Help, calm me. House buying and selling stress

Franbern I totally understand what & how you are feeling. We are in the process of moving too. About to exchange contracts, & my poor old hubby who suffers from depression is really worked up about ‘ everything going wrong’ - when hopefully it won’t. We have spent the last 7 months gradually clearing out stuff, doing the odd car boot, & selling bits & pieces etc. We can only do a short spell at a time, as it is so tiring. We are 76 & 78 respectively, & if we didn’t move this year, we wouldn’t do it all I don’t think.

We are moving to be near family in South Somerset from Cornwall, & we are having the removal company in to pack everything up for us. I couldn’t contemplate packing it up myself! Ours will be an overnight job too. We are moving late August early September, & we had the removal quotes this week.

It’s very stressful organising everything, & we can’t wait to move & be settled - however long it takes!

I wish you all the luck in the world with your move.

Franbern. Please don't get your hopes that everything will go quickly after the survey is done. In my experience so far it doesn't. The searches are all done on my house. But they haven't all come back on my buyers house. Everything has been done on the bungalow I am buying since September last year. But I need the sale on my house to go through as that is funding my buying the bungalow. I'm not having a mortgage.
My solicitor had enquiries from my buyers solicitor this oweek hopefully they have been dealt with.
Since August last year I have had lists of all the people to contact to change my address. My daughter suggested going on compare the market .com which I did ,and found out the best utility company and insurance for the bungalow.
I got three removal companies to give me a price. I found they all wanted to move me different ways. I went with Pickfords they the most expensive but the way they wanted to do the move was better for me. If I do to much all at once it makes my health problems worse. I would write down exactly what you want them to do. Also be aware that there are extras to add on for different insurances to do with the move. All the companies I has quotes from also provided a cleaning service but of course that is an extra cost.
Hope that has been of some help.

Hold tight franbern, in many ways you are getting to the point of highest stress with a lot of `what ifs` you should get removals prices now and maybe have a word with the solicitor for a realistic estimate for completion dates and have the removal people pencil in a date, they will be used to change at short notice. I had better sleep once the removals men were sorted

What is worrying you worried me a lot, utilities etc but it does fall into place. I have even changed my utility company already. Your daughter can take your readings for you at weston. I could not take my water reading, rang wessex water and they said they would do a pro rata estimate which was fair enough

You are right, from now things will move very fast. We have a company not far away, they help people to sort stuff, declutter etc. I know your situation is different but maybe a company like that might be near enough to take a load off your shoulders. You could sit in a chair and say what to do with each item. Different to packers who will come in a sweep everything into boxes

Those shelves from songmics, I would give them 10 stars, so easy to set up and they look marvellous and are very sturdy. The perfect size for that spot and look far more expensive.

Just received a phone call from EA arranging the survey on my house (the one I am selling), for next Friday. If there is no problem following that, then i am hoping things should start to move reasonably quickly.
I do find it very difficult trying to sort out stuff, etc. Any physical activity of more than about then minutes leaves me feeling in pain and needing to sit and relax for more than double that time. Makes everything very slow - and which is frustrating.
Yesterday a friend and myself had a good day out at our nearby Ikea store. I took my mobility scooter, so was able to get around the store easily - and we enjoyed lunch there. I will miss having an Ikea store so close when I move. I do know the nearest one will be the other side of Bristol, but they do have such good storage ideas for small flats, I will need to get there.
Feeling very much in limbo - still not really able to arrange for large furniture items I will not be taking with to be collected by BHF, as if the sale falls through - even at this stage - I will want to keep them in situ.
Wondering how long in advance I should start getting removal quotes - I know the move will be an overnight one (and I want them to pack for me), so am intending to get two from local firms and one from a company in the town I am moving to.
Little (well comparatively little) things worry me. Changing my utility suppliers, getting back on line with broadband, sorting out doctors and dentists. My daughter down in Weston keeps telling me they will be there to help sort of these things out, but I do worry about these.
Just wish someone could wave a magic wand and all could be sorted out and I could be magically transported to the new flat.
Be wonderful when (if) I get to the position that Craftyone is in now - of being able to talk about the settling in process.

auntieflo, ahh I had a surrogate auntie called auntie flo and those surrogate aunties were wonderful in the old days when my mum had no family at all here, she was Dutch. Auntie Flo and auntie Betty were always there for me, especially auntie Betty who got me into gardening and guided me all through from childhood to adulthood, the teenage years when I my mother `did not understand`. I will never forget them, those kindly comfortable women

We are all waiting and hoping so much that mosaics will get her buyer, definitely an old school person, gritting teeth, putting a smile on her face, picking herself up and just getting on with it

