Tips for moving house please!

[shoopashoop]

What do I need to make sure I do when I leave/move in?
Any tips for packing?

Sorry to sound daft but it is my first time moving (currently live in DPs house and buying this one together) and we have 2 dcs, one of which is EBF.

Pack a case as if you’re going away for 3 nights.
Pack a basic kitchen box.
Pack bedding where you can find it.
Put it all in your car.

You can just get on with unpacking without worrying about where anything you need is.

Book movers! And get them to pack for you!
Especially with your newborn it'll be invaluable.

Having done it a few weeks ago, if you can afford it get them to pack for you! Unpacking is enough of a nightmare; the packing before nearly killed me...

Mix books and clothes in boxes so they're not too heavy. And ask the removal company for boxes - they hated the ones I'd got!

And yes, make sure you have a "holiday" suitcase for the first few days.

100% professional movers and if you can afford it packers too.

Pack in you car cleaning supplies. Tea coffee mug kettle biscuits. Suitcase with few clothes and essentials. Same for DC. Pre cooked food that can be warmed up
Or plan take away?

Label all boxes meticulously. Tape envelope on outside of box with sheet written on that holds contents of the box. That way you won't be unpacking unnecessary boxes for no reason looking for something. You can get the contents list.

Number the boxes. Print off floor plan of new house and number the rooms. Give floor plans to removals team to put correct box in correct room.

Get beds set up first. Pack tool box in your car. Allen key set essential.

You can supervise packing if you need to have you vest DC with you for feeding. Have a sling so you are free to move round and hold them. Send DH/DP to new place to clean and direct unpacking. Can someone look after other DC?

Pay for movers if you can. You don't need to pay for Pickfords, just any professional as they are incredibly quick, and insured too.

If you are packing yourself then label boxes on all sides so that if they are stacked you can see the label.

Double how many boxes you think you will need.

Just moved a few weeks ago. My biggest tip is start decluttering now. I made a half-hearted effort early on but still ended up taking so much stuff I am now sorting out for recycling/charity/scrap.

It made the move so much more stressful as I was taking loads with me I knew I didn’t need.

Yes, yes, yes to de cluttering. Do not think you will sort it in the new house, you won't and it will spoil the new house and make the whole thing a nightmare. Make sure kitchen goes with kitchen, toys with toys etc do not mix stuff up. Do not linger on stuff you are querying; anything you are not certain about create an area and put it there. Keep going with the easy stuff and only when that is done go back to these queries/do we keep etc. Be firm and decisive. Keep, bin/tip, charity. If you have time recycle/seek and sell.

Get what you need for the night set up first, beds (including sheets), clean bathroom (plus add toiletries and towels) and kitchen bits for dinner. Nothing better than downing tools for the evening knowing that you can have a quick dinner, bath and climb into bed! If the dcs will be with you on moving day, set up a safe space for them with the tv!

Declutter.
Start packing now.
Pack a suitcase with 3-5 nights worth of stuff.
Put duvet and pillows in a black bag on the morning.
Buy easy snacks/drinks make a box up.
Get a bucket with cloths and cleaning products together.
Take any help that is offered.
Have cash for a takeaway.
Have a kitchen box with plates, cups and cutlery.
Pack a chair last so you can sit down and watch

Don't put clean bedding on the kids beds for the first night or two. It'll smell of their old bedrooms which might be comforting until they settle in a bit.

Aah these are great tips thank you so much!
Great one about not washing dcs bedding (and the chair so I can watch ).
We are isolating now so at least being stuck on the house might mean I get some decluttering done?!

Pay for movers. Whatever you can go without, do it so that you can afford Movers! You will spend days UNPACKING
Label rooms and boxes, so that movers put them in the right room, I find "Mary's room" easier mentally than "bedroom 2"
Stick a floor plan on door of each room showing roughly where you want furniture.
Lay couple of sheets of newspaper or carboard on floor of each room for boxes to be stacked, otherwise you find you can't put the bed where you want cos boxes are there.

Make up beds as soon as possible so when you need to collapse into it, it's ready for you

Some great advice on here

If you have houseplants ask a local friend or relative to have them for a week so you don't need to move them on the day

If you have a garden don't forget there will be stuff to move from there too, easy to forget this time of year. we are looking to move later in the year so I have had a good clear out of the shed, so many plastic pots and half bags of compost!

I paid the removal people to pack. It was about 40% of the overall removal bill, but if you can afford it, it makes a huge difference. They were amazing! It meant we didn't have to sit surrounded by boxes too which was good and less disorientating for DC.

I hid treats at the bottom of my boxes so that they would be a nice surprise for me when I unpacked. It really worked.

However long u think it will take to pack. Double it. I moved recently and I agreed to a week between exchange and complete.

Now I’m not old. I’m 46. But I was so tired doing it in one week. It was too much. If can give ur self more time that is my top.

Honestly... pay for movers!