JJJHM

We have PSS coming in to pack up our home on the 17th.. container will be here on the 18th, we complete on the house on the 18th..... begining to panic as I feel I haven't done a lot of pre packing.. we have had a good clear out but the house is still very much a home.

I have 10 days to do something about it just wondering where to start and how much to do.. sorted toys, cd's,dvds but thats about it.. what about

curtain
bedding
clothes
shoes
kitchen
admin
computer....

the list is endless, to make it worse we leave the house on the 18th, but due to visiting family and a holiday on route we don't land in Brisbane until the 23 September... so will be living out of suitcases with 2 under 4's... FUN!!! :scared:

Your experiences please...

Julie

Bella Donna

Hi Julie,

We have the packers coming in on Thursday, and I don't feel we're much further ahead than you say you are! Our home looks a bit like a bombsite at the moment.

We've sorted out toys, books, videos, clothes, etc., and put them into piles either for the air freight or shipping freight. Dh has cleaned all the bikes, the wellies, dd's scooter and roller blades, the couple of pieces of garden equipment we're taking, and a couple of garden ornaments. Still the shoes to do. We've got all our bedding together for the packers, and we're going to pack the clothes we need to keep with us on Wednesday. Will need to do some last minute washing on Friday morning.

Much of the kitchen stuff I'm not taking with me - all our crockery is old and chipped and in need of replacing although I'm taking my pots and pans, and cutlery.

We've organised having the phone cut off and the broadband disconnected. We'll have to provide meter readings for the utilities the day we leave. We've told the council for council tax and the water board for the rates. I've notified the Child Benefit centre and they've confirmed they'll stop the Child Benefit from 22nd August. We have to notify the Child Tax Credits people after the event. I've notified the Inland Revenue.

I'm sure there is tons more to do - like you, I keep wondering where to start and when it will all feel real!

Good luck - you'll get it done, I'm sure. Just like we will... :scared:

fraser

We had PSS in on Friday, I took all the beds apart.

We folded all the clothes ready, we got all the kitchen stuff out of the cupboards and on the side ready and everything else tools etc we left in piles ready for them to take. They were really grateful and helped us pack stuff into as little cubic ft as they could.

Theresa, Ian & Tim

We used John Masons and they told us not to pack anything ourselves as our goods would not be insured for breakages and would only be insured for boxes going missing. Read your insurance small print as I was going to pack everything myself to save the removal people time. What we did was clean everything and put all like items together in just a couple of the rooms.

Trekrider

Although we are using Bishop's Move they said the same thing about not packing. What we have done is put everything into labelled boxes so that they can repack it in their boxes. It should make it easier for them

We also have piles of items together but in every room

Good luck,

Trekrider

sunsetsmiler

We had Pickford's in Mon, Tue and Wed last week. With completion going through on the Wed. We Made it!!!! They don't like you to pack stuff yourself for insurance purposes but we did do our best to help them out. Stuff like cleaning the fridge freezer, washing machine and dishwasher, if you are taking them with you. You would be surprised at how quick these guys move, what looks like a nightmare to us is an everyday occurrence to them. I think the general idea is to start at the top of the house and work down (unless you live in a bungalow that is). I just kept on cleaning up after them and denying access to the rooms I had cleaned. We had a couple of interesting nights sleeping on a blow up in the lounge! We had a 20ft container and did not fit all of our stuff in it. We intend to do a few car boot sales, give some stuff to family and the rest to charity. Don't worry, it may seem daunting but it will pass. Keep thinking of the bigger picture and the end purpose. Hope this helps.

Bella Donna

This is my worst nightmare. :scared: The guy from Bishop's reckons we've reduced enough now to fit, and we're doing all we can to prioritise our stuff so that they put the most important in the container first and the things that we have no attachment to at the end of the line. But it's going to be a very, verrrrrrrrrry, tight squeak!!!

sunsetsmiler

We were told the same thing, when they came round to assess. We were told that we were 3 sofas worth over. The packers were brilliant, the only stuff we couldn't fit on was bits and pieces that hadn't seen the light of day since they were dumped in the garage nearly 3 years ago. It will work out for you, but don't quote!!

