When to start packing?!

[AltheaVestr1t]

Just in the conveyancing process at the moment for our house sale and purchase. Currently we've had the searches and the survey back on the house that we're buying and we're waiting for our buyer to have the survey on ours. I'm aware that when these things are complete things can move pretty quickly. Is now to early to start packing? I have a four bedroom house and a full time job so it's likely to take a while!! Any insights from your recent moves would be great. Thanks!

We insisted on a week between exchange and completion and didn't start actually putting stuff in boxes until exchange. However I did make sure everything was properly sorted out and that we had all the boxes, bubble wrap and anything else we needed well before that. The kitchen was the hardest bit and took the longest, so if you want to get started with something maybe do that.

It wouldn’t hurt pack things you don’t use much? Could you start by sorting out the loft/ garage/ airing cupboard/ under the sink/ toy boxes/ back of the wardrobes? You could organise things in drawers/ cupboards so they’re easier to pack too. Label your boxes and create a list of map of where they’ll go in the new house. I wouldn’t pack anything very visible or much used though.

We are not moving till December but we have started packing now. We have packed up things like DVDs, ornaments, books etc. I will also be looking at thinning down much of what is in the kitchen. With the current Covid not so many visitors means not so much need for glasses and cups etc so I plan to pack up some of that stuff.

Months surrounded by boxes, but can’t bear a rush at the end 😊

I agree that packing things you don't use much is wise, it took me far longer than I thought and I ended up bundling things into boxes at the end.

It's such a personal preference. We've gathered all the boxes we need. DH has wanted to pack for weeks and started some boxes, we're still another 2-3 weeks from exchange, I'd rather not do any packing until exchanged! I just think how devastating it'll be to unpack boxes if it all falls through.

We generally start packing as soon as possible, last one was eight weeks before the move.

It's not until you actually start that you realise how much crap you have but don't actually need. So we sorted, packed and decluttered at the same time.

We then allocate an area to stack the boxes. Funnily enough my neighbours who are moving soon started doing what we do, there's a huge stack of boxes by one window.

I would start sorting and clearing out now. Use the chance to get rid of anything you don't want.

And then I would pay the removal people to pack. It was a tiny cost in the grand scheme of moving and so worth it.

i started packing as soon as i signed the missives - started off with things i didnt need ie i moved in the summer so packed first all winter clothes and some bed linen sets - kept using the same ones and just rewashed and put back on bed

@TheMumblesofMumbledom

We generally start packing as soon as possible, last one was eight weeks before the move.

It's not until you actually start that you realise how much crap you have but don't actually need. So we sorted, packed and decluttered at the same time.

We then allocate an area to stack the boxes. Funnily enough my neighbours who are moving soon started doing what we do, there's a huge stack of boxes by one window.

This was how we did it. Boxes for charity shop and packing and throwing away. I was glad I had started so early but still ended up a big rush at the end with all the everyday things. Started in the bedrooms and bottoms of wardrobes. Cupboards that hadn't been opened in a long time. Took the chance to organise the junk drawer(s)

I was a single mum with 2 kids and a 3-bed house to fi. 😓

Started with a massive decluttering.

Then packed ornaments and books.

Then out of season clothes.

Then did the main stuff in the last 2 weeks. I was dreading it but it was a lot easier than I thought.

We got boxes from supermarkets and so took a bit of time to acquire them (banana boxes are good for DVDs & books, just a bit worrying when a spider crawls out! 🍌🕷) I think its always worth starting early with non essential stuff so there's less to do when you exchange. You also will likely find you need more boxes so better to discover that earlier on. I'd also start going through clothes, books, DVDs, brick-a-brack to see if there's stuff you don't want to move with and take to charity - some charity shops are accepting less and on reduced hours so might now be as easy to donate as it was pre-covid.

I started packing as soon as we decided to put the house on the market. We needed to clear and de clutter ready for estate agent photos so packed away as much as possible. Then went through drawers and wardrobes packing stuff that was stored away there. There was maybe 13 weeks between going on the market and moving day. I tried to do a box a day.

