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Original poster

Moving ourselves - is it crazy???

51 replies

kmini · 27/04/2017 21:13

So we are moving from London to Yorkshire.

We have a large two bed flat, so not an entire house. Not hugely heavy furniture, just the normal sofas, table, beds, tall boys, but still a substantial amount of stuff.

I will be 8 months pregnant so effectively useless in this move.

Dh suggested today that he should do the move himself. Hire some to help load the van with him in London and get his brother to help with unloading at the other end.

He's between jobs at the moment, so he's keen to save us the 2-3K we've been quoted. We are by no means poor, but as I'm going Mat leave and realistically he won't find a new job till we are in Yorkshire, the temptation is to minimise big costs.

I can understand his reasoning and I'd love save the money too, but i just feel it will be way harder than he thinks. I think it will also take much longer than he thinks, which will mean he'll be away close to DC2s arrival date and ill be left in london with our ds by myself!

Basically are we crazy for even considering This?

Thoughts very much appreciated

OP posts:

wowfudge · 28/04/2017 06:54

Don't. Moving house is stressful enough without that. How is your DH going to get everything in a van (and how big will it need to be?) if you can't lift things? Weeks of packing and living surrounded by boxes, then loading the van, driving to the new place and unloading at the other end. Madness. Pay for removals and pay for packing too.

user1484830599 · 28/04/2017 06:57

I wouldn't while you are pregnant O/P.

We did this recently and it was sheer hell. We could only use a transit due to access issues and I think we did about 40 trips. We don't have a lot of stuff either.

Have you thought about a man and van as a compromise? I was quoted £65 per full load which is much cheaper than a removal co but would give your OH a hand with the lifting.

Ecureuil · 28/04/2017 07:03

Weeks of packing and living surrounded by boxes, then loading the van, driving to the new place and unloading at the other end. Madness

Weeks?! We move today. 4 bed house to a 4 bed house. I started packing on Wednesday, did everything in 2 days with 2 pre schoolers under my feet. It's really not that big a deal!
Maybe I just have less stuff than a lot of people.

befuddledgardener · 28/04/2017 07:05

You obviously won't do anything.

Declutter a month beforehand, pack unessessary stuff two weeks before, dismantle beds tables shelves one week before. Live very basically out of suitcases and clean the last week. He needs a couple of men. A slightly bigger van then expected and an early start.

Dizzywizz · 28/04/2017 07:07

We've done it loads, in the past we hired vans but dh now has vans at work which made it even cheaper and silly to not do. I had a newborn and 2.5 year old and stayed well out of it! Ours was only a small distance though, as no way we could fit all our stuff in one load (2 bed flat too, but packed to the rafters!). Started packing weeks in advance if not a couple of months.

PuckeredAhole · 28/04/2017 07:10

Mad!

We've just moved and we hired a huge lorry and 2 men came with it. We have 2 children and it was a 2 bed house. The men did absolutely everything. My husband and I looked after the children, 4 and 2 whilst they worked around us. When I did a final tidy on the house my husband took them out to a cafe for a snack. It worked well and it really was stressless.

BigGreenOlives · 28/04/2017 07:12

What happens if you go into labour? Are you going to be able to keep your other child out the way while you are moving things out of the flat? Nap times etc? What floor is your flat? What is parking like? How will you cope if you have to go to hospital & you are on your own as your partner has to move your belongings as you can't find a moving company at no notice?

OhDearToby · 28/04/2017 07:14

I'd you are "by no means poor" then I'd definitely not do this. A flat can easily hold as much as a house. Our 3 bed has a bigger floor space than most 3 bed houses!

wowfudge · 28/04/2017 08:08

Yes weeks Ecureuil when you work full time and your DP works away. If, like me, you can't get any time off work then you have do a couple of boxes a night and it takes time and you are surrounded by boxes. I would never pack again myself. We used the removal firm's packing service when we moved last year and it was so much better. They are quicker too.

Ecureuil · 28/04/2017 08:09

Yeah true, DH works away but I'm at home with my 3 year old and 1 year old so easier.

I just don't like paying a fortune for things I can do myself! I'm tight.

Brightsideisbetter · 28/04/2017 08:10

We did this when I was 6 month
S pregnant. We were moving from a 1 bed and only 20 miles and it was fine and we saved lots. Our sofa would not fit in through the front of back doors (!) and the man with a van was so helpful with taking a window out (hopefully you won't have this issue!). My point is these guys do moves a lot and know what they are doing. Being pregnant meant I have a check list which was actually really helpful as i could ensure all boxes went in right rooms in right order. I would do it this way again.

EJC85 · 28/04/2017 08:22

If you guys have at least 1 friend (more if possible) to help then it shouldn't be a problem. That is because at 8 months pregnant you won't be doing very much to help.

We've moved from London to Gloucester with one big van and a little fiesta in two trips. One trip with the van and bulky items and the rest in the little fiesta. Just the 2 of us (although I wasn't pregnant).

