Whichever option you choose we want to make it as easy as possible for you, so this is why we have produced this totally free guide to packing that we hope will help you be ready for that special day. Using this guide, along with diligence and dedication, and plenty time to plan and develop a good system, you just might learn to look upon packing as a mind-expanding and satisfying experience rather than a hideous, tiresome chore!

The guide is intended for complete beginners and those who already have a little experience, so grab yourself a coffee and let’s get started!

Planning ahead avoids wasting time and money. Do not leave any packing until the day before your move. This hurried procedure is almost certainly going to get you into a big mess. It is best to start your packing two to three months in advance of your move, thus giving yourself plenty of time to get it right.
One of the best ways to organise your packing is by having a Moving Diary. Use a big A4-type diary and mark the date you plan to start packing with a coloured tab and then your expected move day with another coloured tab. Within these two dates you can draw up a plan of packing, making it easy to track when rooms should be cleared, by what date unessential items should be boxed, knowing what is in which box, noting what weekend you will be tackling the garage etc. It really does make sense to work out and develop your system before the first item goes into the first box and, as a bonus, it also means that prior to the move anything you desperately need that was packed two weeks ago can be easily located.

Even if you have decided to do your own packing we can still provide you with containers fit for the job. When we visit you to assess your removal needs will be able to tell you how many and of what size cartons you will need. Then it’s just a case of you filling them as per our guide. Alternatively, if you wish to use your own packing you can obtain built-for-purpose moving boxes at most hardware or home improvement stores. You will need boxes in a variety of sizes so think about what you are packing and how it is going to fit.

Whichever way you decide to acquire your boxes, take time to prepare them well. Thoroughly check that there are no staples sticking either into or out of the box. Staples can do horrendous damage your possessions if pointing inwards, and when pointing outwards they make a nasty mess of wooden floors in either your present or your intended location – not to mention the counter tops or furniture where you are temporarily stacking the boxes. The best way to secure your boxes is with packing tape, which is strong and won’t do any damage to your home or possessions.

Packing correctly from the very start is incredibly important, you need to fill a box properly, just piling things as you come across them is the road to disaster and possibly bad backs!
There is an art to packing boxes and it is simply this: weight and volume. Pack heavier items, such as books, into smaller boxes, and then use progressively bigger boxes as the items become lighter. What you are aiming for here is for all the boxes to weigh about the same amount, which is what you can comfortably carry, yet they need to be totally full to capacity at the same time: weight and volume.

Cushions and pillows are a great way to fill up a large box to the very top if you have a few heavier items at the bottom, whilst also providing extra shock protection into the bargain. Bear in mind that some boxes will be stacked one on top of another in the removal vehicle, so it is vital that they are well packed and filled to the top. The right combination of heavy items plus cushions or pillows will result in the perfectly packed box for a move.

Don’t overfill boxes, the only prize for carrying an overloaded box is a back injury. To pick up a box, however big or small, you lift with your legs, not your back. Crouch with knees bent, grasp the bottom of the box, and push up with your legs – don’t strain your back. Back injuries can be painful, debilitating, and in some cases, last a lifetime.

Sometimes when you pack yourself there is a tendency to over- or under-wrap, which results in either wasteful use of space and boxes, or damaged possessions at the other end. Care and attention must therefore be paid to how to wrap your items. Not every item need be treated as an expensive and rare Ming Vase or the Mona Lisa; but these are your possessions, individual, cherished and priceless to you. If you opt for our packing service, then you can be sure we pack every one of your possessions with respect, dedication and experience. If you choose to pack yourself then we want you to have that same level of care and protection.

Do not use newspaper to wrap anything. Newspaper is one of the worst materials to wrap any of your possessions in. The ink used in the printing of a newspaper easily transfers onto glassware and fine china and is very difficult to remove. Even dishwashers cannot tackle a glass covered in last weeks football scores, so make sure you purchase a great amount of foam or bubble wrap as well as packing paper sheets for individual item wrapping.

Use your bubble or foam wrap with care and pay attention to fragile pieces, such as china and glassware, then tape up the wrap to secure it in place. Try to imagine what your box will be like when filled – those less fragile items can go near the bottom, with the most delicate towards the top.

Not everything needs packing in a box, indeed, not everything can be packed into a box. This part of the guide looks at certain individual items and the best way to pack them.

A lot of these items together are very heavy so they should only be placed in small cartons. Should you run out of small containers then you can use bigger ones, but make sure that you only partly fill the box with heavy things, and then continue to fill the box with lighter items.

