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Original poster

Moving with a packing service- how does it work?

38 replies

ImTheCaddy · 07/02/2020 22:32

I've booked removals for Wednesday next week and I've booked the packing service as I haven't been able to take any time of etc etc.

I'm finding it so strange not getting started though - do u really just leave and they pack EVERYTHING? Seems so wrong somehow!

Am thinking will pack essentials, overnight stuff, school uniform etc myself or I might not be able to find it!

I haven't really moved like this before so it's all new 🤪

OP posts:
TheGreatWave · 07/02/2020 23:02

Yes they will pack everything - so it will be worth going round this weekend and clearing anything that you really don't want to take. We put things we didn't want them to pack in the ensuite, so clothes, paperwork (carry all important documents with you), cleaning materials, vac etc.

The packing service was amazing (especially as we moved in the middle of the heatwave in 2018)

We did do some ourselves -shed and loft (wanted another £250 for this)

Hope all goes well on Wednesday.

FusionChefGeoff · 07/02/2020 23:09

Make sure everything is in the right room - if there's a random glove / sock / plate / screwdriver somewhere it will end up in a random box and makes unpacking a nightmare as you have a huge pile of random shit with nowhere to put it as you haven't unpacked that room yet...

Evidencebased · 07/02/2020 23:21

Make sure as you've said that you keep separate or pack yourself everything you need - before they arrive.
They move fast. And will pack everything : rubbish left in wastepaper baskets, everything. Not their job to discriminate

Original poster
ImTheCaddy · 08/02/2020 07:00

Thanks that's so helpful.

I'm going to spend the weekend getting rid of the rest of the unwanted bits (done a lot already!) and making sure it's all as obvious as possible.

It just feels strange to not be p to my ears in boxes by now!

OP posts:
Wordofwarning · 08/02/2020 07:09

Top tip - pack kettle m, tea bags and mugs last and unpack first! All removal boys are keen on a cuppa :)
Who is moving you? Remember they’ve seen it all before. Take valuables with you - not because they are untrustworthy but because it will make you feel better.

It is a brilliant service and well worth it if you are busy!

takeyourrubbishhome · 08/02/2020 07:11

They are amazing but basically like packing locusts. Anything not nailed down will be packed, and as PP said, anything not in the right room will get mixed up. I’ve still not found my hairdryer and we moved 6 months ago - we still have a few boxes so it must be in there. I went to do school pickup (5 minutes walk each way, 15 minutes out in total) and every scrap of food in the house was packed! I’d recommend swift unpacking at the other end just to try and find everything, but it’s a truly remarkable service. Ours was a two day pack - so most of our stuff was in the van at the end of the first day.

Orchardgreen · 08/02/2020 07:26

My mother’s kitchen bin was packed before she could empty it. Yuk!

minipie · 08/02/2020 08:41
  1. declutter now
  2. put everything in the right place for where you want it in the new house
  3. keep separate anything you don’t want them to pack, this means anything you need on packing day AND stuff you will need asap in the new house - overnight stuff for everyone, bedlinen, tea/coffee & kettle, a few snacks, a few cleaning items for new place. You can ask them to pack this stuff at the end. A MNer suggested putting all this stuff in the bath which I think is genius!
TwoHeadedYellowBelliedHoleDig · 08/02/2020 08:45

They provide all the boxes and packing which was cheaper than attempting to buy them separately, and anything they pack is insured.

Put anything you need in your car. Don't even consider thinking you'll have time to retrieve it later. No. They will pack the entire house in less than two hours and put it all in their van. You might be able to slow them down slightly with biscuits but realistically it's easier just to hide stuff from them.

Purplewithred · 08/02/2020 08:48

Yup, its wonderful but the last time I turned my back they packed the kitchen bin full of rubbish into a huge box and taped it down.

Best tip ever - declutter as you unpack. Do you really need 6 identical baking tins/that basked of half burned candles from two christmases ago etc?

But it is a wonderful system and I will never pack for myself ever again.

burritofan · 08/02/2020 08:59

Put post-it notes on absolutely EVERYTHING that's staying, even if it seems obvious to you.

They should provide a "bits and bobs" box for nuts and bolts of flat-packed furniture, remote controls, etc, that you don't want to go rummaging for at the other end.

As PP have said they don't discriminate and they pack FAST. Whole cutlery tray lifted from the drawer, into the box, next nearest thing on top, etc. They won't label the boxes beyond "kitchen" so you might want to hover and add more detail to the boxes. If a box isn't full they'll add stuff from another room on top, too.

Ours were not great, tbh: he packed a bag of sandwich bags by shaking all the sandwich bags loose into a box, packing other things, then putting the bag on top of those. Also packed a few things that were nailed down or labelled as staying, so we had to post back to the buyers.

picklesdragonisawelshdragon · 08/02/2020 09:11

I put my underwear in a suitcase ahead of time, as I didn't fancy someone else packing it.

I opened a large box to find an empty suitcase.
Then in another box I found my underwear. Blush

MrsCollinssettled · 08/02/2020 09:14

I would always opt for this. Just put anything personal/vital in your car out of sight.

