Packing For Your Move

Be Prepared

Whether you’re hiring a removal company to handle your house move, or have decided to go it alone and hire a truck, the key to a smooth move lies in the preparation. It’s easy to get caught up in the paperwork and logistics of moving, but having an organised approach to packing and unpacking your possessions carefully will save tears and tantrums at the other end!

Taking the time to dismantle bulky items can save on space and therefore cash, and wrapping fragile items in the correct materials is well worth the initial outlay. Remember, the last thing you will want to do when you reach your new place is make insurance claims or shop for new items to replace broken ones.

What Not To Pack

Strange though it may seem, you should start by figuring out what you don’t need to pack. There’s nothing worse than arriving at your new place after a tiring journey only to find that you’ve packed little Jimmy’s asthma pump in Box 23 on the truck, or don’t have the basic essentials to make a brew and an evening meal! Remember to leave the following items in a few separate bags for easy access.

• Medications and First Aid Kit


• Change of clothes


• Towels


• Toiletries (don’t forget the toilet roll and your toothbrush!)


• Food and drinks for a couple of meals, plus snacks


• Disposable plates and cutlery


• Pen and paper


• Torch


• Basic tool kit (useful for putting furniture back together)

The Right Stuff

Make sure you have access to the correct materials for packing a couple of weeks before your move. Ask around at local supermarkets for sturdy cardboard boxes – to save on space, why not dismantle them and store them flat until they’re ready for use? Simply stick them back together with strong sticky tape when you want to pack. Although these are fine for lightweight, non-fragile items such as stuffed toys, it’s not advisable to put your prize china in supermarket boxes!

Removal firms and packing supplies manufacturers can provide moving kits complete with strong boxes of various sizes, packing tape, bubble wrap and polystyrene packing grains. If you’re hiring a removal firm, they’ll be able to advise you of how much you need of each item. They can also take away the materials at the other end – very handy if you don’t have anywhere to put them on the night of the move!

Have A Plan

Be systematic about your packing, and you’ll save time and avoid frayed nerves! Pack one room at a time, and use coloured stickers to label each room’s boxes. A large marker pen comes in handy for marking up numbers on each box – make a list of what’s in each box on a piece of paper, and keep this with you on the day. Try to put the items you need least first, so that they’re last out of the truck. When you arrive, put large coloured stickers or balloons on each door to show what goes where.

Moving is bound to be stressful at some stage, but by careful preparation, you can achieve maximum results with minimum hassle.