Moving Guides: Ten Top Packing Tips

Start preparing for your upcoming move early. Packing can your cartons can be a time consuming process. With everything else you've got to do, you don't need the stress of packing your boxes at the last minute! Just make sure to leave the necessities until last - a few plates, cutlery, glasses and some cleaning products.

After all your hard work packing, the last thing you need is to have your cartons crushed in transit. Use proper furniture removal cartons wherever possible. Supermarket boxes and cartons with flimsy sides or without lids are more susceptible to damage during your removal.

It may appear that plastic storage tubs are strong and sturdy, but in transit they are often cracked and weakened. Your local storage facility usually stocks furniture removal cartons - often they'll offer second hand cartons at a discounted rate.

Use packing tape when sealing your boxes. Most other tapes won't adhere properly to your cartons and masking tape stretches too much.

In most cases, your goods won't be the only person's on the truck and sometimes, depending on where you're moving from and to, your goods might be delivered in an entirely different vehicle than that which picked them up. For these reasons it is important that you clearly label every box that it being moved. Make note of your name, pickup and delivery address', job number, if the contents are fragile, and to make things easier at delivery, the room that the goods are destined for.

Newspapers may appear to be good packing materials for filling up those gaps in your cartons, but you're likely to have a mess on your hands when unpacking your precious goods...Newspapers leave grubby rub marks all over your goods. For this reason we suggest using butchers paper. Like proper furniture removal cartons, butchers paper can usually be bought from your local storage facility or craft shop.

Smaller, loose items are easily lost or broken in transit. If an item can be boxed, then it probably should be.

Heavy items, such as books, are best packed in smaller "Book/Wine Cartons" (30x40x40cm). The bottom of larger boxes filled with such items may fall out and they are difficult to carry.

Fragile items, such as crockery and glasses, should be wrapped individually and packed upside-down in the cartons (they're less susceptible to crushing this way).

Plates should be wrapped in bundles of 5, with paper separating each plate and overhanging paper wrapped around the sides. Then pack each bundle on its side in the carton.

Cartons containing fragile items should be lined on bottom, top and sides with crushed paper.

Clothes and manchester are fine to pack in bags. Suitcases are large "striped" bags are best. Plastic bags are okay to use, but it's best to 'double-bag' because these bags are more likely to tear in transit.

Larger items, such as couches, tables, chairs, and other items that are too large to box will be wrapped in furniture removal pads by the removalist when they're loading your job.

Don't pack important documents (airline tickets, passports, birth certificates, travel visa's, property deeds, etc.), expensive or important jewellery and other such irreplaceable goods. These items are best carried with you.



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