Smart Packing Tips for Moving Home
Sensible packing will make things much easier when you arrive at your new home. Follow our handy guide of what, how and when to pack.
2 minute read
You will need
Boxes and black bags are essential whilst packing to move home, as well as strong tape, bubble wrap, old newspapers and sealable bags for keeping small items like screws and bolts. Some retail stores have an excess of cardboard boxes, so it never hurts to politely ask if you can take a few off their hands. Labels and markers are great for ensuring you keep track of what’s in which box.
Declutter
There’s no point moving clutter from one home to another and moving is the perfect opportunity to remove any old items that you don’t use anymore. Sort through all your clothes, CD’s, DVD’s and books and take them to a car boot sale, or to a charity shop. Ask friends and family if they want or need any of the furniture you no longer want and chuck anything that is complete junk.
Timing
Depending on the size of the house, you should start packing at least one month before you move. This naturally depends on the amount of possessions you own, but being organised is key, especially as stress levels will rise closer to the move in date.
What you use the least
Think about the items that you use the least and pack these first. Start with rooms where you store items such as Christmas decorations, gardening tools and books. Try and pack one room at a time so that you can easily label each box and you’ll know where it needs to be in the new house. Items that aren’t used very often should be loaded first so that you’ve got access to the important bits first.
The essentials
Unless you’re planning on unpacking absolutely everything in the first day, make sure you pack an essentials box. This should include things such as toiletries, a change of clothes, teabags, a few utensils and a small toolkit for the furniture that needs seeing to straight away.
Heavy boxes
It’s easy to overload boxes, especially if they’re quite large. Try not to exceed 13kg for each box as you run the risk of damaging your back and the box breaking and damaging your possessions. Pack heavier items at the bottom and the lighter things on the top.
Spacing
The last thing you want is for loose items to crash around in a box during the move, so we advise you filling empty spaces with old bits of newspaper so that everything is secure. Utilise soft items like bedding and towels and wrap all your breakables up so there is less risk of breakage. (Make sure your contents insurance covers any damage and breakages during the move.)