Make sure you try to disconnect and dismantle, then pack, as much equipment as you can in advance. Take all batteries out of remotes – if they are resting against something your could arrive with dead batteries! All equipment and remotes should be padded well and then wrapped in bubble-wrap. Take care to ensure that knobs, switches, and plugs are securely protected, and that nothing can rub against and damage the finish. Label and add to your inventory system all cables, power leads etc before carefully preparing and packing.

You need to first dismantle lamps and desk lamps from their shades, with the shades carefully packed into your containers for fragile items. Should you have to pack two lampshades together, then slip pieces of plain paper between them so that you can easily separate them again later. Leave behind the light bulbs in ceiling and wall lights, not only does this mean less delicate packing for you but it also makes it easier for the new tenant, simply budget for a new set of bulbs when you reach your destination.

Oil paintings need to be packed in non-acidic clear wrap, followed by bubble-wrap or blankets. Photos in glass frames and wall mirrors should be wrapped in bubble-wrap and then further wrapped in blankets. Pack these into large cartons or flattened out boxes. Mark the exterior “FRAGILE – GLASS WITH CARE”.

Pack four or five smaller plants in a carton with packing material between them to ensure that they won’t fall over in transit. Leave the bigger plants to us. You can be certain that we will take good care of your plants, but please do remember that they are not covered by insurance. Also take note that in winter, frost can be a problem to delicate plants that have to travel long journeys. Garden plants and shrubs can be taken to your new home, so long as you take care to properly bag the roots – this helps to avoid dirt all over the van and your other belongings.

It is preferable for fridges and freezers to be emptied and defrosted in good time prior to the moving day. If the journey is very short, then contents can be left in the freezer, so long as they are securely bagged, then the freezer will be transported with the contents in place. You must tell us well in advance if you need to do this. Do bear in mind that any food you leave in a freezer is not covered by our guarantee.

Please have your cooker and/or microwave oven cleaned thoroughly, including the back and the underside, well in advance of moving day. Grease causes slipperiness, and slipperiness causes accidents. Modern gas cookers have a bayonet fitting, but if you are in any way unsure about the disconnection process, contact a qualified plumber who can perform the disconnection for you (for a fee). Make sure that any loose fittings that are related to the cooker are packed securely elsewhere. Also pack the glass plate from the microwave oven safely and securely in a container designated to fragile items.

The washing machine needs to be disconnected and any liquids drained. A drum-locking bar should be fitted to all automatic washing machines. However, it is more than likely that you don’t have one – they are usually part of the packaging when you get a new machine, and are routinely thrown away with all the cardboard and polystyrene packaging – and this should not be a problem. We have moved thousands of washing machines without locking bars without incident. But take note: Fitting the bar prior to movement is usually required as part of the manufacturers warranty conditions.

Unpack your wardrobe with all hangers facing the same way round – this makes for simple unpacking and replacing onto the rails in your new property. Wardrobe cartons are supplied on the removal day for your clothes, while all other smaller items in your wardrobe, such as shoes, ties, scarves, jewellery etc should be packed into your moving boxes separately.

Wardrobes should be dismantled only when it is absolutely necessary. The best way for a wardrobe to travel is in one piece in the removal vehicle. Should you really need to dismantle, here are a few tips. Older wardrobes divide into two halves down the centre. Therefore, removing all the pieces that cross the join, along with the stand (if applicable), will split it into two. Modern wardrobes are mostly dismantled into flat panels. Remove the back panel first, then dismantle with the wardrobe lying on its back. Any fittings, screws, etc., should be packed carefully using your inventory system – but definitely where they can be located when you are ready to rebuild your wardrobe.

A quick note about chipboard furniture or chipboard components within furniture. Chipboard is great for making low-cost, lightweight furnishings, but it is very easily damaged. Use great care when dismantling and rebuilding furniture that contains chipboard – it is so easy to rip out screws or hinge attachments, and they will never again fit. Also, try to determine ahead of moving day whether your chipboard wardrobe is sturdy enough for its trip in the removal vehicle.

Chests of draws can be left filled with linen and clothes, but do make sure that heavy, fragile, or valuable possessions are removed. Drawers in divan beds should be emptied altogether to keep the weight down. Plastic containers can be supplied by us for linen and clothes if you prefer.

These need to be as clean as you can possibly get them. Remember, they’re going in the vehicle along with your other possessions, and you really don’t want soil all over everything! Using heavy-duty tape you can tightly bind them into neat bundles. We normally load these items last so that we can keep them as far away from your other possessions as possible.

These need to be as clean as you can possibly get them. Remember, they’re going in the vehicle along with your other possessions, and you really don’t want soil all over everything! Using heavy-duty tape you can tightly bind them into neat bundles. We normally load these items last so that we can keep them as far away from your other possessions as possible.

