There’s a right way and a wrong way to pack for moving house. And the right way doesn’t involve chucking everything in a bag as the removalist rings your doorbell. We’ve all been there, and that’s why we want to help you to make the most of your next house move. After all, it’s stressful enough – even when you’re doing it right.
How to pack for moving home
Having to pack an entire house can be overwhelming, especially if you haven’t moved in a long time and you’ve acquired your fair share of stuff. Even if you’re not naturally inclined to be organised, forcing a little organisation before your house move will save you a lot of pain later on in the move.
Here are six moving tips for moving house:
1. Focus on one room at a time
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Although it can seem like you don’t know where to start, the best place to start is to pack the rooms that you don’t use often. Take out the things that you do use from the room, pack everything else, and clean the room and shut the door. When you start, make sure that you have the right type of boxes, and that you clearly label every box.
2. Getting the right boxes
Don’t use a garbage bag to move your wardrobe. You can get more durable bags, and you can even get boxes with hangers installed so that you can take your clothes straight off the rack and hang them, ready for the hanger at your new place. There are special boxes for crockery, glasses, televisions, and even your wine bottles.
3. Don’t upsize your boxes
Make sure you have enough boxes and bags so that you don’t need to overstuff your containers. If you do, it will take longer on moving day and some of the boxes might even split and the contents will spill out. Make sure that heavy items, such as books, are packed in smaller boxes and not large boxes, or they become too heavy to carry.
4. Don’t overpack
If you don’t throw out a whole lot of gear before you move, you’re potentially double handling. Don’t leave decisions to throw things out for the other end of the move. The more you can get rid of at the beginning of your move, the less you ultimately have to move and take with you.
5. Protect your stuff
When people ask how to pack for moving, the main question they have is about ensuring that their stuff will arrive in one piece. Wrap everything securely using bubble wrap for fragile items. Did you know that you can even purchase corrugated cardboard to protect any furniture that you don’t want scratched?
6. Pack for your first night
You might not want to unpack your whole house after a long day moving. Make sure that you have all the essentials for the first night (or even couple of nights) ready to go in a separate box. Include water, toiletries, snacks, medications, pyjamas, linen for the bed, and a change of clothes for the morning.
