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Yea moving house is a great opportunity to have a good clean out!

I'm amazed it has taken so long though, it will be a whole year since you first started this thread by the time you complete?

Eh you'd be surprised how many boxes it can end up filling - esp books. Course depends on the books. Papaback novels are fairly light; hardbacks and anything textbook or heavy on images tends to get heavy very quickly

 Kroem wrote:
Yea moving house is a great opportunity to have a good clean out!

I'm amazed it has taken so long though, it will be a whole year since you first started this thread by the time you complete?

Chunk of it was waiting for Dad’s place to sell, which would give me a firm budget and let me decide if I wanted a small mortgage. Which I didn’t. All in as a cash buyer. But, only because I found a nice place for my budget.

From acceptance of offer to completion will be a relatively svelte 3 months. I’d definitely recommend my conveyancer!


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 Overread wrote:
Eh you'd be surprised how many boxes it can end up filling - esp books. Course depends on the books. Papaback novels are fairly light; hardbacks and anything textbook or heavy on images tends to get heavy very quickly

290 Judge Dredd and 2000AD Hardback volumes. 50+ assorted GW hardback books.

This….is why I pay for professionals!

Last time 2 times I moved I packed all the boxes myself, but hired professionals to do all the lifting. I’m past the age where I could gather up some friends to do it for pizza and beer. Someone would end up dead or in the hospital with all our health issues.

+1 to packing your own boxes!

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:


290 Judge Dredd and 2000AD Hardback volumes. 50+ assorted GW hardback books.

This….is why I pay for professionals!

For novels/light paperbacks or dvd/video games use these https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DKTKK739?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

For hardbacks/artbooks/thick comics/textbooks - basically any heavier books - use these https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DKTKLZZZ?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1
They don't look big but that kind of book gets heavy fast, and whilst you can load heavier boxes up I honestly found this size about the right compromise between storing and comfortable carrying/stacking/moving

For smaller stuff that isn't books, odds and sods and stuff use these https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DKTJCJDS?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1


And use this for taping up the bottoms of those boxes https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002ZXV57C?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Don’t forget it’s the bank holiday at the end of August, so there may well be sales on at furniture and appliance shops. I moved into my first house in May and made judicious use of holiday sales; I don’t think I paid full price for a single major item!

 Overread wrote:


For novels/light paperbacks or dvd/video games use these https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DKTKK739?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

For hardbacks/artbooks/thick comics/textbooks - basically any heavier books - use these https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DKTKLZZZ?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1
They don't look big but that kind of book gets heavy fast, and whilst you can load heavier boxes up I honestly found this size about the right compromise between storing and comfortable carrying/stacking/moving

I found any of the cardboard boxes just felt precarious with any real volume of books in them, so went for smaller boxes.

Though I largely went to town on various sizes of hard plastic crates like these: https://www.diy.com/departments/strata-heavy-duty-black-60l-plastic-stackable-storage-box-lid/5021711050080_BQ.prd

Packed everything myself and then let some professionals do the hard work, and it was pretty effortless.


My previous moves were all done myself in the car, but that was when I was younger, had more time and a lot less stuff.

@MDG how far are you moving? I assume it's only a few miles within the local area?

The double-wall cardboard work well and books are fairly easy to pack since they fit into boxes and end up fairly solid in form on their own.

Single wall boxes are way more precarious and risky and only any good for light stuff.

I've also been stocking up on Really Useful Boxes but that is mostly for storing models inside. I've no chance of getting magnets up to standard on everything so a lot of them will end up filled with packing peanuts for my travel; but then I'm heading "into the north" so its a good 4 hour drive away

Moving about a mile or two up the road. Same town, different end.

Honestly depending on dates you might even be able to move a bunch of stuff over in bits instead of with removal.

Removal is ideal for the big bulky stuff, but models and such you might be able to just car over a day or so in bits.

As I have far more models then foam/magnet boxes I had to improvise.

I used towels and low wide boxes. Just alternate soft fluffy and fragile. Drove them myself, in multiple loads (as the moves were less then an hour drive)

Set up a folding table out of the way of the movers, and did it in multiple trips. Once the display cabinets were moved by people paid to lift heavy things, they all moved back into their spots.

Only worked because I had some overlap in time between the new/old places and they were not far. But it worked for high volumes of minis.

I moved a lot of minis cross-country using a similar method as the one listed above. Low height but wide plastic boxes with lids, like the kind you slide under a bed for storage.

I then used copious amount of paper towels to make walls, wrapped some of the more delicate pieces individually, and then filled any airspace at the top with more paper towels. Then I snapped the lids on and stacked them up in the back of the car.

