When do you start packing?

[LillyBugg]

I'm in a short chain of only two properties, three parties. I'm therefore hopeful that things shouldn't take too long to go through buries head in sand. When should I start packing?! DH said wait for exchange just in case. But don't some properties complete within like a week of exchange? Isn't that fairly normal? I feel like I'm waiting for some kind of cue to start packing up my life all our crap but I don't know what I'm waiting for?

Don't marry a hoarder (DH retro games took up the whole 2nd van and now occupy our massive double loft). Casettes, videos, 1000s of copies of old magazines were among his hoarde. Never again would I be OK with bringing so much when I was ruthless about getting rid of baby items

middle are you my double-life? That is exactly the same as us. 2 PS1's, commodore 64, amiga, old printer, games, old football cards, match programmes, the list goes on and on and on.

@Atthebottomofthesea

They should live together and overrun their house with old consoles. We just bought a new printer and DH took the old 15-year old one one up to his loft of 'vintage' "just in case it's needed"

Have a massive declutter instead.
If your not planning on more children - get rid of outgrown clothes, toys,baby equipment,toys they no longer play with.
re- evaluate your own clothes situation, can you get rid of stuff you no longer wear.
Look at books,magazines,kitchen equipment,dvds,household items, ex hobbies, all the general mish mash of stuff we have around us - do you really need it all ?
It's been 9 years since we moved ( repeat again 9 years) and my dh still has boxes and boxes of ' handy things/ might be worth something one day ( his words) still unopened !

As mentioned upthread, the period between exchange and completion is by agreement between all parties (so hopefully the other two in the chain won’t expect 48 hours!).

Massive declutter immediately - even if the sale fell through this will improve your life no end.

Your husband should be aware that unless you live in a studio flat you won’t have time to pack everything on the day. Ideally everything other than a few necessities should be packed by the day before, and then on the day you can just pack what’s left, dismantle any furniture and do last-minute cleaning, and then load. It might be wise to agree beforehand a time when your buyers expect you to be out, as once your buyers’ money has cleared then the house is theirs and you don’t actually have any right to remain in it - this could be quite early in the day as it’s a short chain. Also if they’re first time buyers they’ll probably be excited to get in asap. Sounds like a set time would also be a good idea to concentrate your DH’s mind so he knows he can’t be faffing around all day.