As pp have said they are packing locusts so empty bins, and make sure you've washed up breakfast things before they arrive. Colleague opted for a cooked breakfast to set themselves up for the day but hadn't got the grill pan washed up. He later unpacked it and it was still full of grease. Not pleasant.

They probably won't empty the loft so you need to factor getting everything out of it ahead of them arriving - which may be a bigger job than you think.

Their insurance means that they need to pack everything themselves so don't think that making a start and boxing some stuff yourself will be helpful to them.

If you are having your clothes moved in the hanging rail boxes they may well want you to empty those on arrival so that they can leave with them so think about how you will manage that.

It's a weird the first time you do this as it feels very wrong not to be packed and ready to go the night before but just put your feet up and take the chance for a breather before having to start unpacking at the other end.

Just keep the brews and biscuits coming (and give them access to a loo - you'd be amazed how many people don't treat them like human beings).

katewhinesalot · 08/02/2020 09:15

Packing locusts

Grin this sums it up exactly.

It was weird the night before, just sitting in a normal house without lifting a finger - although dh dismantled all our electrical stuff and computer etc as he didn't trust anyone else to do it and he wanted to be able to reconnect everything properly at the other end.

user14572856389 · 08/02/2020 09:16

Does anywhere offer an unpacking service yet?

wowfudge · 08/02/2020 09:19

We packed a suitcase with clothes, toiletries, etc for the first couple of days in the new place. We had three plastic boxes - one with kettle, mugs, etc to make drinks, one with cleaning stuff and the other with basic toolkit, extension leads, remote controls, etc. Take your vacuum cleaner in the car. We also took all the bedlinen including duvet and pillows off our bed, rolled them up and stuck them in a car. Meant it was really easy to make the bed at the other end. I emptied the bins and had a bin bag for rubbish which they were told not to pack. Don't let use damp, used towels for packing! I had to retrieve ours.

Muuuuuuuum · 08/02/2020 09:26

I love the packing service. But they do pack everything, as lots of pp have said.

Although they did pack the contents of our fridge freezer but nearly forgot the FF itself, so do walk around at the end to check they've got everything.

Pipandmum · 08/02/2020 09:32

@user14572856389 now that would be useful!

SallyLovesCheese · 08/02/2020 09:44

I've used the service the last two times we've moved - I wouldn't move without it now! Although we're hopefully unlikely to move again anytime soon.

Totally agree with the "packing locusts" description. But they really are incredible. We headed off for some lunch just to get out of their way, because once you've said "Not this" to your suitcase or whatever, they just get on with it. But they really will pack everything!

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 08/02/2020 09:45

Talk to any Military family and they will give you stories about the random stuff they found when unpacking- had a neighbour who had their full! Nappy bin packed for a week long international move.

They will pack anything and everything into a box. They are usually good at wrapping fragile stuff- I count on my fingers the stuff we have had broken over six moves including 5 international. They don't care about organisation, so a box could contain baby toys, your Grandmother's antique tea service and DHs selection of Hawaiian shirts. The boxes will be labelled with a room but not much more detail than that. So we tend to dump stuff in pikes in the correct room in old house so hopefully it will appear in correct room in New house.

marcopront · 08/02/2020 09:55

My mother’s kitchen bin was packed before she could empty it. Yuk!

I've heard of this happening on international moves, when the stuff has gone by ship and takes weeks to arrive.
Also remotes being packed and shipped to the new house but the object the remote was for not being taken.

Jaffajiffy · 08/02/2020 09:57

We’ve done it twice. The unpacking is harder because you’re trying to direct “the locusts”. Try to plan ahead for surfaces to be available so they can unpack, take the packaging, and then you decide which cupboards etc later.

EggysMom · 08/02/2020 09:59

wowfudge are you me? That's what we did! Suitcase of clothes and toiletries. Plastic boxes with necessities (kettle/mugs, toolkit, plus one for boy's toys). Bedding on the backseat of car. We also took our paperwork files with us rather than having them move. But that was it, we just sat back and watched the locusts work through the house.

DurannieDeckingTheHalls · 08/02/2020 10:11

You can get them to unpack... but I think it's not worth it... to stressful trying to make sure they do so in right location.... I've only used that service once in 9 moves (5 international), never again! Just ended up with like of unpacked stuff everywhere in a jumble as they're are too fast to keep up with...I do always get them to reassemble anything that had to be dismantled....

I agree to keeping personal items/ cleaning stuff/ valuables/ essential paperwork hidden somehow here to travel with you rather than movers... and being sure bins etc are empty before they arrive. They pack so fast it's impossible to see anything going that shouldn't be and they don't always remember verbal instruction once they are in the zone so to speak... and labels can fall off! I unpacked after one international move to discover a broken lampshade belonging to the landlord in the country we'd come from containing one large, dead spider as everything is just grabbed and packed so quickly....

whatevertr · 08/02/2020 11:41

Count the boxes in and out.
I've moved frequently and never had an issue with this service. A friend of mine moved and their packers stole boxes of her designer bags and shoes!

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