Six Packing Tips to Make your Move Smooth
Packing has always been one of the most formidable tasks throughout the process of having to move house. Once the decision to move has been made, the next step is starting to plan one’s packing. The following packing tips may help the process of moving house, regardless of how little or far you are moving:
- If you have employed the assistance of a moving company, enquire as to whether this is part of the service and if so what charges are involved. If it is and you are happy to pay the extra costs, fix a time for the packers to come through the house with you and assess how long the process will take and don’t forget to discuss what items are everyday essentials and therefore need to be the last things to be packed (for example cooking utensils that are used on a daily basis).
- If your moving company does not offer this service, or it is a service that you have chosen not to use, enquire about whether they provide boxes for the move. You need to keep in mind that these boxes can get quite heavy and the use of regular boxes that you may have around the house may not be sturdy enough for packing many household goods (though may be worth keeping aside for items such as clothes and children’s toys).
- Go through your house and assess what needs to be packed and also use this time as an opportunity to have a ‘spring clean’. Many local councils provide a large rubbish pick up, so if you are using this time to get rid of many items that are no longer used or no longer needed, it may be worth contacting the local council to enquire if they can pick up your discarded items. This can in many cases be a free service and therefore can be a cheap and quick alternative to getting rid of unwanted goods.
- Once you have assessed this, then decide what household items are not required before you move house. These items can be packed first. It is also a good thing to set aside some space in your current house that you can stack boxes as you pack them so as not to create a crowded house that can become frustrating.
- Old newspaper is often a useful and cheap means of stuffing and wrapping items. Towels, sheets and other such linens can be used to wrap delicate and breakable items.
- Plan your packing schedule so that by the time moving day arrives all that should be left are the clothes on your back and the cutlery used for breakfast on the day of moving.