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Tell More Th>n your top tips for making moving home easier - £240 voucher prize draw NOW CLOSED

152 replies

AngelieMumsnet · 18/11/2013 12:01

More Th>n would like to find out Mumsnetters' top tips to make moving home a little easier.

Heres what More Th>n have to say, "Life can be full of little frustrations. At MORE TH>N we want to help, and that's why we love collecting and sharing all sorts of tips and tricks that make life that little bit easier. We like to think of them as 'helping hands', those clever ideas you never knew you needed to know. We're always on the look-out for more great hints to share, so if you've got a top tip, let us know."

To get some inspiration, watch the video clip below and then share your own top tips on this thread.

Do the suggestions given in the video appeal to you, or not? Which, if any, would you try out? Do you have any of your own to add? Do you pack duvets into your cupboards to save on space? Maybe you write the contents of each box on the box after youve packed it to make it easier to find the right box in your new home? Or do you make sure there are lots of biscuits around to fuel the hard work Grin?

Everyone who adds their comments to this thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £240 Amazon voucher.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

OP posts:
Pistillate · 20/11/2013 14:02

The suggestions in the video do not appeal to me. They trivialise the massiveness of moving house.

Like others have said, it requires a massive amount of decluttering and packing.

My best tip (for renters) is to try to get a month's overlap if at all affordable. The last move I did was so gradual it was almost painless. Whereas the previous one which we did in one fell swoop was utterly awful and I vowed I'd never move again.

ipswichwitch · 20/11/2013 15:27

Don't bother taking clothes out of chests of drawers and packing - just take drawer out I the unit and stack them in the removal van.

Happiestinwellybobs · 20/11/2013 15:54

Declutter before packing.

Label each box with the room that it is destined for.

Pack the non-essentials early on (decorative items etc).
Take the kettle, tea, milk, mugs and biscuits in the car with you.
Pack the kids off elsewhere if possible whilst the bulk of the work is done.

Turnipvontrapp · 20/11/2013 16:25

Definitely get the removal men to pack! Failing that, write on the boxes what is in them and which room they are for.

GetKnitted · 20/11/2013 16:30

Sorry, I couldn't see the video, echo all the tips from others about labelling up, using clear boxes if you'll have alateruse for them, as much easier to see where everything is. Only thing I can think of iis getting young dc's beds made asap with fav duvet etc so they know where they are. Also pack the lego/duplo (with the tea cofee and kettl) and get out first, but that might just be my family!

VerySmallSqueak · 20/11/2013 16:46

Set the tv up quick.

Gives you a chance to deal with any problems,keeps the kids occupied, and gives you valuable down time to sit and watch the news while scoffing your takeaway to keep you connected to the outside world.

Bubbles85 · 20/11/2013 17:08

Move yourself if you have the time, but I can really recommend getting someone to help you out. We used professional movers the last time we moved (after doing it ourselves many times before) and it was so relaxing this time around!

Mamafratelli · 20/11/2013 19:32

When you pack have a box in front of you and two bin bags. One for the charity shop and one for the recycling. Each item you pick up to pack ask yourself whether you have used it for the past year. If not don't take it wit you. Recycle or charity shop it.

Also ask friends and family to save their newspapers for you. Use them to wrap up breakable items and scrunch up to fill gaps.

Steffanoid · 20/11/2013 19:43

do not let your dp pack the book boxes as he overestimates everyones strenth or lack thereof!
also don't move while 5 months pregnant,you get to supervise while people put stuff in the wrong places and try to unpack for you Envy Envy

JS06 · 21/11/2013 11:32

Harness the help of willing friends to help you clean down as you leave a property and scrub the new one. I always love helping do this for other people, it's a great work out and a lovely opportunity to see where they're moving to.

Agree that clearing out months in advance of a move is the most sensible thing ever!

