Ooh dearie dearie me...

[snohare]

...or words to that effect.
Got a phone call from my mother on Wednesday, telling me that the factor (agent for the local laird) had phoned my parents house to ask how I was going with getting ready to be out of my house by the 1st of April.
When I was last speaking with him at the beginning of March, just as my father had broken his leg on ice thus requiring me to put plans to move on hold, I specifically asked and obtained agreement that 1st May would be my leaving date. My lease is currently renewed month by month anyway, so this was just repeating the previous month.
So this was an absolute bombshell, and of course I wasn't happy to hear he had worried my parents like that. (Although he does deal with my father quite often, and was very apologetic for not having my phone number handy.)
As it happens, this has worked out to my favour, possibly anyway. The estate had always said the tenancy would end 1st April, as they would need the house for accomodating a new worker when a new shooting consortium signed a deal. The deal fell through...but now suddenly it's back on, and the estate are bending over backwards to help me move house, offering me transport and maybe boxes, etc. As I am on benefits, have only had a driving license a few months, and thus cannot afford to hire a van to drive myself even if the insurance/hire company would allow, this is a huge advantage.
So I am now in a hell of a hurry to get all my goods and chattels packed up, find boxes, sort things out into stuff that can go into storage until long-term accomodation is found for me, stuff for my gardening (I have a patch of ground for veggies, but no storage yet) and things I can keep in temporary accomodation.
So give me your words of wisdom, fellow Grapes...what tips do you have for me finding boxes, and basically sorting out all these things in time ? Any suggestions on the best way to box up and store 40 shelf metres of books, and countless DIY tools, pdq ?
Needless to say I used my old boxes from the move here for anti-weed mulch on the garden.

[kirsty b]

Ask for boxes at your local shops? Prob let you have them to save the bother of throwing them out.

[Jeanied]

No freecycle / freegle group around?

[SarzWix]

Oh 'eck! Try local pubs for boxes for your books - the boxes they have wine delivered in are fairly sturdy, and fit just enough in that you can lift them without killing yourself. Similarly, fruit/apple boxes from the supermarket, and they stack well too.

Storage space - try any nearby businesses with a warehouse, if they have a spare corner, they might be willing to rent it to you for a month or so? Or, ask the estate if they have any space anywhere? If they're bending over backwards, you might as well take advantage

Good luck!!

[Brengirl]

As the factor seems keen to placate you I would think they could offer you some dry secure space on the estate.

[taff]

carrier bags for books,you can only fit so many in,and they're easy,if repetitive,to transport.

[Nicos]

Oh dear- how much have you got to move????
I'd get started with your packing ASAP.
We moved a 5 bedroomed house ourselves ( well- not the actual house although that might have been easier!)- some into storage and some to France
Took 5 of us 9 hrs a day for 9 days- and we still have to go back to clear the lottie!

I thought we'd got loads of boxes but ended up having to buy loads more.
Plastic bags are useful, but you can't stack them.
Books in small boxes- they are exhaustingly heavy after a few hours of lugging.

Get everyone you know to collect newspapers- we went hunting down the road on paper recycling day nicking newspapers to wrap things in.
Rope in as many friends as you can find- you'll be surprised how much longer it takes than you expect. Even the odd hour or two helps- or an offer of a trip to the tip will save precious time.
We bubble wrapped piccies and mirrors.

Mark your boxes with which room and contents ( but don't suggest anything valuable for the boxes going into storage!)
We couldn't find anyone to insure our stuff in storage- certainly none of the standard companies. So we went with the storage peeps Insurance ( flood/fire/theft/waterdamage)

I had some fantastic ideas shared with me before my move....

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...use_42944.html


Good luck!

[Bigmallly]

If you have a local hospital anything like mine, we throw mountains of boxes away every day.

[Flummery]

We went to the supermarket and specifically asked for banana boxes. They are very strong, reinforced bottoms, and lids. We gave them away a few years later to a friend who was moving. They are brilliant, have handle-holes and when packed with heavies, are still liftable by one person.

[snohare]

Aha, some very good ideas there, thank you !
Part of my problem is that I am stuck between two villages - no warehouses around, few shops, friends mainly at work and an hour's drive away, the fortnightly cardboard colleection has just happened - and as I have no transport of my own I have a very limited time in which to go into town (50 miles away) and put tatties into the growing area I have there (Aberdeen is where I am aiming to end up again), find boxes, get parcel tape etc. My folks of course are willing, but elderly and not fit. Basically, I will probably have to do it all this afternoon, or go without. So the idea of the hospital and banana boxes, or failing that carrier bags (I have hundreds!) will help direct my efforts more efficiently.
Can't ask the estate for storage space - theirs will be wet and mouse-ridden, not to mention insecure, and once I am gone from the cottage they will no doubt stop being helpful and I will be left once again with my possessions 60 miles from where they need to be, and no way of getting them there. I am informed that the local council has a duty to transport and store my belongings once I am considered in danger of homelessness (handy to know, now I'm glad I've volunteered with a homelessness charity all these years ), but of course the problem is I will be going into temporary accomodation for who knows how long, and I need to organise things for that.
I'm just so glad that the weather has improved and I have more energy now spring has arrived. If I was in winter mode, my Crohn's Disease and CFS would make this utterly impossible.
Thanks again for all your help guys. If nothing else, knowing that you can do a 5 bedroom house in 9 days gives me hope !

[janeyo]

Do you have an old people's nursing home near? They will have adult sized nappy boxes. Brilliant for packing.

[Creemteez]

As far as your books are concerned, how 'bout doing away with boxing/bagging them and just tie them - parcel-fashion into manageable stacks of similarly sized volumes? Only need a ball of strong string, then - and you can stack them into your van etc using every available bit of space right up to the ceiling!
Also, if you are moving chest of drawers full of stuff (clothes, oddments etc) don't take it all out and pack it seperately, just take the full drawers out, move the empty carcass into your van and replace the drawers. Then when you arrive at your new home you are already "unpacked" as soon as you get there!

[northepaul]

When I moved I went to the green grocer and got a load of fruit boxes, because they are super strong and have handles in them. (Ideal for books etc) He even let us have some plastic crates...might be worth an ask, after all they can only say no!

[taff]

Plastic bags are useful, but you can't stack them.

You can, honest! Pick the same size books or paperbacks,then when you're carrying them,leave the handles alone, when you've moved them,you can tie the handles and stack. [I've moved four times in the last 10 years, and each time used carrier bags, only because i had loads - bad girl!! ]

but veg boxes sound a lot better