Happy Atheist Forum

So, I'm moving in a week or so, but I now realise, I have no idea what I'm doing.

I moved around a lot as an undergrad, but it was always a "student move", I would turn up with a backpack full of clothes and a suitcase that held everything else I owned, jobs a good'un. Hopping on a train was normally sufficient to manage this. Now though, I have to move me, all my stuff (which has inflated considerably since I last moved), some furniture (armchairs, maybe a sofa, some tables) and most inconveniently, a small dog.

Does anyone have any idea how I can move all this stuff from south east London to Oxford (3.5-4 hour drive, 2.5 hours on the trains and underground)? Without the dog, it would be simple, if I had a car, it would be simple, but unfortunately, it's not simple. I will have the use of both dwellings concurrently for a while, so I could do it in multiple trips, but I would prefer not to. Can I hire a moving van and go with the guy driving it with the dog on my lap? So far, this is the leading candidate, but I think there must be something better.

Give me the benefit of your life experience.

The last move, we hired a moving company to cart everything from one house to the other.
They can also pack your stuff up if you pay them enough.  We had them pack the furniture (wrap it, etc), and did the rest ourselves.

I've moved cats twice.  The first time was by car (3 day trip), and the second by plane (4 hours+airport+taxi).
Each time I got a prescription from my vet for a very low-dose tranq, just to calm them down.
First cat (in the car) slept through most of it.  Second cat (plane) woke up mid-flight... but we were by a wing, so it was noisy enough he didn't disturb anyone.  At the time, the airline let me put his carrier in an empty seat next to mine (very nice).  Not sure I'd trust the airlines to move an animal for me - probably better to find a new home with someone you trust.

2 cents from me,
JoeActor

p.s. let us know how it goes - happy new-digs to you!

Take your time and dismantle things. If you can do it in one go, you won't need to do it over the course of several trips. If you have the funds, hire a truck.

Washing machines weigh a ton, so I advise letting that one go. In my experience, unless you are four guys, moving it is more trouble than the damned thing is worth, unless yours is worth a lot.

Also, most stores that have big things, also have those cool trolleys like this:

(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sz-wholesale.com%2FuploadFiles%2FHAND%2520TROLLEY_611.jpg&hash=47fb22d9d7be46a6d51604bfdfef0a8c1ff697c5)

Ask. They may let you borrow. VERY nice for them heavy square-shaped objects.

Other than that... Just pile everything in a vehicle, move the vehicle to the destination and pile everything out. If you take any screws out, mark them with masking tape on which you write where the thing belongs

Good luck with the move!

Thanks for the advice.

I was considering a packing company, but I am only moving some things from my old place to my new, so it seems slightly excessive.

The idea of a light tranquilliser for the dog could be a good idea, but she is old, so it may not be wise. My new place has white goods, so I won't be moving them.

My new place is partially furnished, so I wont be able to take all my furniture with me, and it's not really worth putting it in storage.

If you can afford it, leave the job to the professionals.  It's worth it.  If not, hire a van and round up some mates.  And I'd buy a sack-barrow as Asmodean said.  Mine's one of the most useful things I own.
And how I envy you, moving to Oxford. I'm not starry-eyed about the place; I know the reality too well, but I still envy you.  Even if you're in one of the really rough parts, even with the crime and the gridlock and the parking problems.

EDIT: I crossed over your last post.  OK, no professionals this time but when you've got a lot of stuff they are priceless.

I just moved across town and it would have taken a whole week to pack if we had been focused on it every night.  So collect boxes from your local markets or wherever you can get boxes and start packing now; having it all packed up by moving day makes things much easier.

We rented a 26' truck for our 2 bedroom house took 2 trips and a full day.  We still didn't have everything so it really would have been three 26 foot truck trips but we were simply too tired to continue as we were moving it ourselves so we took the rest by car over the next few days (approx 45 min round trips each).    In comparison, moving out of the apt we shared in college took one 26' truck trip, one family van, and two car loads....much less than our last move.

Since you are one person you probably won't have as much crap as we did. (I got rid of a lot before the move and have a pile to get rid of now that we are unpacking too).

Moving is a pain in the ass...if you have the money hire movers who can drive a huge semi-truck and pick it up all in one trip.

for the dog, the vet can give it a valume to help it be more calm.  Our dog just lays in the back seat or laps without any meds; maybe yours would be like that too.  Our cats, on the other hand, freak out on long car rides and on of them even gets car sick and then pees itself...so you never know  how a pet will react until you try.

Quote from: "OldGit"And how I envy you, moving to Oxford. I'm not starry-eyed about the place; I know the reality too well, but I still envy you.  Even if you're in one of the really rough parts, even with the crime and the gridlock and the parking problems.

I'm living in Osney, end of terrace house, it seems nice enough to me? Some of the other places I looked round looked dreadful.

Thanks for all the advice so far peeps, I might go for pros and just instruct them carefully as to what I want to bring, if they give me a good price for having to carry so little, it may be worth it. However, the street I am moving into is tiny, so there is no way any lorry is coming down it.

I'm beginning to think that Europeans naturally collect less crap than Americans...I wouldn't be able to move into a place that didn't have truck access; would be too hard.

I think it's true, partly because everything here is more expensive, and partly, because I shed belongings with every move.

A small moving van or truck rental should do it, and you could do that without hiring a driver. Also, this is a great time to enlist any friends with vehicles. Just the promise of some refreshments at the end of the move might sway some of your friends to help out. I've moved a dozen times, and helped move lots of people.

Always found the best way for small moves to be a pickup truck, full-sized van, and friends.

Good luck!

Me, I just load the Old Rusty (STV) when the time to move comes... Still, I have done some impressively large moves for others in my life. Some people I know never seem to throw old crap away...  

Hiring someone reputable to both pack and move the stuff would be the easiest, and probably the most expensive option.  Packing it yourself and renting a truck is a pretty economical way to move - it's what we did when my husband (then boyfriend) helped me move over 1,000 miles.  If you pack yourself, make sure you label the boxes - otherwise, unpacking is going to be a horrific chore.

You can borrow my trailer if you want.
If you have to move a king size mattress up a few flights of stairs, I can't help, I have to go to church that day.

I've moved around several times. It can be quite an ordeal, if you have loads of stuff. My advise is therefore also to get a moving-company to do the hard part of the move (furniture, TV, washing-machine, etc.). They know how to handle heavy stuff and are insured against any damages. There are a couple of things that you can pack yourself, like books, CD's, DVD's, etc. to save a couple of quids.

Before starting a move you could make an inventory list of things, that you want to move.  It good to get an idea of what you want to keep or get rid off. It also help you to estimate the value of your possessions better (for the insurance). I've always been amazed how much junk people collect over the years, so the move can be a good opportunity to "simplify" your life. But, it is better not to wait till the last moment for selling things. The chances that you get a good price for what you are selling diminishes the longer you wait.

My most important advise is, that you should move everything yourself, that doesn't have an intrinsic value, but is valuable to you (like important papers, passport, photo's, etc.). If they get lost then you'll have a very hard time to replace them.

Quote from: "The Magic Pudding"I can't help, I have to go to church that day.

So... Heckling the priest comes before heavy lifting..? Good call.