We will be doing it all ourselves again when we move, once our house is ready.

It is no crazy, just hard work.

befuddledgardener · 28/04/2017 08:59

If he's between jobs it makes good sense. However do have a stand by birth partner just in case

specialsubject · 28/04/2017 09:25

Two of us and a reasonably empty three bed after lots of moving around. Or so I thought. Took me two weeks to pack it all (properly - nothing broke) and then there were garden tools, garage contents, plants etc. We left all the shie goods except the fridge.

It was a full lorry and I was very grateful for the movers. Under £800 for that distance but it was a few years back. We also had quotes over 3k.

wowfudge · 28/04/2017 09:52

We had wildly varying quotes last time and went with the cheapest because they actually bothered to go and have a look at the tricky access before quoting, unlike the others who said they'd have a look if we decided to use them .

Our NDNs ended up with just a bed and a sofa on the day they moved in as their removal firm neglected to send suitable vehicles to get up the drive. Ironically, it was the same firm which moved our vendors out so they really should have known about the access issues anyway although they were told.

MiaowTheCat · 28/04/2017 10:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

flirtygirl · 28/04/2017 10:43

Its doable just pack the boxes leisurely, declutter and pack only what is needed or loved. Sell or give unwanted items away. Then hire van and man as their labour is usually included, ask family members and friends to help on the day and it should be okay.

You stand clear with a clipboard directing where each item/box goes. I would never spend 2 or 3k even if i had it as its a waste of money to me and id rather save it.

Yes you work a little harder beforehand and for one day. But that money can be used in other ways like have a hoilday later on or make the new place nicer.

Packing is not hard just declutter well beforehand or as you pack. Make all needed items flatpack the week before so no faffing around on the day.

CountMagnus · 28/04/2017 11:31

Have you tried Yorkshire based removals firms to see if you can be a backload for them?

theoryofmind · 28/04/2017 11:56

DH and I have done it several times. We got rid of stuff beforehand that we were ok about letting go. The maxim of proper preparation prevents piss poor performance was put to good use beforehand.

The only difficult bits were heavy or bulky items and straps and blankets like the professionals use were really useful, you can get them online. When we have done it this way it has saved us about £1500 after van hire and burgers and beers for mates helping.

MadameJosephine · 28/04/2017 12:03

Sounds doable to me. Just counted and I've moved 8 times now and have always just hired a self drive van and my brother has helped out in exchange for beer and pizza. It has genuinely never occurred to me to pay somebody else to do it.

n0ne · 28/04/2017 12:06

This is one of those moments when MN seems like the Twilight Zone.

It's fine. It'll take all day but it's totally doable with 2 strong people (preferably more). I've moved house many times, just hiring a van for the day and packing it ourselves. As long as it all fits in for one trip, just cos of the distance you're talking about. But I've moved several times from one part of London to another, requiring multiple trips, and done it in a day. I once moved on the tube!

It's extensive knackering and stressful, but doable.

DoristheNovice · 28/04/2017 14:56

You'll be fine. We're doing it ourselves (only moving 1 mile down the road mind you) We've chucked a load of stuff out, started packing already and generally are just trying to be really organised. Good luck.

Soon2bC · 28/04/2017 15:59

Totally doable, moved about 8 times with bigger houses each time and never used a removal company. I would say get a bigger van that you think you will need, the biggest your OH is allowed to drive and get it from somewhere with national sites to return it to.
I am a speed packer and can pack up a house in a couple of days around work family etc. but i recommend lots of decluttering and selling / donating old furniture before hand. If you are slower make sure you give plenty of time and pack a room at a time. I always move all boxes etc to one room if possible so when it is time to load the van eveything is in one place, clearly label the boxes and an idea of contents.
My worst move was with a tiny escort van which took 8 round trips of 60 miles. all the loading, unloading and driving killed me to the point where I was in tears over my washing machine sat on the front path and i had no oomph left.
My latest move was 2 trips with 3 women doing all the work and we did it in a day easily. Take out additional rental insurance on the van though, my DW damaged the van and we had a £2000 excess if we had not paid for the extra cover which meant it went down to £120

HastingsAdvice151 · 28/04/2017 16:52

I'd be careful doing it yourself 8 months pregnant, you going to need your DH to not be exhausted and in best possible spirits for when baby arrives. Last time we did it ourselves DP was so exhausted and got ill because of it. It will completely drain your DH unless he is very experienced in this kind thing. Never take moving lightly

Last time we moved 300 miles with two kids we paid for removals, but I was still exhausted after. Move did take 2 days tho

scurryfunge · 28/04/2017 16:59

We've moved ourselves twice recently. Very doable but only with a good overlap. It took us two weeks to move from Essex to Wales. The subsequent move from rental into our new cottage took a couple of weeks also. We didn't bother with a van the second time as we moved only 50 yards away. Either drove stuff across the road or used a sack barrow ( neighbours probably thought we were doing a flit

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