Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

what to do before the packers arrive?

42 replies

fatsatsuma · 13/05/2016 22:23

I know this often comes up here, but I've got a week before the move and I'm suddenly panicking about preparing for the packers. I know they will just pack what they find. Apart from obvious stuff like packing things we're going to need on the first evening, keys, valuables, important documents, what else do I need to do? I'm on my own with 3 DC and I just don't know how to get ready.

OP posts:
justdontevenfuckingstart · 13/05/2016 22:27

Could you ask them what they would prefer? Never used packers but they are the experts so ask them how you can make it easier for you all. Best of luck for your move.

ImperialBlether · 13/05/2016 22:30

What about an overnight bag for each child, with clothes, toothbrush etc, books and a couple of toys, so they have something to do while the unpacking's taking place?

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 13/05/2016 22:37

I packed the kettle etc so we could make tea for them the other end over night bags and my jewellery. They did everything else!

Happy moving day Smile

Moving15 · 14/05/2016 07:19

The only thing you need to get ready is your own thoughts about where your things need to go when you arrive at your new home. If you have things which are destined for your new living room spread throughout the house then it would be a good idea to make sure they are grouped together so they can go into one box labeled living room. It will simplify your life when you unpack.

I also made little tags and attached them to my furniture to say which room to put items in at the new house along with door signs to name the rooms so that I could direct them quickly when they were wrestling with large items.

Otherwise you just need to download a few films to keep you busy on the day and out of their way. Happy moving!!

Original poster
fatsatsuma · 14/05/2016 08:07

Thanks for all these helpful replies. Those who have had packers - did you leave them to pack things like photos, ornaments, random collections of stuff in drawers? I have tried to declutter and sort, and have managed to some extent, but my house certainly doesn't look like a show home - we've been in it for 15 years...
My wonderful DH died of cancer last year so this move is harder than it would be otherwise, and I'm not as on top of things as I would like to be.

OP posts:
TheoriginalLEM · 14/05/2016 08:10

Do people not pack their own stuff? i thought removal men, well, removed and put in the new house?

WhereInTheWorldToNext · 14/05/2016 08:15

Overnight bag with stuff for you and the DC.

I always pack my jewelry and keep passports and it's handy to have a box with kettle and cups/glasses so you can organize drinks etc although my preferred option is to meet the m at new house explain what's what and then disappear for day

PurpleDaisies · 14/05/2016 08:17

Do people not pack their own stuff? i thought removal men, well, removed and put in the new house?

No you can pay for other people to do it for you. We're going for packers too. It will massively reduce the stress of moving. Money well spent in my opinion. Smile

FinallyHere · 14/05/2016 08:18

Hope it goes well for you, you sound as if you have it pretty much under control.

Only thing can suggest is to work out how to make clear the things you don't want them to pack. Can you keep the overnight things in your car or find a clearly marked space which they know to leave alone? Hope it goes well for you all.

Original poster
fatsatsuma · 14/05/2016 08:19

I physically could not pack up our home of 15 years by myself for a raft of reasons, so for me it's a life-saver.

OP posts:
Original poster
fatsatsuma · 14/05/2016 08:20

Thanks - yes, good idea to put stuff in the car the night before that I don't want them to pack.

OP posts:
Believeitornot · 14/05/2016 08:22

We used packers recently. Where we had piles of random stuff they didn't pack so well and I've not been able to locate some things afterwards!

So make sure everything is in the right room. So when it gets labelled up you can put it in the right place at the other end.

Make sure you pack stuff for the kitchen and put in the car. Plus bedding etc which you want quickly at the other end. And cleaning stuff.

Have a plan for the other end as to where you want stuff to go.

sparechange · 14/05/2016 08:23

Run down the contents of the fridge and freezer - that was the only thing our packers wouldn't touch (presumably because they aren't responsible if we then eat partially defrosted meat and get ill?)

Remove anything embarrassing from drawers Wink

Make a spreadsheet of all your utilities, magazine subscriptions, mailing lists, banks, insurance etc, with your account numbers/reference numbers, so you can easily tell everyone your new address.

