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Original poster

Using a packing service

57 replies

Aria20 · 29/03/2022 20:49

Previously I have packed myself and found it fine but I keep reading on here pay extra for the packing service.... so what exactly do they do and how does it work? Do they literally pack everything? Do they wrap plates/glasses, photos etc. Do they pack clothes and kids toys?

Do you not find it harder unpacking the other end as you don't know where they packed stuff?

Last time I labelled boxes with which room they were for etc and I knew what was where and I had it all unpacked by the next evening...It would be nice not to have the hassle of packing stuff but I guess I'm anxious about letting someone else do it and not knowing what's where!!

OP posts:
BlackAndPinkNose · 29/03/2022 20:55

God it is worth every penny.

itbemay1 · 29/03/2022 20:55

I'm interested in this too, do they unpack as well?

LadyShatterly · 29/03/2022 20:57

So so so so so worth it. They pack everything including any rubbish in your bin. You leave the house as it is now (having emptied the bin and fridge) and have the whole thing delivered to your house. You unpack.

toomuchlaundry · 29/03/2022 20:59

Do it! They pack absolutely everything, including rubbish in your bins unless you tell them not to. They are like a team of locusts, worth every penny.

The ones we used didn’t unpack but put boxes in the right room.

toomuchlaundry · 29/03/2022 21:01

Cross post @LadyShatterly!

Original poster
Aria20 · 29/03/2022 21:01

Ok but how do you know where they've put everything? Do they pack it nicely? Do they label boxes? Do they pack randomly or keep stuff in the room they found it in?

OP posts:
toomuchlaundry · 29/03/2022 21:03

They mark the boxes, just like you would. You can tell them/label items if you want them in different rooms in your new place

OneEpisode · 29/03/2022 21:03

One suggestion was to segregate the stuff in your current home before they arrive, so they get packed right to be sent to the correct place in the new home. So if you will have a separate kitchen and dining room in the new house, divide the stuff into the new categories as best you can now.

Original poster
Aria20 · 29/03/2022 21:03

Lol at packing your rubbish! What about garden stuff? Do they pack random stuff in sheds/garages? Footballs, kids toys?

OP posts:
OneEpisode · 29/03/2022 21:05

We didn’t get the attic or garage/shed packed. We cleared them ourselves. We took the garage stuff to my dad’s over the previous weekends.

Original poster
Aria20 · 29/03/2022 21:05

Hmmm so if I go with the packers, they come the day before we move and just do it all? And I do nothing? Nothing at all?!

OP posts:
toomuchlaundry · 29/03/2022 21:06

They don’t always do sheds/garages/lofts. Would need to check with them. They did do the shed and loft for DM, but they weren’t very full

Another suggestion I have seen is to put things you don’t want them to pack in the bath!

toomuchlaundry · 29/03/2022 21:06

Only thing you do is give them tea and biscuits before they pack the kettle!

Original poster
Aria20 · 29/03/2022 21:06

@OneEpisode was that your choice for to clear the stuff for garage/attic yourself or did they not include that?

OP posts:
OneEpisode · 29/03/2022 21:07

Alternatively hide stuff that can’t be packed in the car (dc teddies etc)

Topbird29 · 29/03/2022 21:07

We used one for the first time when we moved last year. Was the removal company team (but think you can get separate to removal firm). They were fab. 5 blokes turned up on Thursday morning and just packed everything up into boxes. They wrapped everything breakable - don't think anything broke. Bubble wrapped pictures etc. Boxes taped on top, and they wrote room it came from on top on the tape. We took our flattened boxes back to them when we had unpacked (about 1 month after) and got some money back, and they had boxes to use again. They boxed our 3 bed in one day. Loaded some on the vans on Thursday, then Friday came back and finished loading vans and left house around 11.30 to drive to new house. Their boxes were also the correct sizes to stack in the removals vans. Anything we didn't want packed (cases for our first night) we put in the bathroom and told them not to pack, and small bit in kitchen where we had kettle etc. Meant we could clean kitchen cupboards out and do most dusting and hoovering Thursday eve. They also took apart beds on Fri am and re assembled them at new place. Wardrobe boxes were used, and they moved chest of drawers with clothes in the drawers. Ours were sensible, but have heard stories on here on full kitchen bins being packed!

Wimbunds · 29/03/2022 21:09

When you get a quote, you let them know everything that needs doing - so if that includes garden, loft etc tell them and they'll factor it in to the time and cost. They labelled boxes and I was there when they unloaded to direct them too. They were amazing. They also did a tip run, assembled beds. Not cheap, but worth every penny to me.

Topbird29 · 29/03/2022 21:09

We did have a magic snack bag full of crisps, cans of pop and choc biscuits that may have helped too! But honestly, having used the service, would always use it again.

toomuchlaundry · 29/03/2022 21:10

They packed DM’s house on the same day she moved but it was a small 2 bedroom bungalow and she is very neat and tidy and didn’t really have that much clutter.

They packed really carefully, DM highlighted her precious ornaments. We went out for lunch and let them get in with it as you soon run out of things to sit on!

Original poster
Aria20 · 29/03/2022 21:14

Wow a tip run too.... I'm considering it.... they said they'll quote for taking apart and reassembling dd's cabin bed and a large wardrobe and quote for packing so we'll see what they come back with! Got another firm coming to quote Friday too. Feels strange to consider using the packing service and not doing it myself!

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Frazzled2207 · 29/03/2022 21:22

Moved last week. Got packers. If you can do it yourself then great but we work ft and have kids too so really couldn’t have done if, although we did pack some. They did write on all the boxes broadly where they were and put everything in the right room but tbh a week on and we’ve unpacked less than half and don’t really know where lots of stuff is other than it’s there somewhere. All glass etc stuff wrapped well and no breakages.

MrsFezziwig · 29/03/2022 21:22

Mine labelled the boxes by room and type of contents. When we got to the new house I put a postit note on each door naming each room (they didn’t exactly correspond to the old house) so basically they put it where you tell them.

Yes, they pack nicely - it’s their job, so much more efficiently than I could have done.

Just make up a couple of bags of things that you will be likely to need straight away as well as vital documents and put it in your car.

I live alone and had a very full on job with no spare energy for massive jobs like this. If I’d packed myself it would have taken weeks and I didn’t want to live with all my stuff half in and half out of boxes for that time. The packers came the day before and loaded up the removal van, returned the following morning and finished up and were outside the new house by lunchtime waiting for when the money was transferred. Unloaded, rebuilt the beds and were gone by late afternoon. Nothing broken and nothing lost.

One of those things that are just worth paying for, in my opinion. Of course, if you’re very minimal and don’t have much stuff or have nothing better to do with your time it might be different.

Frazzled2207 · 29/03/2022 21:23

@Aria20

Hmmm so if I go with the packers, they come the day before we move and just do it all? And I do nothing? Nothing at all?!
In terms of packing and unloading correct. But once everything is in boxes and then in the van is a lot easier for you to clean and hoover etc.
Stringervest · 29/03/2022 21:24

We used packers and it was the best money I ever spent. I would rather significantly downsize my holiday for the relevant year in order to afford packers (although when we moved in 2014 the packing service was £400 which I thought was a bargain for what they do). Moving is stressful and most people don't do it often - treat yourself.

Avocadobacardi · 29/03/2022 21:26

Packing service is one of the worlds great inventions. They come in a couple of days before you move and pack absolutely everything. They pack beautifully, label all the boxes and then come and collect them again when you’re unpacked. I had a skip and did a big clear out before we exchanged so they only packed everything we had left. It made moving so unstressful