Why do I want the removers to do the packing?

[biser]

Not me, I need advice to give to DC.
What is the benefit in getting the removers to do the packing? If all they do is wrap drawers, complete with contents, in clingfilm then what are you paying for? What else do they do?

It's a 3-bed starter home. There will be 6 adults there on the day, one of whom will be child-wrangling.

This. We had 8 full 80 litre boxes of stuff in the loft, which we put there for the EA photos and viewings. And that was just the stuff on show

As others have said. It’s literally the best money we spent.
Ours didn’t wrap drawers in clingfilm. They packed everything and labelled the boxes.
It a lot quicker because there’s a team of them and they’re doing it without emotion. No stopping for a few minutes to reminisce or talk about what you’re packing.
They’re there to do a job.

There will be 6 adults there on the day, one of whom will be child-wrangling.

You'll all be getting in each others' way and getting frazzled. Everyone leave except one person to lock up after the packers have finished, and let them get on with it.

They also do it the day before so you aren't living with boxes everywhere for a week beforehand..

Are you seriously saying that packing up a house isn't any effort? I don't agree.

I think it depends on how precious you are about your stuff, and how good they are.

If they're good, it's excellent and they will pack everything carefully and incredibly fast.

If they're not, then you will be gutted. A friend of mine had movers who broke some of her stuff, and she was less than thrilled to see that while they were packing the van, they repeatedly stood on furniture they'd already packed, which damaged it.

Obviously the answer here is that you need excellent recommendations and you get what you pay for - but I think if you (or your DC) have things they are really precious about, for peace of mind it is worth wrapping those separately and taking them in the car!

I’ve only paid for it twice, and it’s a lot of money, but I would never move again without it. Moving is exhausting, this is one less element of exhaustion. But yes, I have moved without. Urgh.

If they don't do the packing then their insurance is unlikely to cover you for any damage to your stuff while in transit.

@biser You clearly don't want to use them, and don't want to pay anyone to pack everything for you, because it's a 'waste of time,' so don't use them!

Millions of people do, and find they're worth every penny. I have never used them, but our last house move was horrific, very stressful and a fucking nightmare as we had so much stuff (we have decluttered since!) So next time (if there was a next time) I would use them for sure.

They empty fitted cupboards, kitchen cupboards, wardrobes, bookshelves and they do it all without any emotion so they don't stop and spend 15 minutes cooing over old souvenirs. They do it in a whizz leaving you to clean the room after them.

Worth every penny.

Only had it once - thought it would make it easier.

Were told they'd bring packing material - they didn't use what we had and frankly it was the move we had more breakages and things lost. Other end they just dumped everything in one room nearest door - it was bloody awful TBH.

Previous even with very young kids I had done packing over time so did live with boxes but movers had taken stuff to roughly the right area - upstairs kitchen.

You are also likely to pack things in boxes that are too heavy/easy to damage. They will pack only enough books that they can lift and will make sure fragile things are packed properly.

I think you weee exceptionally unlucky, do name and shame as professional companies should not do this.

I would have cheerfully divorced DH when we moved without packers…never again

You clearly don't want to use them, and don't want to pay anyone to pack everything for you, because it's a 'waste of time,' so don't use them!
It's not my decision, it's DC decision. I want to know what to say to make them think again.
MN trilling "it's the best money I ever spent" without explaining why it's the best money they have ever spent isn't very helpful.

I’ve gone part way to this:
I had a sale agreed and was close to exchange so had started to pack non-essentials, so around 50% of the house. The sale fell through (buyer was made redundant) so all was on hold.
I have another sale agreed and we are close to exchange, finally!
I’ve gone for getting the rest of my belongings packed as that takes a major stressor off my shoulders and means that I can focus on getting shot of the things I don’t need any longer or don’t want (and definitely don’t want to pay to have them moved with me as I am downsizing).
Its relatively cheap (£350), so is a no-brainer.
Believe me, if you leave the packing until the day of the move, regardless of how many people you have helping and how well-organised they are, it will bring you all kinds of stress which you really don’t need.

You asked what we meant by “everything”.

it sounds like you are very reluctant so don’t do it. I’ve always found the cost really minimal and exceptionally worth while

They are lifesavers. They don’t spend ages admiring all your stuff. They just pack it. Sticky label anything you want left until day 2. They also bring a box round for you to pack your ‘personal items’ 😂

Lots of us have said why…

I think you're overthinking this.

Everything that takes you ages to pack they get done in an insanely quick amount of time, so for example everything in the kitchen that takes ages getting out of cupboards and carefully wrapping (all of the crockery: every individual cup, plate, glass etc.); books from the shelves, ornaments wrapped, all of the clothes in the wardrobes are put in mobile wardrobes (when you’d probably spend ages folding everything); all cupboards emptied and shelves cleared and the contents all packed. Pictures and mirrors from the walls wrapped in big felt envelopes; TVs etc. wrapped in bubble wrap …. Literally absolutely everything that usually takes days of packing into boxes when it’s you doing it, is done and dusted in hours by a professional packing team.

Errrm, multiple posters have explained why.............

You probably haven’t forgotten anything. It’s just easier. Some people are happy to pay for easier, others are not. Neither side is right. You do you.

Well this was clearly not a proessional packing company. 🙄 What packing company would come without the materials they needed?

@biser does the child live in the house that is being packed up?