So we've just accepted an offer on our house.....

[alabasterangel]

And had an offer accepted on the one we want. Very short chain, just us and our buyer (coming from rented) and the vendor of our new place, who is moving into rented. So a simple chain.

Estate agents on both sides advise current moving timescales in this area approximately 8 weeks. Yikes.

I feel the need to be 'doing' something - leaving it another 2, 3, 4 weeks will squeeze us for time. We are away for 2 weekends in April too which cuts into the time we have. We have A LOT of decluttering and organsing to do; our loft is heaving for a start.

Is it too early to start to pack stuff up, particularly in the loft and so on? I'm superstituous about this stupid and illogical I know and feel like if I start to tangiably prepare in some way then it'll all go pear shaped.

Definetpy not too early to start packing, as presumably even if this sale falls through (hope not!!) You will still move eventually. Maybe just start with stuff that isnt used everyday or is purely decorative (books, paperwprk, pictures, baking stuff).

Oh and definetly get the loft boxed ready.

well you're going to move at some point even if this falls through, which i am SURE it wont as it will have the wrath of MN if it does!!

Do it! We had the same chain as you and dh is superstitious daft and we ended up chucking bits in the backs of cars on moving day!

As you have lots of decluttering to do I'd start with that it'll be a useful job done even if it falls through! Fingers crossed it doesn't though :)

I felt like this, so just started with having a HUGE HUGE clear-out, then packing non-essential bits all casually so Fate wouldn't notice. :)

But really, packing would be a GOOD thing to do if you believe in woo stuff like Law of Attraction. Proceed as if everything's going to be fine and it should be fine.

get in that loft today. Remember every single object in your house has to be moved. This costs effort,money or both. This should concentrate your mind on what you don't need.

have you organised removals quotes and provisional dates?

Do you have a spare bedroom? Get that packed up too. Plus use it as a place to store packed and sealed boxes.

Thank you. I've just been into our warehouse here at work and managed to blag about 50 immaculate packing boxes!
I just feel so superstituous that maybe I ought to at least wait for the survey on ours. We are buying a relatively new house (8 years) which will only need a basic survey, but we are selling a 150 year old house and I'm paranoid that something will come up on it for our buyer (nothing I know of I should point out, but just a source of worry!)
How quickly do surveys get done these days? When I bought the house I seem to remember it was done really quite quickly...within a week or two of offering?

I've had removal estimates, but don't dare even think about provisional dates (they say 8 weeks but said it can vary) and we only had our offer accepted yesterday...
No spare room, unfortunately (hence the move!). I am also concious that we will have to live with these boxes which might begin to grate!
I wonder how late we leave it to pack the DC's stuff too, toys and games. They are only relatively little (6 and 3) and the 3 year old hasn't fully grasped what is going to happen at all. I don't want to unsettle them!

We're in the same position as you and are expecting surveys done within 2 weeks of acceptance of offer.

I won't start packing until surveys are done on both sides but I am a ridiculous fool who avoids tempting date in every situation. It's exhausting!

We actually packed up loads of stuff and stashed it in a storage unit before we put the house on the market to make it look like we hadn't filled it and there was space to grow into

After we had accepted an offer and survey was done, we designated an area of the dining room and could stack 3 packing boxes high, and about 3 across, so 9 boxes as a starting point.

My two were 6 and 3 and we just left all their stuff till last. But made them aware everything in the house was moving with us. The 6 year old had seen photos of the new house completely furnished so assumed it was a like a holiday let. Asked where will all our stuff go. He didn't get that the new house would be empty!

Good luck.

Meant to say, tackle the loft and de-clutter, but start packing once survey has been done.

Thanks. I think I will start with the loft this weekend. There are things in the loft which are definately needing to go, and stuff which needs better packing (vacuum bags which don't vacuum any more, excess bedding, etc) and all that could be put in better boxes and labelled better anyway, regardless of house move. I also need to persuade DH to part with some of his crap (he's got some hideous enormous Athena style framed prints up there which will never adorn a wall of mine!)

What about packing materials? I'm thinking that there is a fine line between spending silly money or making wise decisions. For example, packing tape is a misery. I was thinking about one of those tape guns? I also seem to remember our last move I got a huge pack of tissue (like the stuff they wrap wine bottles in at the office licence?) and you can buy reams of them on Amazon - 1000 sheets for 15. It was way quicker than bubble wrap which each piece needed cutting with scissors and was really bulky to dispose of.

Or do I not bother with any of that and use old newspapers (which cover everything in ink but are free) and save myself money?

Decisions, decisions....!

get on freecycle for packing stuff; but move quickly!

I'm already on freecycle, i'll be 'donating' some of our clutter that way too! I've tried to get 3 seperate lots of packing boxes but they've already gone, but thats pointless anyway now as i can get boxes from work. It was more the tape and bubble wrap and so on.... I've never seen people offer that stuff? Maybe I should be asking!