Do you need a parking permit for the new house? Get an insurance cover note for the new house so you can sort that out ASAP and don't have to risk parking tickets.

Paying for packing was the best thing we did with our last move. We had a nice relaxed lunch near the new house until we got the call to say we could collect the keys.

HonniBee · 14/05/2016 08:26

I pre-packed one box with my more... ahem... personal items I didn't want them to pack for me! I also made sure I had a box of tea/coffee stuff with disposable cups and lids for the movers (and me!)

If you have time/can manage it, a clear out before they come is a good idea as they pack literally everything. Saves a bit of time when unpacking. I spent a lot of time in the kitchen unwrapping carefully wrapped bottles of sauce to find a teaspoon left at the bottom- what a waste!

Packing service is definitely money well spent, LEM a lot less stressful and saves lots of time!

Good luck with the move, Satsuma

seven201 · 14/05/2016 08:28

I would put everything you don't want them to pack in one small room as they pack literally everything they see. My dad used packers and they packed a nearly full bin and all the cleaning stuff so he had to go out and buy new cleaning stuff to clean before he left.

Moving15 · 14/05/2016 08:36

I only packed undies, jewellery, passports, money, overnight stuff for the fam. We kept two suitcases out and empty ready to shove all the bedding into on moving day. l also kept a cleaning caddy out to clean as they cleared each room. I had a folder of docs related to the move with essential phone numbers incase there was a problem on the day and I couldn't find anything!

They packed all ornaments and Drawers of random accumulated stuff.

It takes quite a long time to unpack everything as they wrap things carefully in packing paper!

Original poster
fatsatsuma · 14/05/2016 08:42

Thanks everyone. It helps to know a bit more what to expect. The emotional strain of moving whilst still grieving for DH is massive, and so I know there will be things I miss, but our removals guys are really nice and know our situation so I hope between us we will muddle through.

OP posts:
sparechange · 14/05/2016 08:44

Oh yes! They do pack literally everything.
We found the wireless thermostat for the old house while unpacking and had to send it back to our buyers

ThisIsNotARealAvo · 14/05/2016 08:45

How much does it cost? We are moving in the summer and I had not thought of using packers until now.

hesterton · 14/05/2016 08:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
fatsatsuma · 14/05/2016 08:52

I'm afraid I don't know exactly what the packing element is costing, as it was included in each of the quotes I got and was always something I knew I needed so I didn't ask for a breakdown of the costs. But I do know that it is not as great an extra cost as you might think; everyone I know who's had packers would always use them again.

Those who have labelled furniture and labelled the rooms in the new house to show where things need to go - silly question maybe, but what did you use as labels? Don't want to mark newly painted doors etc so was thinking post-its, but they may well get knocked/blown off while people are coming in and out. And how to label furniture? Any tips?

OP posts:
HolaWeenie · 14/05/2016 08:58

Can you print floor plan of old and new house and use that to instruct them for where stuff should go? It's likely on the day you'll be by front door and as stuff comes in you'll be shouting out where bits should go.

Drawer contents usually stay in the drawers.

I told them my downstairs loo was a no go zone and filled it with over night stuff, legal paperwork, jewelry/safe, Hoover and cleaning bits etc.

Good luck

Original poster
fatsatsuma · 14/05/2016 09:04

Thanks, like the idea of printing off the floorplan - easier than labelling rooms.

OP posts:
CobOnTheCorn · 14/05/2016 09:05

I'm sure our packers did the labelling for me. So I could tell tell them that everything from the front bedroom in the old house was going to the front bedroom in the new house etc.

The things I packed separately were kettle,teabags, coffee, sugar milk and teaspoons (more for the packing guys than me) valuables, passports, knickers and a few delicate items. Oh and the Hoover so that I could whizz round the house when it was empty.

Oh and keys to various things that I didn't want to get separated from the things that they unlocked

I found the guys incredibly helpful and asked me lots of question instead of making assumptions.

Good luck!

Florin · 14/05/2016 09:05

Sorry for your loss, the move must be very hard on all of you.
We moved this time last year and it was a really warm day. We got in a couple of different types of cans of fizzy drink. The removal men really appreciated a nice cold drink when they were working hard in the warm weather.