Next stage today, no wardrobe builder as yet, maybe will come tomorrow instead. In the meantime I carry on. The bathroom, I need to take my old bulky towel stand out and have found a replacement from amazon. I have a 46cm wide space next to the shower screen which is on the side of the bath. A seller called songmics, a 142cm tall stand with 5 bamboo shelves,( bamboo is good in bathrooms) and while I am at it from the same seller a 70cm wide and low shoe rack to go on the wardrobe floor. Total of £75 and it will make a difference to storage. I can put tights etc into the door shoe pockets and store my towels on the tall shelf unit

I love watching nature, will make my garden nature friendly in time and in the meantime am sure that my 5 slow worms under my weed fabric, all over the garden now btw, will have reproduced in multiples. They like it under that fabric. They are beautiful and oh so fast

How nice of you Auntieflo. I'd certainly be pleased to help in any way if and when you decide to move.

One horrible lesson I've learnt is that EA's overestimate the house price in order to get your instruction -two of them valued my house at £600K. As it needs work, the person I chose listed it for £500K. Nine months of viewings later and no sale I'm now listed at £400K and feel very anxious about it all. All that time wasted, and now the viewing season is over until September. I often wonder how my husband would have handled it, he was so calm and rational

I'm waiting for the two viewing agents to come for a 'tour', but the road is closed for resurfacing, I've spoken to the men and they are going to let them through. I definitely need a holiday,

Exciting news to end my post - swallow babies in the coal house! Parents were going mad just now, when I went out I thought a blackbird flew out - but now realise must have been a sparrow hawk. Keep your fingers crossed the parents can protect them. I do love nature but it's horribly cruel.

I am loving this thread. Craftyone and Mosaicwarts are so detailed when describing all the various manoeuvres, and their thinking out loud, as it were.
I could be there with them.
We are not thinking of moving any time soon, but if and when we do, I know where to come for some timely advice.
Well done ladies, and carry on with your sagas.
Looking forward to a happy outcome for Mosaicwarts

Well done craftyone, you are working hard.

Sorry your rings don't fit either, my fingers have enlarged with arthritis too When Steve died I got my weddings rings out and had them resized - I'd gone from an M when I married to an S. Fingers are a bit swollen today too.

I'm sorry you can't get towels in the airing cupboard! I'm looking forward to a spider and wood louse free airing cupboard in the future.

Good luck choosing between your three choices. Could you put the laundry basket in the garage and use it for wood?

4`11 mosaics. I wouldn`t try and move a piano even on sliders, you have to get a slider under a corner. If I didn`t want the piano and could not give it away then me being me, I would see how to dis-assemble it a bit at a time, however you should not do that,nor would I because of those steps. If you play the piano, try and treat yourself after your move, like my mum, she got herself a small electronic piano when she moved to a smaller house

I got myself focussed on doing a mega amount of sorting yesterday afternoon/evening. 3 very big bags, now a spare bed is full of ready to hang clothes but I managed to clear a lot off my bedroom floor. I did well with that chest of drawers yesterday, filled 3 drawers and have 2 big ones left. All jewellery found and sorted, not one ring fits any more, so I will be distributing amongst DDs and grandaughters, none is extremely valuable. Joints have swollen over time

Just that one tweak with the chest, it made a very big difference, it de-cluttered the spare room, balanced the main bedroom, enabled me to clear my bedroom floor and at last I know where I am putting familiar things

Today I have to choose between 3 bits, one has to go either a 3` ottoman, 3`low, wooden unit with a lid or a 45" laundry basket. More tweaking this morning. Towels? no room in airing cupboard. Was easy before in a bigger house, didn`t have to think

You've been busy! I'm glad you have balance now, that's the problem I have here as I've sold so many things that used to balance the rooms.

I'll have a look for those sliders, thanks. I remember trying to move our piano alone, that was just ridiculous.
Only managed to pull it out from the wall at an angle and nearly collapsed, what a ton weight. Not sure what to do with it, the removal company wanted £400 to remove it as we have 18 steps at the front of the house.

Last thing I moved I dragged it on a sheet, was too unwieldy, ended up using a bathmat. How tall are you? I'm 5 foot 2 inches, some things do defeat me as I'm just too short to get a good grip - and I think I've got short arms!

Off for my southern fried quorn nuggets and chips, can't face the third portion of pasta, I over cooked it and it's slimy.

