I reckon that now, at eight months gone, I could happily put up nursery furniture and supervise a move. I'm shifting some the bedroom around this week - OK, it will take me a bit longer, but I'll be doing it alone. And I'll be doing it sensibly, emptying and partially dismantling things, which I wouldn't have needed to do before.

However, there are many people who couldn't do this. It really depends on who you are and how your body manages pregnancy. I would recommend you get a house by the autumn and so any paint fumes can just drift out of open doors and windows (DH and I stop decorating in the winter!). If you already have furniture then you'll need less time, but bending and moving stuff out of boxes is going to be harder the longer you leave it. For new furniture it's a bit easier, but you have to allow yourself time to go around all the shops to pick everything out.

Also, the belly gets in the way of too much running around and squeezing through things. I now find it harder to get to the backs of cupboards because I can't get as close as I could before, and getting into a room where the doorway is partly blocked is not very fun.

I don't know how your belly will grow, or how you'll feel about it, but I'd say the second trimester would be good to get everything done in, as that's when you're meant to have the most energy (though I still feel like I can take on the world, so long as I get the odd nap and sit-down).