Packing Advice For Moving Home Or Office

Basic packing advice can be invaluable when moving home or office, you probably know most of our packing tips already, but sometimes it is easy to forget the most basic things.

Please also take a moment to look at our help me move page which also contains helpful information and documents to aid with your next home or office move.

Quick Links

Before You Start Packing - Health & Safety - Helpful Packing Tools - Sensible Packing - Packing Tips

 

Before You Start Packing

Have a clear-out and make up a collection box for charity before you start packing. There are also many online auction sites and local car boot sales where you can make some extra money.

Give yourself time. Make a plan and do a little each day.

Borrowed items - return them before you start packing. Put all hazardous materials (aerosols, paint, bleach, etc) in specially marked boxes and keep them away from the rest of your belongings.

Pack one room at a time, labelling each box with a description of its contents and either using labelled tape or a marker pen to mark its destination.

Prepare for the first night in your new home by packing essential items in a separate box and carrying it with you. Prepare an overnight bag for everyone in the family, so you won’t worry about having to unpack the first night.

Make sure you pack enough utensils, plates, toilet paper and toiletries for everyone. Also useful is a flashlight, first aid kit including pain relievers, pencil and paper, snacks, beverages, and re-closable plastic bags, along with a small tool kit for re-assembling items that couldn't be moved whole.

Health And Safety

Always pack heavy items into strong small boxes. It will make transporting the boxes easier if they are not too heavy.

Keep the weight of all boxes to a minimum to avoid any back injuries.

Find and establish a strong work surface at approximately waist height. This will enable you to pack in a standing position and thus avoid strain on your back.

Helpful Packing Tools

Never skimp on wrapping paper. It is a relatively inexpensive item and not only protects your possessions, but helps prevent items breaking against each other.

Use tissue paper or clean wrapping paper for the first layer. Only use newspaper for outer layers as the print will leave marks.

Where possible use suitable boxes. Good examples are CD and DVD boxes for your music and movie collections, wardrobe boxes to move hanging clothes and picture boxes to move paintings.

Separate and protect valuable / fragile items with bubble wrap and wrapping paper. To cut costs use pillows and blankets. 

For valuable or sentimental items, use the correct materials for the job. If in doubt contact the PacknMove Made-to-Measure box service for advice.

Sensible Packing

As you pack your boxes, write their contents and intended room on a contents label. Be detailed and list every item so that you save time later by opening the correct box when you need it.

When labelling the contents of each box, mark whether they are suitable to be stacked on - a good load-bearing box should be packed full and does not contain fragile items.

When you finish a box, place it in an area away from your work surface or you will soon find yourself surrounded.

When stacking boxes, if possible leave aisles to enable you to get to the boxes at the back.

Fill spaces with bubble wrap as shifting items will causes breakages.

If you are placing your boxes in storage, you can help keep out unwanted insects by taping all the seams of the box.

When everything is packed and ready to load, make sure the items you need least are loaded first.

When loading the van, place the box containing your best china on top of the box of encyclopaedias and not vice versa.

Packing Tips

Finish all laundry a couple of days before you move and disconnect the washing machine and dryer. You will not appreciate wet clothes when you are packing your last items.

Make a plan of where to place furniture and large items. This will save time when you arrive.

Newly polished furniture becomes soft and damages easily. Do not use regular tape as this can remove the surface coating and protect with furniture blankets and bubble wrap.

Always leave more time than you think necessary for items that need dismantling. Self-seal bags are very useful for keeping nuts and bolts with the dismantled item.

Children - ease any fears they may have by letting them help pack their own belongings. For very young children there are storybooks on the subject of moving home.

Keep important documents (e.g. legal, medical, insurance) in a safe and accessible place.