses. They told us about the lamp but not the glasses.
Also - keep out clean bedding to go back on the beds. I didn't and because they took 2 days to unpack us and the box of clean bedding was buried in the 2nd truck I had to make the beds with the old bedding.

AWombWithoutARoof · 17/06/2014 11:40

Sorry to butt in again, OP. For those of you who have had packers, did they also dismantle and reassemble beds?

Provencalroseparadox · 17/06/2014 11:52

I agree with Bourdic.

We decamped to an hotel for a night. When we returned it was all done.

HelpMeGetOutOfHere · 17/06/2014 11:57

they dismantle and reassemble beds without the packing service, the movers will do that, and any other furniture that needs dismantling.

I had packers many moves ago and didn't bother in future as yes they pack everything, including a bag of sprouting potatoes that was right at the back of a cupboard obviously forgotten about, and individually wrapped tinned food and packets of pasta etc. I taped a bedside drawers shut and had put personal items in there, I didn't want individually wrapped boxes of condoms or lube thank you very much Blush

TerrysNo2 · 17/06/2014 12:00

They are worth every penny, even if they did pack a box with a rubbish bag! As others said, declutter first!

AWomb our removals company had an option to reassemble furniture (disassemble was included in the packing service) so I think they can so this if you pay extra