Bella Donna

Thanks Deb - that's reassuring! I'll hold the thought!

Paylia

Hi Julie
We had PSS in last week for four days, they had sent documents amongst which was a list of things to do - like assemble all like items in one place which we did. We also shrank wrapped all bedding and linen and packed all items for which we still had boxes - computer, printer, DVD players, many other electrical items etc but we left the boxes open so that they would check the contents and refrain from marking these as "PBO" packed by owner.
We assembled all crockery and ornaments in one room and all glassware and cookware in same room. We took the plastic bubblewrap off a new leather suite so that they would rewrap in their special 5 layer paper.
In all they were very efficient and very helpful - they went from room to room and packed everything very carefully - all seemed to go according to plan.
Our container is currently sitting at Felixstowe and sails on Tuesday.

sunsetsmiler

Its just nice to know that you are not the only one going through it.

JJJHM

Thank you so much for all the replies.. it is very reassuring to know that we are all going through the same thoughts, some great ideas too...

PSS are only in packing for 1 day (4 bed house) I hope that is long enough.. we also have the 20ft container not being big enough problem, fingers crossed the packers use every inch of space for us. Might have to air frieght more than we expected.

As our children are so young we can't start putting things in piles until Tuesday, they wouldn't stay pile for very long, then again we wouldn't need as much space after they trash my best Wedgewood although we have booked in to a hotel to avoid sleeping on the floor.

Decided to take down and wash as many curtains as I can this week and put old bedding on the beds..etc.. bedding I am going to throw.. going to attack the shoes tomorrow!!.. more of an issue for me than the rest of the family

Good luck everyone.. any one else with packiong tips..

Julie

Jim&Sus

Hope you don't mind me asking, but how much are PSS Removals charging for a 20ft container. Haven't got to this stage yet, but would be grateful for any info on this, as it's something we'll have to look at in the near future.

Also, should we take the kids' beds (one bunk bed and one high sleeper with futon underneath). They both come apart, but am unsure how well they'd go back together again! Not intending on taking the 3-piece suite (seen better days) so thought we'd maybe have more room to spare.

Sus

JJJHM

From memory, I think they ended up around £3600... we have decided not to take our 3 year olds bed, he has been complaining about it being not comfy!!...kids..

We have 3 sofas, 2 double beds (1 being a divan).. dining table, 9 chairs in total, washing machine, tumble dryer... 1 tall book case, dresser, 4 chest of drawers, 1 small wardrobe... toys...toys...toys... and loads and loads of other stuff..

Will let you know if we get it all in, have been told we are over by about 100cuft.. but have cut back since then... fingers crossed!!!

Julie

worzel

Crown are coming to us on 24th/25th August if the house completes to timetable. As others have said, we have been told not to pack anything ourselves. Crown will dis-assemble beds but there are a few other bits of flat pack furniture that we will take down ourselves.

We are making good progress on selling items we are not taking and are on top of notifying/closing accounts down too.

What I can't get my head around is keeping separate those things we want them to pack and those we don't. Worse still the things we don't want them to take are sub-divided into: those things we are taking as hand luggage, those things we are taking as hold luggage, those things we want for the 6 weeks with parents but aren't taking..... Even the hold luggage needs splitting up into those things we will have until the very last day and those things we will take to parents a few days before hand.

Sam and I had a spooky conversation this morning. We both said that we had been planning this in our sleep last night and both had the same idea to fill one suitcase with bedding / towels (vacuum packed) and another with a selection of clothes and move that out to parents in the next couple of weeks. The other thought I had recently was that when the shippers come we are going to put all hand/hold luggage in the car so they can't pack it by mistake.