Lilpickle08 · 21/11/2013 19:15

As soon as the For Sale sign goes up, start to declutter! Getting rid of all those unwanted items, and stuff that hasn't seen the light of day for years can be very cathartic! PLUS it means that your house is neater for viewings AND has the added bonus of making it more straightforward to move when the time comes! Do it little and often, and it'll soon be done. Sell, sell, sell - on eBay or Car Boots etc.. every little bit of cash is going to help :-D

Mnyoucleverboyandremember · 21/11/2013 19:58

Do it in the school holidays and send the kids to stay with friends. nearby so they can say goodbye to the old place and see the new place or they may get upset, but having them out of the way makes it so much easier.

thethighshaveit · 21/11/2013 20:46

If you are packing yourself then follow these tips for speedy packing:

  1. Get your partner to pack your things and you pack theirs. They will be much less likely to go 'Oooh that red top I have been looking for that for ages, I wonder if it still fits me, shall I quickly try it on? (hopefully!) and vice versa and the whole packing experience will be completed much faster.
  2. Learn this mantra 'Pack don't look, PACK don't LOOK'. The temptation when packing is to pick things up, do a spot of reminiscing try to throw out a few bits. This takes AGES compared with just putting stuff into boxes. Repeat the mantra. You will thank me in the end.
kateandme · 22/11/2013 04:32

keeep an essential box seperate.
so pack a kettle,pan,bag of pasta,pasta sauce jar,mugs and tea bags for first night(or takeaway)
label boxes for each room.get the removal men to help put up beds with a the promise of a fish and chip supper.becasuye sometimes you gt there and at least with this u can sleep tongiht.
keep kids calm by giving them unpacked boxes to play with.
supermarkets for old crates

whattoWHO · 22/11/2013 10:12

Don't forget to organise your mail redirection in good time.
I left it until the last minute the most recent time we moved, which meant I had to keep going back to the old house to collect mail (new owner refused to re-direct it. grr)

MaddAddam · 22/11/2013 10:43

What really helped when we last moved (twice in a year) was to think of it as just lots of small steps. Step by step, one step at a time. Then it all became more manageable.

Agree with the decluttering, it's a great time to get rid of junk. My family accumulates junk at a horrific rate so moving is very useful in paring it down.

Also, I like to see moving house as an adventure. Hard work, but exciting and something new to spice life up a bit. I like change in general and moving house can be quite stimulating (as well as being horribly exhausting).

THERhubarbnotTHEDavidTennant · 22/11/2013 10:55

Blimey, I've moved around quite a few times too, including moving countries. I think this is the first house we've stayed in for more than two years.

You'd think I would be a dab hand at moving but of course each and every move is different. My top tips are:

Pack a box and mark it ESSENTIALS. In this box should be your kettle, some mugs, tea/coffee/sugar, a pack of biscuits, milk, teaspoons, washing up liquid, a cloth, a teatowel, some kitchen roll, loo roll and a bar of soap. You have no idea how handy those items will be once you move in.

If you are moving with kids then pack little rucksacks for them with enough things to keep them busy and prevent them from getting under your feet; so snacks, books, games, drinks, etc.

You can never start packing too early. The first things to pack should be those items on shelves and in cupboards that you never use.

CLEARLY MARK YOUR BOXES. Don't just label them 'kitchen' put on what is inside the box such as: Kitchen pots and pans.

When unloading make sure that all the labelled boxes go in the correct room so at least everything is more or less where it should be.

Have a huge clear-out before you move. Book a car boot slot, sell on ebay and give the rest to charity. You really don't want to have to pack and unpack boxes of stuff that you'll never use.

Take meter readings on the last day you are in your old house and the first day you arrive at your new one.

Order an online shop to arrive the day after you move in, so you don't have to worry about finding the supermarket. You can eat takeways for the first day.

If you can, move some of the boxes in your new home before the big day.

Imagine you are going on holiday for a week. Pack everything you would normally take with you in your suitcases. These are the items you will live on whilst you are moving. The rest can be packed.

If you are decorating your home then give the kids an ordinary paintbrush (from an art set) and the colour of the paint you will be using on the walls and let them doodle to their hearts content before you paint it over. It keeps them nicely out of the way.

