Packing to move house can be a huge undertaking, particularly if you have the contents of a family home to deal with. We take a look at some top tips for an easy move.
Start decluttering as soon as you can
Perhaps the most important tip is to make a start as soon as you know you decide you would like to move house. If you begin the process of sorting out your possessions months before you actually move, the job will be a lot less onerous.
Pack as much as you can in advance
Obtain some good quality removals boxes two or three weeks in advance if you can and start filling them with items that you won’t need until after you’ve moved.
Use the right sized box
Big boxes should be filled with large bulky items such as pillows, duvets and towels. Put heavier items at the bottom of boxes, with particularly weighty items in smaller boxes. Make sure the bottoms of the boxes are taped up securely.
Breakables
Use plenty of bubble wrap or other padding around breakable items. This can be time consuming, so again, do all you can in advance. Leaving delicate packing until the last minute can be a disaster in terms of breakages. You can use your towels, blankets and other linens as wrapping, to save on the use of plastic wrap.
Use your suitcases
Cut down on the number of boxes you need by filling your suitcases. If they have wheels, they can be really useful for transporting heavier items to your new home.
Run down your food supplies
Start eating up all the spare food supplies you may have accumulated or donate them to a friend or charity. Almost everyone has a considerable surplus of food in the cupboards, quite often things that they won’t ever eat. As moving day approaches, run down the amount of fresh food in the fridge and try and eat up items like eggs that are tricky to transport.
Take photos before you take things apart
If you are taking something apart to move it, or unplugging a complicated electrical like a television system, take a photo of the set-up before you dismantle it.
Label your boxes
Make sure your boxes are labelled both with a brief indication of their contents and with the room in which they should be placed. Avoid mixing things from different rooms in a single box as this will save time when unpacking.
Moving day
Get as much done as possible the day before. The sooner your van is loaded, the sooner you can be unpacking and settling in.
Keep a box close to hand with essentials such as food and drinks in it, plus any paperwork you may need. When you arrive, the kitchen is often the best place to start, then the bedrooms, so that you can eat and sleep well on your first day in your new home.
If you are thinking of buying or selling a property and you would like to speak to one of our expert lawyers, ring us on 0333 305 5189 or email us at info@lpropertylawyers.co.uk.
