Tips for Moving House

A

Ana14

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Moving out of our house in less than 2 weeks after just signing contract for the sale. With 2 smallies, working full-time and time not on our side, need as many hints and tips to make this as painless and hassle-free (??!!?) as possible. Thanks...
 
I haven't much experience of moving myself but I know from talking to others who have moved a lot that it is a good time to do a clear out of any junk you don't need. A lot of people hold onto things they don't need because of sentimental attachment; so my advice would be to hire a small skip and declutter as much as possible, especially all those boxes in the attic (that you haven't looked at since they were first put up there?).
 
Pay a professional to do the move (if you can get one at this short notice). Having moved twice once doing it myself and once with a moving company, the cost of hiring the professionals is worth every penny. They'll come in wrap and pack everything and in a couple of hours and drop it all off in your new home (you get to unpack your self). Quick and painless.
 
uurrgggghhh - i HATE moving, Ive done it 3 times in 2 years and its never fun

Top tips from me are:
Get rid of junk you dont need, dont bother moving it with you.

Start boxing every evening (if youre doing it yourself), box up everything and anything that you dont use on a daily basis (like ornaments and contents of bookshelves).

Mark every box with a big black marker stating contents and what room it came from - saves you opening 14 boxes to get to the kettle on the other side.

Make one or two boxes of 'essentials' - kettle, mugs, bathroom bits and pieces, personal hygiene items.

On all of my moves I phoned lots of friends and on the morning of the move 8/10 cars/vans showed up so the actual move from A to B only took an hour or so as everyone just took what they could fit and went, most people did 2 trips and that was me moved.

Unpacking is a different story but once youre in theres no time pressure.
 
It's useful to mark on your boxes what room you want them to go to in your new house so whoever's carrying them in knows where to put them.

Also, I'd recommend you number each box and keep a record of what sort of stuff is in each one - if you really had your act together you could take photos of them before they're closed - that way if a box disappears you know what you're missing in the event of an insurance claim.
 
Some other tips

remember to get your post forwarded and bear in mind it takes 7 days or so to go live, that way you won't be in a mad panic to change the address on everything and can do it after you moved
Also ring the gas and elecctric now and get your accounts sorted with them, don't depend on the vendor to do it and don't wait until after you've moved in(specify the go live date). Gas in particuler have been known to lock a meter that was no transferred over in time
Big clear out needed and be ruthless. if you can afford a removal company then do so, but shop around. If you are moving bit by bit, make sure the insurance in the new house is sorted first.
Try and paint before you move in, makes life so much easier
and above all, be prepared, relax and enjoy it and get someone to mind the smallies for a day or so
 
thanks guys for all those suggestions!! Started the process last night and - Oh my god!!! Its so hard not to get sentimental with things. Cleared out the attic (its like the tardis up there!!) and got stuck going thru stuff and reliving memories!! This is going to be a long hard slog.......
 
Having moved many times my tip is if you haven't used it for one year out it goes. Don't even open a box in the attic if it's been there for 5 years.
 
Hi, Ive moved about ten times.If you want to save money, hire a large van or truck and ask your friends to help load it.Its really cheap and you can keep it for 24 hours ( more if needed ,for a price.).Thats if you are not moving too far.Then you can drop off the first load and having marked on each box which room it should go in to,ask someone to stay at the house while you go back for load two,and they can put boxes in correct rooms.Then ask someone else to unpack.Do it like a production line.Good luck.
Deew
 
A mate of mine is preparing for a move next month back to Ireland from London, incl wife, 2 small kids.. I asked him how the prep was going. He said very easy. They have 4 categories for stuff
1. Dump
2. Keep
3. Charity
4. eBay

Not much room for sentimentality I suppose ;-)
 
For previous move we went with method already suggested above - hire a large van or truck and ask your friends to help load it...

We went room by room and it worked well.
Fill truck will all furniture/stuff from living room - drive to new house unload into living room....then back for kitchen, then back for bedroom....etc etc.
Obviously we only moved two miles so depends on how far you are going.

But the big advice is get rid of crap first. Be ruthless, if you haven't used it in a year - throw it out before move.
 

I have to agree with Dearg Doom. Use professionals, they'll box and pack everything for you. Declutter your house by all means, but a professional moving company makes the job a doddle. We moved 4 years ago, a little over a mile from old house to new house - cost approx €500.

As they were packing, we were actually in their way, so decided to go for a walk.

Past30
 
thanks guys for all the tips. We are in the middle of the chaos now- but using some of the tips (can't afford professional movers unfortunately - but sounds like a great idea!) and getting there. The kids are being whisked off by their grandparents tomorrow evening - so we really hope to make some good progress tomorrow evening/night and Sat morning. You've made it easier anyway.....
 
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