We completed yesterday. My body is broken!

The last move I did was with DD, she was/is single, Dh was away on business. I spent the night before the move on her exceedingly uncomfortable sofa.

The move was being done by removal men - she lived in a second floor flat - and most of the contents were going to store as she couldn't move into her new home for a couple of months and intended to camp for a month while she did work on it, when she did get in, so some stuff was coming back to her temporary home with us.

The removal men were gone by 3.00pm. DD and I were then at the flat until 10.00, packing up the rest of the stuff into our 2 cars, cleaning the flat up and leaving it for the new owners. By the time I was finished both cars were full to the gills, I was absolutely knackered and on a freezing cold January night drovehome, South London - Oxford with the driver's window wide open in case I fell asleep.

The next morning DD was up at 5.00pm to get back to London to work and I barely woke all day. I didn't even have the energy to take the stuff tied on the top of the car off, in case it rained. I was 63 and it was my first realisation that I was beginning to age.

Couple of moves back, we moved ourselves and yes never never again. It was just me and H, a friend helped in the morning then left us to it. It took us 24hrs, no exaggeration. The hire van had to be back by 8am, I thought I would die of exhaustion!

Dh and I met in London and moved into a bedsit, decided to move to the other side of the capital, we didn't have much and could carry it all, we just picked up our things and headed for the tube. All went well until we had to change trains, we got off and headed for the other line. Train came in picked up stuff I got on train and he picked up his stuff to pass in to train to me when train doors closed. I didn't know what to do so decided to carry on to destination and hope he was following on next train, I was young and naive. When I reached our destination station I managed to find a station employee who rang through to the previous station and got a message to OH we eventually met up again, but it was during the power cut times in the early 1970s our new landlords were picking us up as the new place was not near the tube it was very dark when we arrived and we couldn't make anything to eat or drink on arrival it was scary but we were young and in love! Have moved many times since but never used a tube train again

I said never again the previous two moves but we still did it ourselves earlier this year, in sleet and snow. Shattering. I mean it now, get someone in next time.

When we last moved we hired a firm who came highly recommended, what a mistake.We moved from a seven bedroom house to a three bedroom bungalow, so that was a challenge in itself.When we came to put everything away, we discovered that the men had left behind my range cooker, dishwasher , and washing machine which the next inhabitants refused to let me have back or even pay for.Never moving again

I did all that when we moved up from Kent. They even made our bed up for us which was unexpected. They were very young and excited to be spending the night in an hotel!
That was 15 years ago and how times have changed!

We’ve previously moved ourselves normally with the help of a brother or two or so. The last move in September was chaotic. We thought getting the movers to pack would be a good move. Wrong! It was a busy time and obviously we didn’t realise how poorly I was! Two were very professional but the other two were useless. Only just getting straight now having refitted en suite, bathroom and kitchen. Decorator is working now and I am shattered! My OH doesn’t do DIY but luckily a young man who lived near our last home is beavering away. He’s a real perfectionist though! I keep telling myself all will be well by winter.

We have been in our house 40 years and have decided to move now before we are too old and decrepit (I'm 64 and DH is 72).
It's a daunting prospect and I hadn't even thought about the practicality of the actual move!

When the removal people fill boxes do you get a chance to label them which room they have to go to? Same with pieces of furniture, do you label them as to which room?

I’m moving house in two weeks time.
The removal company will do all the packing and the full move.
It’s not worth the aches, pains and stress doing it myself.

I hope you will be happy there Flaxseed it does sound lovely.
I cannot imagine moving, but would always call the experts and have them pack all our things.We may have tried to do as you did when young and not much furniture, but too old for that now.

In 1946 just being demobbed we had to live in an attic room. When we had to get out and move into a bedsit we put our few sticks of utility furniture etc into storage. When managed to get a flat and get back our possession we found the storage men handled our furniture as though it was valuable antique stuff.

Well done Flaxseed It's hard work, and it's easy to forget you're ??? years older than the last time you did it.

We always moved ourselves until we moved to our present house. We hired a (recommended) removal company as we wanted everything stored for 10 days so we could do some decorating in the new house before we filled it with furniture. We did our own packing however.

When we were eventually reunited with our belongings I wished we had moved ourselves as we would not have damaged or lost so many things.

As you said, the only way we're leaving here will be in a box!

It's such a stressful time - well done for moving yourself as well, so I hope you have a long and happy life in you rnew home.
I would never contemplate moving our house contents - the weight of the washing machine alone would have us both floored, but good luck to those who can!

Last two times paid for them to pack etc. We had to do initially as it was going into storage so did the same this last time.

