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Why do I want the removers to do the packing?

202 replies

biser · 17/04/2026 21:16

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?

OP posts:
TheyGrewUp · 17/04/2026 22:16

Because when I moved from my first flat, as a singleton, two beds, sitting room, kitchen, I finished packing at 5am on moving day and I had a wriggle on. Never, ever again and certainly not once there were DC.

Also, if they pack, their insirance covers any breakages. Our last move was from a five bed house in London. They packed, they reserved residents' parking spaces, packed day one and left us with beds and somewhere to sit. Finished the following day, clearing the house by 9am. All clearnfor cleaners to come in. Was brill

HauntedBungalow · 17/04/2026 22:17

Because they're quicker and better than you'll ever be, because it's literally their job. You see a cupboard full of stuff, you try and work out what you want to keep, does this object belong with that other object, do you need to wrap this, maybe this thing here should go into the box you've got half packed downstairs, will that make it too heavy, is that little jug ok right in the corner of the box maybe you need to pad it out, what can you pad it with, sure there's a cushion somewhere, no not that one, sod it a cardigan will do, what if you want to wear it for work next week, oh is that the little spoon Aurelia made at the half term workshop that time ... this all goes on for hours, days (weeks). The packers meanwhile with their magic 3d minds have everything stripped and safely boxed into manageable loads in 10 minutes.

Surely you've moved house before? And had that terrible experience on the morning of the move when even though you've been surrounded by precarious piles of boxes for three weeks previously and thought that you just had a few last minute things to put away, in reality that meant six hours of feverishly throwing plants, remote controls, shoes, books, pets, children etc into a succession of wrong shaped boxes from Sainsbury's/neighbours' soggy garden sheds and full of dubious stains from the recycling bin like you're in some kind of demented Krypton factor you can't win. How much would you pay to avoid never having to do that again? Now think of the days of packing that preceded that morning. How much is it worth to avoid them?

That, is what you pay packers for.

Zippymonkey · 17/04/2026 22:18

I’ve moved with packers and without packers. The big benefit of packing service was when we were pressed for time and they came in for 1 day and packed the whole house. If you have time to do the packing yourself pre completion then there will be nothing left for them to pack and it will be a waste of money.

gingercat02 · 17/04/2026 22:19

It's all insured, it saves so much time they are better at it.

AprilMizzel · 17/04/2026 22:19

MissPobjoysPonies · 17/04/2026 22:00

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

They were a large regional firm with good rep though had little choice as only one we could get because sale went through very quickly and no-one told us till really late at peak moving time and it was mad a ring round for day needed.

They were worst ones we've had though bar two before that one - again a large move to completely new area and less than great - we've moved a lot.

if you leave the packing until the day of the move

I agree that isn't possible.

We've always packed house and labeled so morning of move everything was done and labeled. Usually do a lot of decultering as part of the process so need fair bit of time and we did live with boxes and cases around prior.

Bar the one time we paid for them to pack it was supposed to be treat at stressful time and frankly we were very disappointed.

biser · 17/04/2026 22:22

Surely you've moved house before?
The last time was nearly 40 years ago!

OP posts:
Buscobel · 17/04/2026 22:23

We helped my son and DiL to move some years ago. It was the most stressful trying to pack things, wrestle furniture into the van and clean the house at the same time, as well as needing to clean the house they were going to. Not to mention not being insured for any breakages or damage to belongings or the van. Next time they moved, they used a packing removal service.

Thats why you use a packing service.

LittleNote55 · 17/04/2026 22:23

For me, the main benefit has always been that the boxes took up so much more space than other posessions. Having to fit the boxes into the house Whilst living in it as you pack, if you have children, is not easy as no space.

.If you have all the time, storage space and help in the world, you don’t need packers.

biser · 17/04/2026 22:24

Zippymonkey · 17/04/2026 22:18

I’ve moved with packers and without packers. The big benefit of packing service was when we were pressed for time and they came in for 1 day and packed the whole house. If you have time to do the packing yourself pre completion then there will be nothing left for them to pack and it will be a waste of money.

It seems to be a 'how long is a piece of string?' question. If you are slow and prone to distraction then packers are a good idea. If you are quick, focussed and have de-cluttered, then not so much.

OP posts:
childoftkty · 17/04/2026 22:25

I can say it’s the best money you can ever spend - no stress of packing yourself. They come in the day before you move and get the whole house done in a matter of hours

PolkaDotPorridge · 17/04/2026 22:25

If you get a good company, they do everything and they do it well. I would NEVER move without this service! Never.

