Packing advice for new movers

If it’s the first time you’ve ever packed to move house, you might be under the assumption that it’s going to be easy. You might already be the super organised type, and all this will be a breeze, but for everyone else, there are numerous pitfalls and problems that you’ll be facing the first time round. It’s easy to forget even the most basic aspects, so here are our top tips for moving into your new home.

If you’re moving out of a shared house or a parent’s home, it’s easy to assume your new home will be able to hold the same amount that your old one did. It might be a mansion for one, but a single bedroom property will just not hold the same amount as a multi-roomed house. Make sure you clear any unwanted clutter from your belongings before you start any packing.

To get rid of old or tired furniture, trinkets and treasures, there are plenty of online auction sites, car boot sales and listings sites and papers. They will help you not only clear yourself of unwanted belongings, but help you earn a little money in the process. You might even get a new piece of furniture out of it if you make enough. Alternatively, for those belongings you haven’t got a chance in selling, there are always charity shops or free trading sites like freecycle full of people who’ll treat that crumbling bookcase like the treasure you don’t believe it is. It’s good karma too.

Our top tip, when you eventually get around to packing, is to make sure you pack a box at a time and that each of these is correctly labelled with the correct contents. Packing a box at a time will help you to keep track of what’s going where, and labelling will help you to keep some sense of what is completed and what is still left to be packed. Not only is this useful in the packing stages, you’ll be thanking yourself even more for doing this when it comes to unpacking everything again.

There are a million packing solutions out there, both on the web and on the high street. Anything from wardrobe sized boxed to small plastic boxes are available and

If you are packing something in a box the size of a wardrobe however, always be sure to check how safe the material is and whether it’s going to be able to withstand the weight placed on it.

For boxes with multiple items, especially any that contain breakables, fill any spaces with materials such as newspaper or bubble wrap. If there’s any chance of the boxes being placed in storage for a while, be sure to seal every hole in case anything decides to creep its way in, and believe us, this does happen and could if you don’t secure against it.

Last but not least, always keep one box with your most essential items in. This could be items such as knives and forks, toilet paper, toiletries, pencil and paper, but more important to consider if jewellery and small precious items.  

It can be a stressful time for anyone, but for the first timer it can be a lot more difficult. With this advice, we wish you the best of luck on your big day.