Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

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

How long to pack?

37 replies

Orangerunner10 · 11/04/2021 10:44

We are moving in just over two weeks, meant to exchange next week but as long as both ends of our chain don’t fall through (FTB at bottom and our seller) we can move either way regardless. We are doing a DIY move as we have a storage unit, so most stuff into storage unit, full van on the day, then the weekend unloading the unit. Two bedrooms, a full attic and cellar. LOADS of stuff due to various equipment heavy hobbies; photography, climbing, scuba, camping etc.

How long do you think it will take to pack? Is it too ambitious to make plans for both weekends in between moving that don’t involve packing? We both WFH full time currently.

OP posts:
Didicat · 11/04/2021 10:47

We moved ourselves last summer and all I can say is every time we thought we were nearly there we weren’t it also took two move trips than we expected. I would say keep your time for packing and if you can plan something you can cancel for the second Sunday in case you are much faster than us!

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 11/04/2021 10:49

We started packing as soon as we agreed a sale. Just the non essentials (books/camping gear/extra bedding etc). We had a space to store packed boxes.

Anything we would use over the months between agreeing a sale/completion was sorted (eg all broken toys gone etc), then just left to pack on those last two weekends.

Have you packed anything?

UCOinanOCG · 11/04/2021 10:51

You. Red to start right now and devote every evening to it if you don't plan to do it on the weekends. It takes way longer than you think.

Findahouse21 · 11/04/2021 10:52

7 full days

Changingwiththetimes · 11/04/2021 10:52

You're crazy. Unless you want to pull some all night packing the last few days - keep those weekends free! You could always add something in fir the last weekend if you are really quick, but doubt it. Don't forget you need to clean afterwards.

Original poster
Orangerunner10 · 11/04/2021 10:54

We’ve packed a few bits but we’ve had a lot of trouble with purchases falling through (vendors changing mind) so we can’t believe we have come so far this time! I was going to start this weekend but it feels premature Confused

OP posts:
BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 11/04/2021 10:59

But you have a storage unit right? Why would you not just fill it with all the stuff you dont currently use?

Even if everything falls through you will end up re-listing and selling quick enough to have made it worth it.

BlueCherryBlossom · 11/04/2021 11:04

As someone who daren't pack a single thing until exchange, for fear of jinxing it, I understand OP!

Thankfully we are in rented so will have at least a few weeks crossover, but it would make much more sense to make a start now. I like the idea of boxing up unused things... I could 'declutter' things away in boxes to go in the garage, without tempting fate by 'packing'.

PurBal · 11/04/2021 11:16

We moved from a large 1 bed into storage (which was advertised as big enough for a 2 bed to give you an idea of the amount of stuff we own) and it took us 8 days including 3 weekends. We also had help from family for the big stuff and some of the packing. I think the answer is always "yesterday" when it comes to moving.

Original poster
Orangerunner10 · 11/04/2021 11:17

Well it’s stupid tbh as our ftb has waited so long than we’ll need to move soon anyway and if the sale falls through it will be back to our parents. If FTB pulls out it will be annoying but we can change the mortgage to move anyway and sell this house ASAP. It just feels a bit guilty to start packing now!

OP posts:
Onelifeonly · 11/04/2021 11:24

We didn't start packing until exchange agreed. (3 bed house plus lift extension, shed, home office). We had 2.5 weeks. Spent all our spare time each evening and weekends packing as far as I can recall (some years ago, kids were young so probably had to amuse them a lot at weekends though). All boxes stored in our house - it became difficult to find room for them. I had wanted to sort and chuck as I went, but it proved impossible. Much easier to box up rather than stop to think what we still needed.

It was a major effort to get it done in time, and we never got round to the shed. The removal guys did that and traisped mud all through the house as it was raining hard. (I was left to clean the floors with nothing but bits of paper!)

I'd say it's easy to under-estimate.

Superstardjs · 11/04/2021 11:28

EVERYONE has said start asap and you keep saying it is too early, despite asking if you should start Confused Packing takes ages, especially if you have lots of stuff that needs to be properly sorted or wrapped. I moved last summer and it took me a good week, I could never have done it in a couple of weekends and it was a tiny house with no garage/cellar/attic.

StevieG55 · 11/04/2021 11:30

A long long long time. We started packing up our 2 bed house (just 2 adults at the time) about a month or so before the move.

Obviously lots of stuff can't be done until closer to the date as still being used but whatever u can get packed up joe do it!

It just took way longer than I expected. The kitchen was a right pain as everything had to be bubble wrapped etc. We did it every wkend for a month. In the end I had to take day off before we moved to do more packing and it all felt so rushed even on the day. It's very, very stressful.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 11/04/2021 11:34

Guilty about what?

Original poster
Orangerunner10 · 11/04/2021 11:45

Guilty about tempting fate or being too organised! Even though the other options are available to us they’re not ideal...

OP posts:
BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 11/04/2021 12:08

The only people who would know or benefit from your organisation is you. So stop feeling guilt there.

Tempting fate? Theres no such thing. Whether you pack or dont, this will or won't go ahead.

If you were 2 or 3 months out fine. But you are two weeks away. And not planning in any packing time.

That's idiotic tbh.

AppleStars · 11/04/2021 12:15

If you're moving in a fortnight you are absolutely not "too organised", in fact quite the opposite! We moved 9 days ago, I'd say we spent 5-6 full days packing over a few weekends, and there's only two of us. We do have a lot of books/dvds/kitchen stuff, but even things like packing up cleaning stuff, gardening bits, emptying the linen cupboard, etc took at least twice as long as I expected. Get packing ASAP, you honestly will regret it if you leave it much longer, the stress will be immense!

ErinMcCafferty · 11/04/2021 12:23

What are you going to do if you run out of time?

RainingBatsAndFrogs · 11/04/2021 12:47

It took 2 of us packing for most of the time for 10 days to move a 4 bed house.

Much of that was sorting what to Chuck out, hoovering the dust it generated, finding ways to dispose of stuff etc.

I wouldn’t be making plans, personally.

RainingBatsAndFrogs · 11/04/2021 12:48

It takes far longer than you think.

Fairystory · 11/04/2021 12:55

Have you already decluttered? Getting rid of stuff you won't need at the new house takes a great deal of time, as does sorting things.
Even if exchange was delayed, it would still be sensible to pack things you don't need now such as hobby equipment and out of season things. Packing always takes longer than you expect.

Original poster
Orangerunner10 · 11/04/2021 13:38

The sellers have booked removals for the fixed date, so if we wait until exchange we may not have much time as there isn’t a set date for exchange - solicitors said they hope to exchange early this week. Everyone has confirmed they are ready.

OP posts:
BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 11/04/2021 14:34

When exactly had you planned to be packed? Completion normally happens around lunchtime- you have to be out of the house by then

The day of the move itself is for packing the boxes into the van and cleaning yourself out of the house.

Even if you pay a removals firm to pack for you, they do it a few days in advance.

hotchocdrinker · 11/04/2021 15:22

The last time I moved with my two teenage children I didn't get confirmation until 4pm Wednesday that we were moving on the Friday (2 days later...). I picked up packing boxes at 8am on Thursday morning, spent all day packing with 1 child and my parents, and we just about finished by 8am Friday. I have to say, I wouldn't recommend it...

ErinMcCafferty · 11/04/2021 15:26

@Orangerunner10

The sellers have booked removals for the fixed date, so if we wait until exchange we may not have much time as there isn’t a set date for exchange - solicitors said they hope to exchange early this week. Everyone has confirmed they are ready.

Are you saying you haven't booked any removers?