PACKING HINTS & TIPS

The most important single piece of advice we can give you is: Have a Plan!

Long before the moving day, review all the items that are to be moved, and work out in advance how major items—and collections of smaller items—will need to be packed. List the packing materials you will need. For items you can manage without for a while before moving; work out how many days ahead of the move you could pack them. Remember to include the disassembly of any self-assembly furniture in this list—you don't want to be struggling with this on moving day.

Draw up a schedule of what you will be packing, and when, but don't be too optimistic about how much you can get done in a given period; allow yourself plenty of time. As with so many other things in life, packing tends to take a lot longer than you expect!

Some other points, in a bit more detail:

Obtain all your packing materials before you will need them. A basic list would be:

• Good strong boxes. These can be purpose-made packing cases, obtainable from Bradbeers, or stout used boxes. Wine cases, and the boxes that medium-sized electrical goods are delivered in , are particularly handy. Make sure the cardboard is good and thick in both cases.
• Locate the original packaging for your hi-fi and other consumer electronics products, if you still have it. That's by far the best packaging to use for these items.
• Big, tough, scissors and/or a Stanley knife (useful if you need to cut cardboard down to size).
• Paper for wrapping around more fragile objects. Packing tissue is ideal but plain paper will do.
• Paper for crumpling and packing out the gaps between items in boxes. Either plain paper or old newspapers will be fine.
• Bubble wrap—very effective protection for especially fragile items.
• Covers for your mattresses. You can often obtain used delivery covers from bedding stores; failing that you can buy purpose-made covers.
• Polythene or other cover material for protecting soft furnishings.
• Marker pens
• Stout string
• Parcel tape (buy a BIG roll or two; you'll need it!)

Don't forget to ensure that you have the screwdrivers and any other tools needed for tackling self-assembly furniture.

Wrap all fragile items in packing tissue or plain paper. Wrap particularly fragile items in bubble wrap, secured with tape.

When packing dishes, plates, and other crockery—and breakable kitchenware items—wrap packing tissue around each one. After stacking up to six individually wrapped identical dishes, plates, or bowls, it is safer to put them in the box vertically (not horizontally). Put crumpled newspaper between items (or groups of items) to fill in the gaps and to stop the box contents moving around during transit.

When packing drinking glasses, glass bowls, etc, use crumpled tissue to protect the inside of each item. Carefully wrap the outside, too. Pack glasses individually, with plenty of well-crumpled paper between items in the box. Don't allow any such items to directly touch the walls, top, or bottom of the box; make sure there is some paper padding there to protect it.

Boxes should be full, but not overfull. Whatever the contents, pad out the spaces between items with crumpled newspaper or other packing paper.

Aim for a maximum weight of 15 kg in any one box of normal (smaller) household effects. To avoid overloading the packing cases, mix up heavy items and light ones in the same box. Remember that YOU might have to lift the loaded box at some stage before the move. And if you do, don't forget to bend your knees!

Ideally, pack hi-fi and similar products in their original packaging, and reinstall any manufacturers' packing pieces used to keep electromechanical components stable in transit.. If your hi-fi includes a turntable, ensure that the pickup is held or taped down so it can't swing about in transit.

On the outside of each box, write the contents in marker pen.

You can use empty space (drawers and cupboard space) in furniture to carry some items. But remember to protect the items you put there in just the same kind of way as if they were in packing cases, and don't pack heavy items in this way.

Protect easily damaged furniture (the legs and top surfaces of wooden tables, and the legs and backs of wooden chairs, for example) with bubble wrap.

Stack matching chairs seat-to-seat, with paper between them to protect the surfaces.

Wrap upholstered furniture (sofas, etc) in polythene or other covering material to protect it from accidental soiling during loading, unloading, or the journey itself.

Where furniture has drawers or hinged doors, securely tape them closed. However, see next point

Refrigerator and freezer doors should also be securely taped, but with a spacer (folded cardboard is usually fine) holding the door an inch or two open for ventilation.

If you wish to move any bottles of wine or spirits, ensure all bottles are tightly closed/stoppered; pack in really tough compartmented wine boxes (not the "thin as we can get away with" kind that you sometimes get from supermarkets), and clearly mark the boxes "WINE, THIS WAY UP".

Clean garden items before packing them.