Pack one box full of cleaning stuff; oven cleaner, washing up liquid, floor cleaner, anti-bacterial spray, glass cleaner, clothes, brushes, scrubbers, bleach, etc. I always clean the house I'm moving into, especially the bathroom and kitchen cupboards so if your cleaning stuff is all in one box it makes it easier to find.

OR book a cleaner for 1 or 2 hours to scrub your new home clean. They charge roughly £10 an hour and it's worth it as you can then move straight in without worrying about dirt and dust.

If you are leaving items in drawers and cupboards then gaffa tape them shut to stop them from spilling out.

YoucancallmeQueenBee · 22/11/2013 11:45

Start clearing out stuff about 6 months before you plan to move. Make sure you label every box. Even if you get packers in, ask them to pack & leave the boxes in the room they came from, so that you can label where it came from.

Pack an overnight bag for each person in the move, so that you have essential clothes, shoes & toiletries.

If you have pets, see if someone could look after them for the day before & the day after the move, just makes life a little bit less stressful. I'd be inclined to say do the same with small children - but that may not sound right! Grin

Have a box / picnic bag with kettle, tea, coffee, sugar, milk, mugs & multiple packets of biscuits. You & the movers will all be grateful for them.

Don't forget to do the meter readings. If you are a bit anal, take a picture of the meters with a copy of that days paper beside them, that way they are harder to dispute.

Put all required keys in your handbag or the pocket of clothing you are wearing. I actually have a bumbag that I wear for these kind of occasions, so that I cannot lose my phone and keys & if I took essential medication that is where it would be too!

Hopasholic · 22/11/2013 12:13

The most valuable piece of advice I've ever had was 'Assemble and make up the beds as your very first job'

You will be soooo glad you did this first come bedtime.

I write numbers and room destination on boxes, then have a large notepad with contents of 'box1 box2 etc listed in a general way.

LittleBallOfFur · 22/11/2013 13:55

We're buying our first home at the moment and, all being well, will move in during February. We've moved flats before but this feels like our first 'proper' move so the tips are really useful! At the moment we're trying to sort stuff out bit by bit so, fingers crossed, we won't have huuuuge amounts to do nearer the time e.g. we're being ruthless about what we own so we should only be moving the stuff we actually love/need. We're trying to sell as much as we can which is going into our moving fund for decorating costs/fees. Same with cleaning - I'm doing more bits now (wiping walls, skirting, things that get left for a while in my house anyway!).

For the actual move, I'll be vair pregnant so I'm saving my pennies to be able to hire a moving company/cleaners, and will be investing in lots of tea and biscuits!

MakeTeaNotWar · 22/11/2013 13:57

Make sure your services are all connected ie gas, electricity and water - you don't want to move into a freezing house and not be able to boil the kettle! Label all boxes clearly and don't let your 3 year old get involved too much.....but they can pack their own little shoebox to keep them busy.

DelGirl · 22/11/2013 14:28

My tip would be, DON'T Grin
(from someone who has moved about 6 times in 3 years in 2 different countries)

Punkatheart · 22/11/2013 17:45

Make it an adventure, even if it is a trauma. Begin the moment you decide to move - sorting out drawers and giving away books. You don't want to take junk from one home to another.

telsa · 22/11/2013 18:26

Give yourself time. Hurrying leads to silly mistakes. Treat it as a game! a refunding of old stuff! a trip down memory lane? And get as many people to help as you can....tempt them with goodies and drink at the end of a hard day.

camtt · 22/11/2013 21:04

If you have to arrange removals before exchange read the small print of the removal company contract and choose at least partly based on their rates for having to change the removal day because paying your removal company an extra 600 quid will be insult on top of injury if your purchase is delayed or falls through altogether.

Get a skip and avoid taking a load of crap with you. Try not to fall over and break your bones though as packing that skip one handed is inefficient, and painful

Think about how your new home differs from your old one when choosing what to take/get rid of

special tip - don't get rid of a whole load of perfectly good white paint just because you think it's a nuisance to transport - you really will need to paint things in your new home (unless it has just been built of course). Still kicking myself over that one now that I've spent fortune on new paint.