I have been wearing the same earrings for weeks, no idea where I carefully put my jewellery, thinking outside the box, yes they will turn up and then what? I used to have 2 large 48" tall chests of drawers, ok we used to have one each but I spread, like you do. I had one chest put into my bedroom when moved but that only contains half of my chest stuff

My bedroom is compact, there is already a basic fitted wardrobe, dark inside, no shelves in there, husband made shelves each side of the last wardrobe. Ok I tried make-do shelving made from chipboard and it was awful, so I splashed out and bought 2 elfa sets of 4 baskets that pull out, lovely, useful, one each side. Shoes are in a pocket thing now, was meant to hook over the door but that was useless, so I screwed it into the wardrobe inside door, it works. Other door hold a scarf hanger with lots of large holes but no good I am still unable to find things and that bedroom which is now a single looks cluttered

Lightbulb came on, the large chest in that room needs to go, will not need it in there any more. What do I do with it, dismantle it, get it downstairs in bits, maybe. Another lightbulb came on, there is a space on the wall between radiatior and wardrobe wall. I measured the gap between the pipework and skirting, 37 inches. Sigh the top of the chest is 39 inches but hang on, there is a 1" extension on the top, the bottom measures 36" exactly

Worth a try but it is mega heavy, furnitureland type oak. Drawers out but quickstep on the floor and dare not risk scratching by dragging the carcass. I remember the blue sliders that I bought from amazon once, found them, tried them and they worked. I was easily able to move that carcass by myself from that bedroom into mine. Will it fit? oh dear there is a socket behind, I need to rescue access to that before I test the space. Luckily found a 5m 2 gang extension, shortened it to 1m and replaced the plug. In it went and switch down, I could feed it under the chest through a gap. So now I carefully manoevre the chest with everything crossed and it fits, with 5 mm to spare and unbelieveably it balances the chest on the other side of the room and makes the room look better

I have been very lucky, I was so ready to have to dismantle the whole chest and get it downstairs. I don`t think I can start to fill it yet apart from hats, gloves and shawls. I still have to wait for the new wardrobes, otherwise it is mess upon mess

All I came on here for was to say how good sliders are, if you can get one under each corner that you can move furniture single handed without scratching

You are doing the right thing mosaics, getting on with sorting and packing. I used to do a box or three a day and stashed them anywhere reasonable. Viewers will not mind seeing evidence of packing at all

Almost there Franbern, the last stretch feels the longest

Yes actually buying somwhere with fitted wardrobes is better, somwhere to put things and an accurate idea of final bedroom size. I was earlier thinking of a local fitted bedroom company but decided that all they would do is slot in overbed storage, I have had that before and had to stand on the bed to reach it and it put off viewers. Useful, yes of course but it has granny connotations and the younger generation don`t like it, anyway standing on a wobbly mattress has to be a non-starter

Your new flat sounds perfect Franbern.

Hope survey goes well and everything happens soon, at least you will be moving in good weather.

Great you are clearing out, I need to get a grip and start sorting the boxes I so hurriedly packed to 'declutter'. I feel frozen in time somehow, just constantly cleaning and tidying and 'waiting' for a viewing. I know the market is quiet now as the school holidays approach so I will make a start on one box today. I don't want to, but I'll force myself. I know when the time comes my daughter will probably be in Timbuktu! xx

Meant to say NO under-bed storage

I have fully fitted bedroom furniture in my current house. In my bedroom, long wall of wardrobes, and under bay window my dressing table area. In the spare bedroom, also fitted wardrobes,
Indeed, it was worrying me about going somewhere else, smaller - and having to live out of suitcases for a few weeks, if I needed to have fitted bedroom furniture made.
The flat I am hoping to purchase, already has main bedroom with fitted robes AND dressing table area and bedside tables. Maybe slightly smaller than I have now, but at least i will be able to move in and unpack clothes, etc. The spare bedroom there also has fitted robes.
Indeed, this was something that helped me finally decide on this flat against my second choice which did no have this fitted bedroom furniture.
With all the hassle of moving, at least this will one area i will not have to worry about.
I do have a double electric bed, so need to ensure there is space for that, and in the spare bedroom also keep a normal 4'6" double bed. Both beds have drawers, but under bed storage.
I am now waiting for the survey for my would-be purchasers. I think that once that is carried out, I will start to believe this move will actually take place. At present I still say 'IF', rather than 'WHEN'.
At present I am spending lots of time on clearing out, cuphboards, garage, wardrobes, etc.etc.

Thank you for the bed link Craftyone, they look lovely. I find it hard turning the double mattress, it does make sense to go single.

I will look at house measurements carefully when I start looking, thanks for the helpful advice.