I drove 16 hours including up and down mountain passes and it worked great with minimal damage that was easily fixed with some super glue on arrival and display.

Will you sort out then move? I have had to move then sort out as no space where I was...

Sort then move, I think.

It’s not been terribly long since I last moved house (just over three years), and I had a really good clear out then.

This time it’s mostly pots and pans (flat has a damp problem. They got mouldy. I’m not risking it), and going through the boxes and ottoman storage in the cubby room, make sure I’m not carting Guff.

Anything I’ve got on the way purchase wise I’ve decided to leave in its packaging, unless it’s a book or contains a book.

Contracts exchanged earlier this afternoon, so move-in date is now set in stone for 22 August 2025.

Got a chap coming to give me an estimate for packing and removals, and I’ve just ordered some stacking storage tubs from Argos, so I can start packing My Precious Things.

Keep them secret, keep them safe!

Definitely safe! Got a near complete set of vintage Kenner Ghostbusters, including most vehicles and the Firehouse.

I’ll also need to start packing my painted models soon. I’ve got the carry cases already, but I may need more, depending.

Having a think, in case I’ve missed anything I need to do before I move. A list as I see it follows.

1. Give notice on tenancy (done)
2. Book removals (done)
3. Let local council know new address and relevant dates for council tax (done, awaiting letter, will pay off as soon as letter arrives)
4. Let Energy/Internet company know (done)
5. Let water companies know (pending)
6. Update addresses for magazine subscriptions
7. Arranging buildings insurance (pending, call with bank booked for Tuesday coming)

And I think that’s it?

Bank, paypal, driving licence, car insurance etc...

All those services will need to know change of address too.

Good point! Bank and Credit Cards I can do online. Car Insurance too I think.

TV licence.

I'd also get a bag full of cleaning supplies to give it a once over before you unpack.

Good idea on the cleaning.

I should also get a grocery delivery arranged for the day after. And I need to order a fridge or fridge freezer.

If you have a window of time when you own the house but before you move, you might want to get professional cleaners in. Deep clean the carpets and stuff before the furniture gets in the way.

Similarity, if you have plans to repaint the walls, doing before all your junk is in the way could be nice.

The other option is to move in and leave one room "spare" so that you can do that room up first and then move stuff in; clear another room and steadily move yourself around the house that way more or less.

Much easier if you're living on your own and can mean you spend time working out just what you want to use and do with each room once you're living there.

 Nevelon wrote:
If you have a window of time when you own the house but before you move, you might want to get professional cleaners in. Deep clean the carpets and stuff before the furniture gets in the way.

Similarity, if you have plans to repaint the walls, doing before all your junk is in the way could be nice.

I’m planning to get custom built in bookshelves and that for the downstairs rooms. It’s Victorian/Edwardian terrace, and some kind soul knocked through a dividing wall, so there’s lots of space, and natural place for such a bookcase to go between chimney breasts.

And there are no carpets, as it’s hardwood flooring. Nothing the vacuum and a good mopping can’t handle.

I also need to think about curtains. No guarantee those’ll be there when I move in!

Employer, doctor, pension, will. You can set up auto mail forwarding through the post office/Royal Mail. It tends to be marked so if anything important comes through you can contact them to update.

All done through work. Though whilst I have digital GP through work’s healthcare, I do need to register with a proper GP down here.

 Overread wrote:
The other option is to move in and leave one room "spare" so that you can do that room up first and then move stuff in; clear another room and steadily move yourself around the house that way more or less.

Much easier if you're living on your own and can mean you spend time working out just what you want to use and do with each room once you're living there.

That’s not a bad option, but there is something to be said for getting everything sorted so you don’t need to move boxes and furniture around. Pay the young guys with strong backs to move everything once.

If you are more of a DIY person, taking a room by room approach to get things done based on how much time/money/effort you have at any given moment. But also can make it feel like you’ve never fully moved in and settled down.

The people who owned my house before me had a number of dogs, and it’s mostly carpet. And I’m not the best at housekeeping. So I got the pros in to deep clean the place, so I was at least off to a good start.

--

If you are into that sort of thing, you could get your village witch in to sage the place, make sure there are no evil spirits resident before you move in.

My friend is my village witch.

There will be a cleansing, yes. Might even do it myself, once the altar is up.

Just make sure you keep a careful eye on those people from upper/lower *whatever the place you are moving too is called*

Can't trust them folks from the other side of the road/river/valley!!

Also be sure to join the Village Committee, its for the Greater Good