- When looking for packing material, make sure they are removalists grade. This is the first step to guaranteeing your items make the move secure.
- Buy Packing tape, Coloured paper, Sharpie, Scissors, Stanley knife/Box cutters and keep them together in a kit to save time when packing.
- Use white paper sheets such as butchers paper for packing as newspaper will leave stains.
- Create a system. Clearly number and label every moving box you pack. Use a colour code to designate the room destination for each box (use a different marker colour or label for each room).
- Label everything. when labelling boxes write which room it belongs to along with the contents on the top and side of the box. By labelling the sides you can easily identify what it in it when the boxes are stacked.
- List contents. Prepare a separate inventory list detailing box numbers and contents, start by packing least used items first such as DVD’s, Books and items in your home storage
- Pack one room at a time, keeping all the packed boxes for each room together
- Distribute weight. Pack heavy items on the bottom of the carton and lighter items on top
Avoid overloading. Pack boxes to 20kg maximum for easy lifting and low risk of ‘giving out’ - To help limit movement, use fabric, tea towels, clothing, paper, or bubble wrap to completely fill moving cartons. This also helps prevent boxes from collapsing
- Close boxes properly. Never pack a box that doesn’t close or has items sticking out the top. All your moving boxes should be properly closed and securely taped. This helps them stay secure when stacked and moving.
- Right Box for the Job. Pack lighter items in bigger moving boxes and heavier items in smaller cartons. A large box of books can feel like moving a fridge. Also try not to recycle boxes that have been too warn as they can break and crumble when being moved.
- Resist packing other goods inside cupboards and drawers. Furniture isn’t designed to be moved. Adding weight greatly increases the risk of movement damage in transit
- Dismantle as much furniture as you can. Furniture that came flat packed isn’t meant to move assembled and dismantling it can increase its chance of being used again.
- Secure components. Put any removable hardware (like screws and bolts) from dismantled furniture into a clear plastic bag or container. Tape the bags to larger pieces of furniture or safely secure your container elsewhere
- Don’t water your plants a few days before moving. Plants are really heavy when full of water, and the awkward shape of pots make them hard to move.
- Remove BBQ hoods, grills, hotplates and gas burners. Line a suitable carton with heavy duty plastic and place all BBQ components in a box of their own
- Do not pack dangerous goods such as corrosive, flammable, explosive, spontaneously combustible, toxic, oxidising or water-reactive goods. Items like LPG gas bottles and mower fuel fall into this category.
Moving Tips
