21 Packing Tips Everyone Should Read Before Moving House

1. Allow yourself as much time as possible – packing always takes longer than anyone anticipates!
2. Get organised – source packing supplies like a range of different sized boxes, packing tape, tape dispenser, labels, markers bubble wrap and butchers paper.
3. Devise a labelling system that makes it easy to unpack at your new home – such as colour coding and numbering. Ensure you include (as a minimum)  our name, the destination room, and brief contents description. Including the destination room means your removalists can place them in the correct room for you and you don’t have to double handle them later.
4. Use a spreadsheet inventory to keep track of which items have been packed in which boxes if you’re likely going to leave them packed for a while – e.g. in  torage.
5. Reinforce moving boxes with plenty of packing tape to help ensure the contents don’t fall through when in transit.
6. Use small boxes to pack heavy items. Don’t make the mistake of using large boxes for things like books – you run the risk of the box being too heavy to lift, or the box breaking.
7. Don’t overload boxes – ensure there is space at the top to add cushioning such as crushed butchers paper or bubble wrap, and the box can be comfortably closed and sealed well with tape.
8. Pack heavy items at the bottom of the box and lighter items on the top.
9. Clearly label fragile boxes and mark which side up they should be stacked.
10. Dinner plates are less likely to break if packed vertically (like records) rather than stacked on top of one another. To pack them, cushion the bottom and sides of a box, stack plates vertically with padding in between each plate and then cushion the top. Seal and reinforce the box well, clearly mark as fragile and indicate which way up the box should be stacked.
11. Pack a box or two for essentials for the first couple of nights in your new home. Include necessities such as toiletries, toilet paper, towels, sheets, clothes, shoes, phone chargers etc.
12. Avoid watering pot plants for a few days before your moving date.
13. When dismantling furniture, pack any screws and bolts into a ziplock bag, label it and either securely tape it to the furniture, or stash them in a clearly marked, easily identifiable and accessible box so you can easily find it once you get into your new place and want to start reassembling furniture.
14. Pack anything that could be easily scratched or damaged thoroughly in bubble wrap and/or moving blankets.
15. Fill any empty space in boxes with rolled up clothing, towels, crushed butchers paper or bubble wrap to help cushion the contents. Boxes shouldn’t rattle.
16. If moving any items yourself, consider using your luggage or suitcases with wheels to pack heavy or awkward items so you don’t have to lift and move heavy boxes.
17. Don’t make boxes too heavy, as they’re difficult to carry and have an increased risk of breaking or tearing.
18. Mark or clearly label heavy boxes so they can be stacked at the bottom in the moving truck.
19. If you’re moving lamps, take them apart for moving. Remove light globes, remove lampshades from lamp bases and wrap each individually and pack in boxes.
20. Empty or drain any fuel/gas/petrol from barbeques, lawnmowers or other gardening equipment – they can’t be moved with fuel in them.
21. When packing tools from your garage or shed, secure them in fist-sized bundles before wrapping and packing them. A box full of tools is heavy and dangerous if the box breaks.