With so much to take care of during your move, it can be easy to overlook one of the essential aspects of moving: packing. From what to pack first to how to pack the tricker items in your home, our moving house packing tips will help the process go as smoothly as possible.
Packing supplies you need when moving
You can be the most organised person in the world, but without the right packing materials, your packing could fall through – literally! Aim to use proper removal boxes where possible. They are more durable and could ultimately be worth the extra cost.
Padded-out plastic boxes are ideal for fragile and valuable items.
If you are reusing regular cardboard boxes, ensure they can hold the weight safely. If your items are going into storage, remember that low-quality cardboard boxes can deteriorate more easily because they are more vulnerable to damp and mould infestations.
Here’s a list of packing materials to stock up
Top packing tips
There’s no one-size-fits-all guide for packing to move, but these moving home packing tips and tricks will help. Being organised will help you stay calm throughout the process and deal with any unforeseen circumstances in time.
Without further ado, here are our top tips for packing when moving house…
1. Create a timeline, checklist & budget
The first in our tips for packing to move is to create a timeline of your move, a checklist of things you need to do and a budget of how much you can spend. Your checklist should include buying packing materials, booking the removal van and hiring a storage unit if you need one.
2. Cut down on the clutter
As far as house packing tips go, decluttering is up there with the best.
Putting your unwanted items in a garbage bag and giving them to charity (or recycling them) will make the process much easier and help you start afresh in your new home.
3. Start packing in advance
Don’t leave your packing to the last minute. We can’t stress this enough! If you have a busy schedule, plan accordingly. Break it down into steps: for example, you could block out an hour every day or one week to pack.
4. Start with the least used rooms and items
Pack logically by starting with the things you don’t need. If you’re packing in summer, you could pack festive decorations and winter coats, for example. If you’re moving in winter, start packing your garden tools.
5. Use the right box size
Pack heavier items such as books in smaller boxes and lighter items like linens in bigger ones. Packing a large box full of heavy items will be difficult to move. You might even injure yourself–and annoy your professional movers – in the moving process.
6. Put heavy items on the bottom
If you’re moving your belongings, place lighter boxes on top of heavier ones to help prevent them from getting crushed. Also, putting heavier items towards the front of the van will help with balance. It will also put you in moving companies’ good books and make your moving day run smoother!
7. Label your boxes
Remember to label boxes with what they contain and where they belong, e.g. the kitchen. Better still, you could assign each room its packing label colour. When it comes to tips on packing up a house to move, this one will save you heaps of time on the other end.
8. Cushion breakable items
Be sure to provide fragile items with extra cushioning. Depending on the item, you could use bubble wrap (or an eco-friendly version), scrunched-up newspaper or old clothes.
9. Roll your clothes
Rolling your clothes is one of the oldest tricks in the moving house packing tips handbook. It saves time because it’s quicker than folding everything. It also takes up less space.
10. Disassemble furniture safely
It’s easy for furniture to get scratched during the packing and moving process. Here are our top quick furniture packing tips for moving house to prevent this from happening:
- Measure the furniture to ensure it’ll fit.
- Figure out which items need to be disassembled.
- Check the instructions for disassembly.
- Keep the nuts and bolts for each item separately.
11. Don’t exceed 20kg
Again, don’t overfill boxes. Each box will have a maximum weight capacity. However, try not to exceed 20 kilograms. This will reduce the risk of the box breaking and you injuring yourself during the move.
12. Use straws for necklaces
Here’s a top house packing tip: to avoid your necklaces becoming a tangled mess during the move, string them through an old straw or toilet paper roll.
13. Keep liquids separate
Do you know how shampoo always finds a way to leak all over your suitcase when you go on holiday? Spillages can wreak havoc with your house move packing too, which is why it’s always a good idea to place liquids in plastic bags or sealed containers, away from your dry items.
14. Tape boxes securely
To damage-proof your boxes, tape up the top and bottom openings and each box’s top and bottom edges to keep them from splitting.
15. Pack your TV
If you can, pack items and other electronics in their original box. Plasma TVs and screens can be damaged when laid flat. You might want to double box your screens: place the box the screen is in into another box padded with packing paper.
16. Pack kitchenware carefully
Get your hands on some knife protectors, so you don’t injure yourself when packing up the kitchen. Use bubble wrap for glassware and place glasses with the widest end facing downwards. Don’t forget to label these moving boxes “fragile”, too.
17. Don’t forget the tools
Set time aside to clean all your tools and garden equipment before packing it up for the move. Keep the tools you need to disassemble and reassemble your furniture close to hand; place screws in a clear plastic bag and attach it to the piece of furniture it belongs to.
18. Take care with antiques
Some antiques need extra TLC when on the move to avoid breakages, and you may need to invest in speciality boxes. You may also want to consider taking out additional insurance for high-value items that your professional mover’s insurance may not cover.
19. Pack plants properly
Potted plants can be a nightmare to move – but not if you do it right. First, repot plants into shatterproof plant pots. Box pack your pots in a larger plastic container and cushion the edges to prevent them from moving around during the move.
20. Reserve a bag for essentials
The final point in our tips on packing when moving house rundown is to pack your everyday essentials (and any important documents) in a bag or essentials box that you can carry with you on the day of the move. Think toothbrushes, toys, medication, etc.
Book your storage unit
Need to move your items into temporary storage? If so, it’s a good idea to book your storage unit in advance. But if you’ve left it to the last minute, don’t panic – at Storage X, we have next-day availability and can store your things on a flexible rolling basis. Get a quote today!