How to Pack Your House into Boxes Like the Pros
Packing skills aren’t just useful for when you move house. If you’re travelling, setting up a new workspace, or enjoy a minimalistic lifestyle, having a good understanding of how to pack things and maximise available space will come in handy.
But, for now, let’s focus on packing boxes for a house move. Where do you start? By following the tips below, you’ll be packing like a pro in no time!
Start by looking for items that are already packed in some way. Look in your shed/garage/store room and you’ll probably find plenty of boxes, cartons, and containers. Check the condition of them, especially if they’ve been sitting around for a while, and replace damaged boxes with fresh ones if needed. Once you’ve packed up this space, move on to packing up items you don’t use frequently. Essentials and items you use on a daily basis should be the last things you pack.
Not everything will fit in to boxes, so wrap any larger, delicate items/appliances to keep them protected. Make sure you have plenty of bubble wrap handy. Cut off a generous piece, then place the item in the centre. Bring the corners together and secure with tape to hold in place. A good removalist will have their own pads/blankets to wrap large items and furniture, so you don’t need to worry about using all your bubble wrap on those.
If you’re unsure how to dismantle something (eg your bed), refer to the instructions or ask a professional removalist to assist with this.
Before packing them, group items of similar sizes and types together and line each box with extra padding if the items are particularly fragile. Place heavy items at the bottom and lighter, more fragile pieces on top. Load plates and books vertically to make use of their structural strength. Avoid overloading the boxes and keep them at a weight that you can move. Fill any gaps with wadded paper, then tape the box to prevent shifting of the contents in transit.
Remember to choose the right sized box to cater for all your items. Keep all similar items together and be mindful when you’re packing items that might puncture the box. As a general rule, use smaller “book boxes” for heavy items (eg books, crockery and wine bottles) and larger removalist cartons or “teachests” for lighter and bulkier goods (eg pillows,bedding and clothes).
Know which boxes contain fragile items and keep these on top of the rest – marked clearly as “fragile” on the side and top of the box. List the contents of each box on the top and side for easy access. If you want to be super pro, you could colour code them based on their room as well.
Do as much as you can, and we can take over the rest if needed.