Blimey no wonder you are exhausted. But your New Home sounds wonderful and I hope you (both ) are happy there xxx

Our worst move was moving from Holland back to the UK. The American company organised it from Chicago! We had a big van, three men (I swear one of them was 90!) and they took 3 days to pack everything up dropping and breaking things on the way!
One of them slept under the van and the other two in the van.
They decided they would not go the shortest crossing back to the UK but go via London - their home - and cash in the other ferry tickets.
It meant we had to pay for a night in a hotel in the UK as they lost a day!
We moved into a rented house on the landing path of the local airport with no double glazing and half the size of out Dutch home.

The next move to our present house was arranged by us and was extremely smooth.

When thinking back to first move 55 years ago, it was DIY. Next was a long distance so removal firm. Next two DIY. From then on always removal firm. I think over the years contents had increased especially with 3 children and again long distances involved. If I was miving now think I'd only take my personal affects and get rid of everything to start anew. Certainly wouldn't DIY a full house contents.

That’s great, Flaxseed! I know that happy feeling. We moved into a house with three youngsters in winter. The house was dirtier than it looked on viewing, the CH didn’t work and when we went to bed, one of our cats had peed on the mattress. I was in floods of tears, going ‘I’m so glad we moved here!’ ??

We have spent three days moving. Friday was everything from DP’s house(two van runs)
Saturday and today my storage unit (only one van run both days)
There’s still more there but that can be done in one run.
We are in a complete mess and I think sorting out the boxes will take months (I only have weekends to sort mine) but it’s a relief that most stuff is here now.

Thanks for the good wishes. I never imagined I would ever have anyone so lovely, but luckily I met a nice partner whom I was willing to invest with (we have paid exactly half each - now to update our wills!)

I am truly shattered and am going back to work tomorrow for a rest! But I am also very content and happy

Good luck to anyone moving soon! Just don’t do it yourself!

Enjoy your new home, Flaxseed! ? ☕️ ?

We’re moving next month, or rather we’re completing a move that began in May. Our new house wasn’t ready then so we’re ‘glamping’ in a one bed flat for now. Minimal housework, I must say! ?

We’ve moved lots of times and always had a removals firm. I can’t imagine how we’d go about moving large items of furniture. We chose to pack much of the non-breakables ourselves this time, partly because we were doing a massive declutter and it was easy to go through stuff, dispose of what we weren’t keeping and then put the rest into boxes.

Whilst I’m looking forward to getting settled, I must say, I’m not looking forward to unpacking it all, and making a quart fit into a pint pot! ?‍? ?

Our last move was twenty two years ago literally five mins walk from our previous home. We needed the extra room so we decided to move to a bigger house up the road. We hired a local removal company which turned out to be the worst ever on Merseyside.

We got the wrong furniture utensils and clothes delivered to our new house. They were totally unorganised we spent hours waiting for them to return with our belongings. We were told later in the day the company had booked three complete house removals in one day. You could not make it up if you tried and eventually after causing havoc in three households they went.

We vowed we would never move again and even though we should we will stay put. We were very unlucky moving house is one of the most stressful times in life. You are there now in your new home with many things to look forward too so enjoy?

We moved into our first home using a hired van. our goods were stashed at our respective parents houses (100 miles apart) plus collection from a number of other places.

We moved 5 years later. In that time we had fully furnished a 4 bedroom house and acquired two children and all their belongings. The removers, completely filled their largest removal van. When we realised how much we had, moving it ourselves was never even contemplated.

I am with other GNs here - definitely have a removal firm to manage a home move.
(I suggest this for anyone over the age of thirty!) We've had firms do all the packing of boxes too - what a Godsend that is! (You just do your own "personal" stuff.) We transported pets & tender houseplants ourselves, by car. Even then, it's a LOT of work. Congratulations Flaxseed. Wishing you every happiness in your new home.

With all the heavy costs of moving, think that having a good professional moved (doing all the packing also) is, comparatively a very small addition.

It is ALL so very stressful however you do it - but, at least,not quite so physically so with a company doing all of this.

But, flaxseed all in the past for you now. Just relax and enjoy your new home. Unpacking can take as long as you wish. I moved from the family home back in 2003, and when I moved out the next house in 2019, I discovered two packing boxes in the garage, still sealed. Decided that if I had not needed or missed anything they contained for all those years then it was not important and disposed of them.

Must admit that when I moved to my present flat - obviously with less space to store packing boxes, my daughter nearby was astonished as to how quickly I did the unpacking - all done within five days of moving in.