Moving house is very exciting, but packing up your home can seem incredibly overwhelming and daunting. You can choose to use an expert packing service, such as we offer here at K1 Removals, which can be a fantastic decision to make the whole moving process that little easier.
However, if you are packing your own home, we have put together some top packing tips to make the process more manageable. The main point of this packing checklist is to start packing a good while before the big moving day. While it is possible to pack up an entire home in a couple of days, it is exhausting and doesn’t leave you any time to sort out your possessions.
Starting ahead of time, with a packing checklist, will give you the opportunity to sort through unwanted items, which you could take to the charity shop or car boot. This prevents you from the expense and hassle of moving many things that you don’t really need, use or want.
What is the Hardest Room for Packing When Moving?
While there is no definitively hardest room, there are a few rooms which are renowned for being a challenge! Attics or garages can be difficult, as they tend to be dumping grounds for unwanted items. Spend time sorting through your belongings, and deciding what you really want to keep. This can be done in good time before your move.
The kitchen is another complicated room. Firstly, it is the centre of the home, and you can’t pack the whole kitchen up ahead of time. You could choose to pack up items that you don’t use frequently ahead of time, and just leave yourself a skeleton kitchen to use in the run-up to your move.
Bear in mind that removal companies will not take perishable goods, so you need to run down your supplies. Frozen items are also complicated, and it is often easier to simply eat your way through the contents of your freezer, rather than try to move frozen goods. Many items in the kitchen are breakable, those lovely matching wine glasses, or are awkward, think of mixers and other kitchen gadgets. All rooms do bring their own challenges, but as long as you leave enough time, you will be able to sort and pack every room in good time.
Which Room in Your Home to Pack First?
Start with the items that you don’t use every day. Attics can be packed up ahead of time, as the garage, bar any essential items that you may use. If you have a spare room, get that packed up, and maybe consider using it as a storage place for your packed boxes, so that you don’t have to spend weeks looking at rows of boxes in every room. Books can be packed ahead of time, as can records or CDs. Clothes can be packed up, especially out-of-season clothes. If you have a dining room that you only use for entertaining, then pack this up. The kitchen, sitting room, bathroom and bedrooms, need to be useable right up until the day of the move.
Room By Room Packing Tips
Each room brings different packing challenges, however, the key is always to be organised. Before you start, make sure that you have all your packing supplies. These will include sturdy boxes of different sizes, packing tape, scissors, marker pens, bubble wrap and newspaper. It can be really helpful to have a packing guide, to help you work through the rooms one at a time, and not feel overwhelmed.
Garage or Garden
The garage will need sorting before packing, as garages are often used as dumping grounds, and a few trips to the charity shop or your local recycling centre will reduce the amount that needs packing. Remember that removal companies will not take hazardous materials, so check with your removal company what they will take. Anything that cannot be moved, will need to be used up, or safely disposed of. Wrap tools up safely, so that any blades are covered, old blankets or towels can work well for packing these items. Large items such as bicycles or lawnmowers will be packed into the lorry by the removal firm.
Kitchen
Your kitchen will contain lots of breakable items, these need to be packed carefully, and the boxes marked as FRAGILE. Glassware needs lots of packaging to protect it. Plates and china are best wrapped in packing paper and stacked in sets. Keep an eye on the weight of your boxes, while removal professionals are strong and experienced, overly heavy boxes just make their job harder.
Kitchen appliances need to be packed securely. Don’t worry if you have space around oddly shaped appliances, just make sure that you fill the space with packing paper or bubble wrap so that the items don’t slide around inside the box. You will have used up or thrown away all your perishable goods, but you can pack your store cupboard up. Remember to seal every packet, so that the contents don’t spill out.
Dining Room
Nice china needs to be packed carefully in sets with paper, and bubble wrap. If your dining table comes apart, then this needs to be done, tape the screws, nuts, and bolts that hold it together to the table so that they don’t get lost. Wrap nice furniture in blankets to protect the woodwork and soft furnishings.
Pictures will be packed depending on size. Small pictures that can fit in a large box, can be stacked together and wrapped, whilst larger pictures can be wrapped in blankets. Tape a large cross over the glass of your pictures, if the glass does get broken, this will help hold the glass together.
Living Room
Disconnect the television and sound system, making sure that you fasten the cables to the respective equipment so that it is easy to reassemble everything at the new house. Books should be packed into book boxes, which are small and sturdy, books are remarkably heavy, so do not pack them into normal-sized packing boxes. Picture and photos should be wrapped by paper and packed. All furniture needs to be emptied, even if the items inside are light.
Home Office
Personal paperwork should be sorted, and anything confidential you should transport yourself. When dissembling computers, make sure that you label all the cables, either colour code, or attach them to their relevant appliance, so that it is easy to get yourself up and running in your new home.
Bedrooms
Everything other than your bed can be packed in the days leading up to the move. Just remember to leave yourself with a change of clothes! Clothes can be sorted and packed, and removal companies will provide you with hanging boxes for your clothes. Remember to empty the contents of your chest of drawers, and pack anything breakable carefully away. Bed frames are normally dismantle, check with your removal firm whether you are meant to dismantle your bed, or whether they will do it for you.
Attic and Loft
Attics are often filled with sentimental items, which can be difficult to sort through. Some people decide that if they haven’t been in their attic for years, then they don’t need anything there, and simply get rid of the lot, while other people like to sort through their belongings. Do spend time thinking about what you actually need from your attic, as moving lots of items that you never use is expensive and unnecessary.
Bathroom
Similar to your perishable goods, use up the items in your bathroom. Removal companies don’t take aerosols, or other such items, but always check with your company, about what they will and won’t take. Sort through your bathroom items, and keep out a small toiletries bag to see you through moving day and the first few days in your new house. Towels can be sorted and packed a few days before, just leaving out the bare minimum for moving day itself.
What Should You Not be Packing For a Move?
There are certain items that your removers won’t take. These include dangerous and illegal items, plants, pets, perishable goods and items over a certain value that aren’t covered by their insurance. If you have any questions about what your movers will or won’t take, always ask before the day of the move so that you can make other arrangements. Many people take their plants in their own car, and often leave their pets with a pet sitter for the day of the move.
Need Help with Packing Your House Move?
Here at K1 Removals, we know that house move can be both exciting and daunting. This is why we offer a full packing and unpacking service for our customers. We appreciate that many people have busy lives, and often don’t have the time to pack their own homes. People looking after young children, or elderly relatives, may feel overwhelmed, and having an experienced and professional removals team to do your packing can help to reduce some stress from moving.
If you are moving house, and want a complete packing and moving service, then look no further. The team at K1 Removals are here to reduce your moving stress, simply call us today on 0330 103 0041
Read related article:
Book our expert house packing services today and make your move hassle-free!