I'm back, sort of

[blackcat]

Great to see you back - and I can only endorse what others have said - get a removalist. If you pay a bit extra they will also pack for you which saves a huge amount of stress!!

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

Hi Leigh,

Happy New Year to you as well Hun ... great to have back on board 

[LeighK]

Thanks guys, getting a bit stressed as the day wore on regarding discussions with the landlady. Sorry about my bouts of absence from the forum but will be so much more settled ina few weeks time when I am in the new place in fact I can't wait, not because of the excitement but because of the fact that it is mine and the3 boys will truelly have a home of their own where no   can interfere. My home is VERY important to me, I'm "home-loving" person and the security is what I crave above all else. When I'm settled in the new place I will start to get excited about getting it "homely" but now my concerns are all wrapped up in the move etc.. I keep telling myself that evrything will be worthwhile in the long run and that and a little hel-p from my friends to keep me sane is what's keeping me going, I keep telling the boys "everything will be fine soon". I guess that my landlady trying to sell the place a while back was the "kick up the a$$" that I needed but not feeling too well and the stress not helping that has made me feel quite crappy, still, as I say, everything will be worthwhile in the long run.

Cheers

Leigh

[Liz]

Nice to see you and the boys back, moving is stressful especially with cats - I know we did it with 37 and 2 dogs

We had the cats shut down in our bedroom and spare bedroom and we ended up packing all the bedroom stuff for the removal men from these 2 rooms at night when the crew had the run of the  house - in fact we were like a prision with notices and everything!

Our removal men were wonderful at both ends and let us do the cats first at both ends and even played football with the dogs to keep them distracted!

I hope all goes well and then you can be on more often with all the boys new stories

[MrsR]

  back hunnie x

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Definately agree , moving is one of the most stressful things in life.

Now you have exchanged contracts that should make things easier but I am sure until you have landed in the new house, you will still be on edge.

I hope the move goes smoothly and the boys.......gorgeous.............and you find your new home great 

[LeighK]

Oh yes, better safe than sorry, their safety and happiness is paramount. I will feel more positive still as soon as I'm in the new place. , I'm going to go with the close the boys in the bathroom and put notices up on the door idea I think.

Cheers

Leigh

[bonnielass]

Hi Leigh  back, sorry you didnt enjoy Xmas it must be a big relief to know that things are now moving  for you, i would agree with the others about your boys, better safe then sorry 

[Tiggy's Mum]

  back Leigh, how exciting for you 

Definitely go for the removals option, moving house is one of the most stressful things you can ever do and the physical side of things is something you can influence.  As for the boys I third the idea of shutting them in one, already cleared, room.  I put about 5 A4 signs on that door saying DO NOT OPEN - CATS INSIDE and for good measure 'locked' the handle with a bungee rope.  I think the removal mean got the hint  The plan was to put the boys in one room that was already unpacked at the new house and keep them there until the new house was semi-unpacked so they weren't stressed by it, unfortunately I ended up having an asthma attack so when I got out of hospital at 5am all I wanted to do was sleep - the wailing coming from the spare room was doing my head in so I opened the door and let them get on with it!

[clarenmax]

Last time I moved I did the same, cleared one room completely (kitchen in my case) and shut Max in there while the removal guys were doing the do, then at the other end put him in the kitchen and shut him in until all the boxes and furniture were in.

We phased it over a few days as well, all the small packing boxes had already been bought over, so the kitchen was pretty much ready to go (albeit packed up), and it was just the heavy stuff and furniture which the removal guys dealt with.

[LeighK]

Hi Dawn,

It's a good sugestion, what I could do is clear out the bathroom stuff into the living room and then put the both the boys in there with their stuff water, ltter tray, food etc. and move them in my firends car afterwards.

Cheers

Leigh

[Dawn F]

when we moved we shut bluto in the bathroom with all his stuff and a note on the door

[LeighK]

Thanks guys,

Yes, it's starting to get a bit exciting, a great relief now that the contracts have been exchanged etc. I will feel even better in about six/seven weeks time when I have moved. I have a guy from a removals company coming round next Monday evening to give me an estimate. I deliberately set the complation date with a one week overlap so as to ease things with the mnove, didn't fancy only having one day to move in. I should get the keys on the 20th Feb. and will arrange the move for the Monday so as to avoid delays and give me extra packing time etc. I am trying to work out the best way to handle moving the boys, I can't risk them getting out during the move. Maybe I should keep them in their cat carriers throughout the whole day until they have moved and the removal men finished both ends, any thoughts on this, one of my main concerns, very much appreciated.

Cheers

Leigh

[clarenmax]

Yay, glad you've exchanged hunnie, must be a weight off your mind   

I would say go with a proper removal company to be honest, I hired a couple of guys with a van last time I moved, but they damaged a few bits and there wasn't much recourse on them, at least with a bigger company they have the proper insurance in place, and they do all the heavy lifting etc which is always easier.

[Christine (Blip)]

Good to see you back, Leigh.  How exciting that you've exchanged    It was an excellent idea to overlap one week as you'll be able to clean up before you move in and move out, respectively.   If you've got any amount of stuff, I'd pay for a removal team too.  I'll try and remember the name of the last one we used - they were very good.

[Janeyk]

Hi Leigh 

Great to see you back, sorry no advice over removals as we've never moved as yet! but sounds like things are turning round for you and very best of luck 

[Catbird]

HI Leigh,

Glad things are looking up for you.  Definitely, but definitely cough for the removal men!  It was easily the best money I spent last time I moved.  They will do all the shifting and lifting for you, leaving you fresh to sort things out and start putting stuff away.  Just be sure to check the contract with them before you sign.  Someone I know had a delay in the money travelling between solicitors and suddenly found themselves being charged an additional £60 per hour/part of an hour while waiting to gain access to the new place.  Ouch!  That was a national removals company - local might be better.

Hope all goes well for you.

C.

[Dawn F]

great news Leigh, its always a bit scary until you exchange!!  if you can afford it go for the removal option, we used Goddards in Brentford, they were very good and quite reasonable

[LeighK]

Hi folks,

I've been very busy mostly to do with matters regarding my impending move. I hope everyone had a super Christmas and wishing you all a very belated Happy New Year. I'm delighted to announce that we exchanged contacts on my new flat at the end of last week and I'm on target to complete on the 20th of February, by design, one week before my notice on my present flat comes to an end. I've been getting pretty stressed about things and, in all honesty, didn't enjoy Christmas that much, actually I'd go further and say that I've not enjoyed the uncertainty of the past six months that much but now there seems like light at the end of the tunnel and I'm actually starting to feel a tad more relaxed about the whole thing. I was round the new place on Saturday measuring up particularly in the kitchen and bedroom for the items that I'm buying, bed, fridge and washing machine. I've put down a deposit on the bed at Dreams so as to get in before the sales ended and chosen my white goods for the kitchen. I'm in the process of deciding whether or not to get a van and driver and help move myself or go with a removals company, a slightly costlier option but more peace of mind especially considering my ongoing health matters, them supplying packing materials, insurance and labour etc.. Here's a few new pics of the boys:

Alfie decimating his cat grass whilst I was watering it :



Frankie and Alfie on the bed together :



Cheers

Leigh