Start three weeks before moving day
How to Pack for a Move Without Losing Your Mind
Room by room packing that protects your things and speeds up unloading.
Packing badly is the single biggest cause of breakages and of moving days that overrun. Packing well is not complicated, but it does have an order to it.
This is the method our crews wish every customer used, written so you can follow it without buying anything unusual.
Boxes: small for heavy, large for light
The instinct is to put heavy things in big boxes, which produces something nobody can lift and a base that tears on the stairs. Books, tools and tinned food go in small boxes. Bedding, cushions and lampshades go in the large ones.
Tape the base as well as the lid, fill any gap with soft packing so the sides cannot crush, and stop filling a box the moment you would not want to carry it yourself.
The order to pack rooms
Work from the least used space to the most used. Loft, garage and spare room first, then books, decorations and out of season clothes, then the main rooms, and finally the kitchen and bathroom in the last day or two.
- Weeks three and two: loft, garage, shed, spare rooms
- Week two: books, ornaments, pictures, out of season clothing
- Final week: bedrooms, living room, remaining wardrobes
- Last day: kitchen, bathroom, chargers, kettle and mugs
Fragile items that catch people out
Plates travel on their edge, not stacked flat, with paper between each one. Glasses are wrapped individually and stood upright. Mirrors and pictures are taped across the glass, wrapped and carried vertically. Televisions are safest in their original box, or wrapped screen out against a padded wall of the van.
Labelling that saves an hour
Write the destination room and the contents on the side of the box rather than the top, because stacked boxes hide their lids. Mark fragile boxes on more than one face, and put a large cross on anything that must not be stacked on.
Pack one clearly marked first night box: kettle, mugs, tea, loo roll, soap, towels, phone chargers, medication, a pair of scissors and bedding for each bed.
What not to pack
Keep passports, deeds, jewellery, keys and cash with you personally. Aerosols, paint, gas bottles and fuel should not travel in a loaded removal van at all, so use them up or dispose of them properly beforehand.
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
How many boxes will I need?+
Far more than you expect, and it depends on your possessions rather than your bedroom count. Order in stages so you can top up, and keep a few spares for the last day.
Can I leave clothes in drawers?+
Light clothing in sturdy drawers is often fine if the unit is carried level, but heavy drawers should be emptied to protect both the furniture and the crew's backs.
Are wardrobe boxes worth it?+
For hanging clothes, yes. They keep suits and dresses on their hangers and turn a whole rail into one quick lift instead of a pile of ironing.
How do I pack a kitchen quickly?+
Clear the cupboards you never open first, keep one plate, mug and pan per person out until the last morning, and wrap glassware while you still have a clear worktop to work on.
Can you pack for me instead?+
Yes. Our packing service can cover the whole house or just the fragile rooms, and we bring the boxes and materials with us.
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