If you’re booking a removals firm then I’d get them to quote for packing as well - it’s usually only around a couple of hundred pounds extra and they’ll provide all the materials and have it done in a day.

We've got some renovations planned and want to save as much as possible for this, so probably will do it ourselves (by which I mean myself!) - I also imagine it will be much harder to unpack if someone else has packed for you as things won't be organised the way you want them! Thanks for the tips, I'll make a start on Monday and stack the boxes in the attic!

Honestly, once you’ve had someone pack for you, you’ll never do it again yourself. Unpacking is very straightforward as they label the boxes well. £200 well spent and many hours of your time saved (plus you can easily spend £50 + on packaging materials).

@SabrinaThwaite

Honestly, once you’ve had someone pack for you, you’ll never do it again yourself. Unpacking is very straightforward as they label the boxes well. £200 well spent and many hours of your time saved (plus you can easily spend £50 + on packaging materials).

I couldn't think of anything worse than a stranger going through my belongings to pack them,no matter how much time and sanity it saved me.

They don’t “go through your stuff” Obviously you pack any private items yourself.

@SabrinaThwaite

They don’t “go through your stuff” Obviously you pack any private items yourself.

Yes, exactly. They'll give you as many boxes as you want in advance for personal items and then whizz through everything else. They just pack in the order they come across things and label everything.

We have had movers pack us several times as it's part of the service in a military move, we always pre pack ourselves now, I don't like others doing it for us.

We are currently doing the same as WatchingFromTheWings. We are having our estate agent photos tomorrow so have been packing up stuff the last 2 weeks to make rooms less cluttered. Currently storing the boxes at my parents.
Unfortunately we haven't had chance to make a start on the box room that is full of junk, so that will be missed off the photos, but that is the room we are going to tackle next along with the loft. We'll sort through what to keep or throw away/donate over the next few weeks, then will start packing the rest up closer to our move.

A PP mentioned above exactly my sentiment when it comes to packing. I dont like the mad rush at towards the end. We too, are moving ourselves, 0.5 miles down the road. We hope to complete at the latest mid - Sept but hopefully slightly sooner. I have been packing a box a night and today I packed 3 boxes. I had kept all the ornamental stuff and prints up for as long as possible in case we had to conduct viewings again as they dressed the space but we are at the point now where our buyers have even returned the TR1 and signed contract that I'm feeling hopeful hence the increased number of boxes. We are also decluttering at the same time so a tip run booked for next week.

The only thing that I'm a little confused about, how are you labelling your boxes and ensuring they end up in the correct room at your new place? I have put massive labels on my boxes with list of contents in it but then some items could be ambiguous like vases as to where that box ends up.

@Notyetthere When you say moving yourself and how to label boxes, are you have a removal firm to do the actual move once you've packed? If so you just write the name of the room in the new place you want the box to go in to. Decide in advance so it's consistent such as 'green bedroom' or 'back double' or whatever and the movers will put every box where labelled. If you've listed contents too make sure that your naming doesn't confuse things and is clearly separate.

We did a half arsed de clutter before going on the market. We are now at the finishing enquiries stage, all searches and surveys are back and hoping to have the "dates" talk this week. I've been doing similar to other posters and packing up some ornaments, stuff we can do without until we move and did a couple of tip runs this weekend. Once we have a date that's when we'll ramp up a lot more with the packing. Also trying to keep on top of the cleaning a bit more (doors, walls, skirting that kind of thing) so it's not too much to deal with around moving day.

@MikeEhrmantraut we did the same. Half arsed for selling the house (we just hid the lot in the shed/loft/etc) here too. Now we really don't want to take any of it if isn't needed.

Tip run tomorrow and probably another one next week as and when we clear the loft and the sheds.

In our short chain everybody has finished their conveyancing and waiting for us to get our mortgage offer after valuation survey on 1st Sept.