Taking the Stress out of Moving

• Try not to move on a Friday. Even though the weekend gives you time to settle in to your new home, in reality it is the worst day of the week to move house. If you are unfortunate enough to experience problems or delays such as transaction of monies, you will have to wait until Monday to sort the problems out and in the meantime incur all sorts of charges.
• Check with your household policy before you buy extra insurance as some policies will already cover you for moving.
• Organise yourself with lists of everything you need to do. This takes away some of the stress as you will be able to check off everything you do and then see what is left.
• Pack as soon as you can, don’t wait until the last minute. A good place to start is in the loft with things that you don’t often use and work your way down the house.
• Choose your boxes carefully, only use ‘double walled’ boxes, they need to be strong enough to hold the weight. NEVER make the boxes so heavy that they cannot be lifted safely, the worst offender is books so use smaller boxes. If they are becoming heavy while you are packing them, try filling the rest of the box with light bulky items such as linen, towels, pillows, cushions or soft toys.
• Always use strong tape and fasten the bottom and the top of all your boxes. DO NOT just fold in a criss-cross pattern, because as soon as this box is picked up with any weight inside, the flaps will unfold and everything will fall out.
• Clearly label each box with the name of the room it should be placed in – such as the lounge or bedroom. It is best to write on the tape as if you are using professional packing boxes from a removal company, they will require them back in a good condition. If your items are going into storage then it is really helpful to attach a piece of paper to the side of each box with a list of contents, this way you can find items quickly and can save you a lot of hassle.

Moving home- Packing Guide

Start packing early as it always takes longer than you think. It is also a good time to declutter and take any unwanted items to the charity shop or recycling centre. Car boot sales and websites are also great ways of making some money on your unwanted items and any money raised could go towards your moving costs.
Spend some time considering how you are going to pack your possessions. Walk through each room and do a rough calculation of how many boxes you may need. Begin at the top of the house and move downwards. If you have an attic, it’s a good idea to sort it out first. Before you start make sure you have all your packing material to hand i.e. boxes, tape, pen, packing paper, bubblewrap etc. Using the correct size boxes will make life so much easier.

Top Box Pointers

• Pack directly into the box from the cupboard, do not empty it first or you will have nowhere to put the box.
• Save time and use wardrobe boxes for your clothes. Not only do they speed up packing they keep your clothes in shape so you don’t have to iron everything at the other end.
• Pack heavier items in the bottom of the box and lighter items on top.
• Always fill the box to the top, avoid half-filled boxes as once stacked on top of each other they may collapse if not full.
• NEVER make boxes so heavy that they cannot be lifted safely. If they are becoming heavy while you are packing them, try filling the rest of the box with light bulky items such as linen, towels, cushions or soft toys.
• Place heavy and bulky items in the bottom of a box, but remember there is a culmination of weight. One dining plate on its own doesn’t weigh very much, but ten together is surprisingly heavy, so keep this in mind while loading your boxes.
• Try to be as organised as possible by making an inventory, this way you can keep track of what you are putting in each box.
• If at all possible try standing things like plates on their end as this way they are stronger, same with glasses. Use plenty of paper, bubblewrap and newspaper as packing or use items of linen or soft toys that you will be taking with you anyway.
• Clearly write which room you would like the box to end up in. If you do this on the tape, the removal team will know that these are your instructions, and also will keep the boxes in better condition, allowing them to be used again and again.
• Tape is one of the most important accessories so always use good quality tape. Standard clear Sellotape is not strong enough to tape up boxes. You can make a very strong box that will take over 20 kilos in weight but if not taped correctly with strong packing tape, it may fall apart.
• Wrap items individually and place in a box that has been lined with several layers of newspaper and a sheet of bubblewrap. Any breakables should also be wrapped in bubblewrap. Use clean tissue or wrapping paper for the first layer to prevent newspaper print leaving marks. Pillows and blankets are also useful for wrapping valuables and protecting furniture prone to dents and scratches.
• Pack important documents together, such as birth and marriage certificates, and keep them in a safe place.
• When packing just keep checking the weight to avoid any injuries on moving day.

Top packing mistakes

• The main mistake is simply not leaving enough time to pack. Preparation and planning is the key to a stress free move. It can be a lengthy process so leave plenty of time so that you are not rushing around.
• Packing the keys for your new or old property in a box.
• Furniture not fitting in your new property, especially sofas and beds. Also check that you can get your furniture around tight corners or up narrow, windy staircases.
• Not measuring the space in your new home – Moving to your new home and realising that you do not have enough space for all your belongings can be a real headache. Prepare a plan to ensure that everything fits from the beginning.
• Weak, small or flimsy boxes- not only resulting in more trips to the van but damage during transit.
• Not labelling boxes – Clear labelling makes life so much easier when it comes to loading and unpacking. Knowing which box goes where will make life so much easier and you will be able to find items quickly and easily
• Not loading items appropriately in the removal van. This can result in damage, items not fitting in the van or wasting lots of time sorting out where everything goes. The first items in the van will be the last items off, so if you have things that you need for the first day at your new home, then make sure they are loaded last.