Doesn't look as though I'll be moving any time soon, only the time waster last Monday, no viewing requests yet. Two viewing agents are coming from the office tomorrow so I can give them the 'tour'.

Horrible weather again today, it's depressing me now, has gone on for too long.

btw hideaway does not have drawers, I can get cases under the bed

I have 2 x 3` singles mosaics, we bought them just 3 months before hubbie passed, hypnos, very tall on hideaway bases and the amount of storage below is wonderful

www.hypnosbeds.com/uk/design-options/storage-and-space-saving-beds/Hideaway

Like the red bed but side by side singles in a taupe with big headboards, good feng shui btw to have a sturdy headboard. I am very glad for the singles because mattresses have to be flipped or turned every 3 months and I can just manage a single size and they are heavy, quality is so good. I saw a single on its own in my old house, when the men were putting the beds in, it looked so solitary, anyway I like having the other bed next to me, somewhere to put things like a book, pillow etc. I have another 6 years on my present mattress and will then swap the 2 mattresses and if I need another bed in my 87th year, it will probably be an all singing dancing electric adjustable bed and by then I will have reduced my stash by a lot and won`t need so much storage

I tossed and turned a bit last night, thinking `what have I done` because technically both rooms were small doubles with the sockets available to go each side of a double. Also there was that awful smell of sawing, sanding and mdf. I bit the bullet and got up to put an airvax on full pelt in each room to clean the air and the smell has gone. The airvaxs were from when hubbie had asthma.

With new eyes this morning, I took another good look and both rooms will look lovely when everything stashed in them is tucked away. Obviously much smaller than the old house but the sizes are not bothering me now because I do not ever intend to move again. Beware mosaics, if you get to look at new houses then look at the alcove areas in bedrooms, even moveable wardrobes have to go somewhere and what they call a double may just end up as large single. I bought a laser measure device and it helped me a lot, otherwise I would never have got my things in as it was. I was able to take as many measurements as I liked and then scale drew the rooms and bits of furniture, jiggled like a jig saw

Glad so much was achieved today and the great thing is you know your walls are good. I was sorry for someone on a show who bought a house with fitted wardrobes and couldn't use them as the wall behind was so damp

I can't decide whether to have a single bed when I move - I'll let the cat decide!

They worked very hard, his apprentice is a strong rugby player and thank goodness because I could hear them struggling upstairs. He is not coming tomorrow, will be busy making the doors and the roads will be choked anyway. He will be back probably thursday. I think the very messy work is done and the beautifully made carcass is in place. They make the bedrooms look smaller but everyone needs wardrobes and storage of some sort and they are in the obvious places. I may have to ask sis to help me re-orientate the bed, not sure. It might be a 4 bed house but the bedrooms are much smaller than before and now 2 are smaller again. I think I will end up with 2 decent size singles, a small single and a double. Its a beautiful size for a single like me with a stack of hobbies

Anyone looking at new builds, beware of the bling that the big boys use, I think it is meant to distract from what can actually fit into the rooms. At least here I saw the rooms without anything inside. Be careful of sales people too, they are well trained

Fantastic, I have never had a fitted wardrobe but it makes great sense not to have gaps for spiders!

Enjoy sorting out your socks!

wardrobes are being fitted right now lots of noise and skirting taken off but he is here on strong recommendation so I am sitting here with a herb tea and coping. Glasto traffic is building up very fast, I wasn`t sure if he and his apprenctice would make it today. I am breathing a sigh of relief and looking forward to clearing the room so I can prep it for my sister who is arriving from aus on tuesday. Could have been manic but it is all falling into place I think

The last bits for me, before I clear up, sort and settle properly, so I can get to U3A etc Just a bit stomach churning right now, destruction before construction

Craftyone so glad to hear you are doing well. Ironing.
Always hated that when my husband was alive and the children were at school as on top of the usual things there were 15 shirts to iron every Sunday. After he died it was I really missed ironing his shirts.

I think my stress is going, I sprayed palo santo around the house the other evening and said a few words to the house, to accept me and to allow me to become nested. This morning I suddenly had the urge to unpack some clothes, so I have done my first ironing stint here and tops and skirts are hanging in sets on door handles

Next week I will have the extra wardrobe space and I can do more hanging up and also removing of clothes I worked in, will be getting order into my life, freeing me up to start attending clubs and pilates and tai chi. Ironing and hanging clothes is to me, nesting and removing things is creating order. I have been sleeping well lately, 7-8 hours a night, better and better since stress is leaving

Mosaicwarts for all my viewing and when ever I have work done in my home I always ask people to take their shoes off. No one has ever refused. It is your home you set the results.