Moving house-Flitting

Certainly I remember this word in terms of a "moonlight flit", (same definition as LuckyFour) when I was growing up in the Midlands.

We do a flit here in the south west, but it’s generally to get away from something - and it’s usually a noun as in “he’s done a flit”.

We used flitting in London, but my mum was brought up in Sweden and Yorkshire so maybe that's why.

Ah come fae the posh end o Sunny Govan ? and we wid never have done a moonlight.

Still hear the word flitting used by proud Weegies but I doubt the younger generation could tell you what it refers to. Reminder - must ask my offspring if they know the word.

I grew up in south west Scotland, and yes, we used flitting when someone moved house. The phrase moonlight flit was also used, and meant, as others have said, someone running away and hiding - usually from debts, but I suppose it could also have meant in the way grannyactivist explained it. I'd not really thought about it that way to be honest.

When mum and I were ready to move from the first home we had in England to the next one, and I told friend we were flitting, I got the oddest of looks - not for the first time though. Many words and phrases I used met with bemusement from my English friends

The term is used in Northern Ireland as well. I didn’t even realise it was becoming less commonly used.

We always used the term ‘flitting’ when I was young. I live in N Ireland. I haven’t heard it in years though!

Thanks for all the posts and explanations. I think 'flitting" is a great word-one word instead of 2-moving house. Trouble is of course if I start using it now no-one will understand.
So here's another one. Growing up we called off-licence shops Beer Offs. Took me ages to get used to saying off-licence.

As you can see by my pseudonym I was from the north west and people used the word flitting when and where I grew up.

In Northumberland we used to say Friday flit short sit ,
when someone moved house on a Friday

I was brought up in Derbyshire, many moons ago, and when people were leaving the area they were flitting. Nowadays I wouldn’t use the term.

I've always used it but my father was from Glasgow so maybe I got it from him ?

We also called the off-licence a beer-off. I remember being sent for beer shandy ?

That's funny. I'm reading 'Mary Barton' by Elizabeth Gaskell at the moment, set in mid 19th Century Manchester, and there have been several mentions of flitting. None of the characters have any money, but they're not necessarily in debt, so they're not escaping creditors then - just moving house. I see!

Chamber's Dictionary, which of course was published in Edinburgh, states that "flitting" in the sense of moving house is the Scottish meaning of the word, which otherwise means to move about lightly, to fly silently or quickly, to be unsteady or easily moved.

And yes, I think the word is still used for moving house in Scotland and northern England.

Flitting in east Scotland. Moonlight flit was used when someone upped and offed to avoid paying debt

When I moved, from my house to a new one, on a Friday my mother said " Friday flitting, short time sitting ".

I am originally from Liverpool and the wor "flit" was used when someone disappeared in "curious" circumstances.

People flitted from our Leicestershire village but a moonlight flit meant they were escaping their landlord!

Grew up in Lancashire and the word flitting was in common usage. When someone was useless at getting things done my late Father would say’ they couldn’t organise a flitting’.

Does anyone remember the saying Christmas Fuddle,works do at Christmas.

Brought up in the West of Scotland, I didn't realise it was a scottisism! I thought it was universal. Everyone 'flitted', though rarely by moonlight. My mum used to say:
'Saturday flit, short sit'. ie if you moved on a Saturday you would be moving on again soon.

Flitting here in Northern Ireland plus unlucky to move on a Saturday hence the saying " a Saturday flit is a short sit".

I'm from Lincolnshire and we always said flitting for moving house and a moonlight flit for someone moving suddenly without telling anyone.

gizmogrann we also said Beeroff for an Off Licence.