AprilMizzel · 17/04/2026 22:27

BatchCookBabe · 17/04/2026 22:15

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

We were bloody shocked TBH - it was lucky had stuff round from previous moves - they were an established moving firm who offered a packing service.

Did ask round an found an acquaintance who used them for a lcoal move and they'd been fine - no fucking clue why we got such poor service - maybe they squeezed one to many moves in and we got b team - no idea and it wasn't a small move.

WhosGotTheKeysToMyBimma · 17/04/2026 22:29

The packing service was hands down the best value bit of the whole moving process.

You can concentrate your energy on decluttering and cleaning instead of wrestling boxes and packing material.

Decluttering and packing a house are two big jobs. This way you get to hand one of them off to someone else. They pack much more efficiently than any of us can, they are professionals!

And actually it doesn't cost much more on top of the removals. I think our removals was about 4k. The packing service was £500. Honestly the best money I have spent on pretty much anything.

wheresthesnowgone · 17/04/2026 22:35

I believe there are certain things movers won't pack or transport that you will have to move yourself, like jewellery, photographs, tins of paint and random stuff like that. Exclusions will be in the contract and you will have to move certain things yourself on the day or find temporary storage while the move takes place.

Moving House is exhausting, physically and emotionally and there will be plenty to do without packing and then unpacking and humping of boxes. You would have to make up boxes to fill them, taping, labelling, then folding down the empty boxes, disposing of the wrapping material.

The guys who do moving as a job are like machines and will save you so much time and stress and exhaustion.

Listen to all the good advice given here and unless you are only moving one or two people from a small sparsely furnished flat, take advantage of any moving service offered.

BatchCookBabe · 17/04/2026 22:36

I have to say though, I would always declutter and throw away any crap I don't need before getting packers to come in (if I ever move again.) Can't see the point in paying them to pack up loads of stuff/everything in my house (without me decluttering first) just for me to throw away (say,) 20% of it when I unpack at the other end. It will cost more too if they take more... If I declutter 20% first, them it will cost less.

.

LindorDoubleChoc · 17/04/2026 22:39

The packing is the most time consuming thing. The professionals are incredibly quick and efficient at it so you won't be spending weeks before the move surrounded by half filled boxes and feeling gulity if you aren't spending every spare moment packing.

MyOtherProfile · 17/04/2026 22:39

biser · 17/04/2026 22:03

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.

That's not what happened though, is it?
Maybe they would rather have someone else do it than do it themselves even though you want to do it.

Cling film on drawers sounds odd. Not what happened with us.

LadyInRainbow · 17/04/2026 22:42

I see moving as a chance to have a big clear out while packing so I’m not sure I’d ever get movers to pack

TBC99 · 17/04/2026 22:43

I had this service once, as part of a company move. It was a dream. They pack everything.

biser · 17/04/2026 22:44

Maybe they would rather have someone else do it than do it themselves even though you want to do it.
No. You've got that totally arse about face. They are the ones who think that they can do it themselves.

OP posts:
MyOtherProfile · 17/04/2026 22:47

biser · 17/04/2026 22:44

Maybe they would rather have someone else do it than do it themselves even though you want to do it.
No. You've got that totally arse about face. They are the ones who think that they can do it themselves.

Themselves... With packers?

thingsineverthoughtidsay · 17/04/2026 22:47

Because they do it in the last couple of days, so you can live completely normally up until then.
Also, they build your beds in the new house!

cantgardenintherain · 17/04/2026 22:49

We have packed by starting early and packing what we dont need now and dumping stuff we no longer need. Labelling boxes with contents, a number and a room. Then a master book with all this noted down. I used to pay for help with this, usually extra cash for our aupair at the time or later on a niece or babysitter. Probably much cheaper than a packing service.

frostedshreddies76 · 17/04/2026 22:50

Having moved 4 times all I can say is 'I wish I had enough money for packers'!

Ineedanewsofa · 17/04/2026 22:51

If it’s not nailed down they pack it. If it’s massive/awkward/fragile they insure it, pack it, move it. They packed our whole 4 double bed house, loft, garage and shed in less than two days and had it all in the lorry by 9am on moving morning, ready to go.
Having previously done DIY moves and having a terrible experience with a professional moving company’ (they were not!) we wanted to make our move as stress free as possible so we went with a national firm (Pickfords) and they were amazing. It wasn’t stress free but the stress had nothing to do with getting all our stuff from A to B!