Sheds and Greenhouses need to be dismantled way ahead of the move. Keep all fittings (screws, hinges, etc.) in a ziploc bag with the contents clearly marked using your CD/DVD marker pen. Then either stow the bag in one of your boxes, taking care to note in your inventory system where it is, or alternatively, using heavy duty tape, you can stick the bag to one of the pieces of frame. With greenhouses, wrap the glass and pack it into manageable bundles, using string or heavy duty tape, then clearly label the bundle GLASS – FRAGILE. Bundle the frame, and deal with the fittings as described above.

Immediately prior to sealing and labelling your box, it’s good practise to check the contents one last time against your inventory. This is a task so easily forgotten and yet so simple and quick to run through, just a matter of a few minutes can save you from all sorts of trouble later on. Having a list of box contents, along with box number and location, means that no item is ever overlooked and reduces the potential for lost items known as “what box did I put x in?” syndrome.

Sealing and labelling is generally done together. To begin with, understand that when packing, heavy duty parcel tape is your best friend, and the more of it you use, the friendlier it will be. For example, some people think that a box is closed when the four flaps are tucked under each other, which is in fact another recipe for disaster, and could result in damaged or lost property. There is only one way to properly close a box and that is at least three strips of heavy-duty parcel tape. However, there is no law that says three strips is enough – use more if you feel you need to, and not just to seal the flaps either. Heavy-duty parcel tape adds lots of strength to a box simply by adding more layers, both vertical and horizontal so you can put some on each corner if you wish. It doesn’t really matter how many layers you add as upon arrival at your new home it can be simply slit open with the most basic pocket knife.

The box is now thoroughly sealed and strengthened with generous amounts of heavy duty parcel tape. Let’s get to grips with proper labelling, where your system really comes into its own. Write on the box in two or three places, such as the strip of tape on the top and the sides, your own inventory numbers or code. Then you need to add the information for the removal men, which is quite simple, for example: “GLASSWARE – KITCHEN – FRAGILE”, or “MUSIC SYSTEM AND SPEAKERS – LIVING ROOM – FRAGILE”, “BOOKS – STUDY” – you get the idea.

The combination of clear labelling for the moving men, and the clever use of your own inventory code will guarantee that no object will be misplaced, and all boxes will be delivered to their correct location in your new residence.

Since the cartons we provide are to be reused as much as possible (this avoids frequent replacing of boxes which in turn keeps our carbon footprint down) when labelling them please make sure you only write on the tape strips.

… And Finally

When you feel that you are finished, take plenty of time and walk around your soon to be ex-residence, checking everywhere to see that nothing has been forgotten. When the removal vehicle has been totally loaded with your belongings, walk through every room one last time. Look carefully and thoroughly. Has everything gone? What about the cupboards? How about the dresser you are not taking – are all the drawers empty? Is there still a plant sitting on your windowsill? What about the garage and the garden? Everything been loaded up?

When you are completely one hundred per cent satisfied that everything meant to go is loaded in the vehicle, you can then release the Removals Team and instruct them to leave for the new location.

• Developing the habit of packing a couple of boxes each day can soon turn a mountain into a mo… well, okay, into another mountain, but a mountain of carefully and safely packed items.

• Never pack away your vital possessions, such as; wallet, cheque book, money, prescription medications, credit cards, passport, driver’s licence, birth certificates, and airline tickets. If boxes are going into storage then make doubly sure that no one has accidentally packed such items in them.

• A quick reminder about keys. Not the ones on your keyring that you always have to hand, but those keys that tend to sit on a hook or in a draw out of the way such as the spare keys for the car, the key to the shed, the keys to a bicycle lock. Any keys that might be required need to be close at hand and not packed in a box.

• Also easily slipped into a box by accident are the chargers for phones, music players, or other similar gadgets. These are the kind of things that are not used every day and so are not required until they are being desperately sought by someone with a dead phone. Try and keep them to hand or in a clearly marked container.

• By far the best writing tool for parcel tape is a CD/DVD labelling marker. These are incredibly cheap, and as they are designed to write on slippery plastic surfaces, they work just perfect on box tape.

• Make your boxes and items easily accessible to the removal team – preferable stacked neatly against a wall, with an unobstructed path out of your present residence. We don’t want to trip up carrying your precious belongings!

• Make sure to dis-assemble as much of your furniture as possible. That means dismantle beds and headboards, remove mirrors from dressers, if possible take off the back and sides of sofas. Your removal team can do all this for you if necessary – just let them know – but doing this beforehand saves you time and money!

Should you have any queries or questions, or require information on any of the points mentioned above, we would be very happy to help in any way we can.
Our main job is to look after our customers – why not let us look after you.