Packing tips
Once you have obtained your packing supplies and have organised the details of your packing adventure, here are some helpful packing tips to make life a bit easier, safer and less frustrating both on the day you pack and the day you unpack!
Try to pack everything before the moving day. Leave only those things you'll need on your last night, the next morning and immediately at your new place for last minute packing. See Things to Pack Last.
Write down everything in each room and how you'll deal with moving it.
Pack one room at a time and mark each box carefully with a name, number or room label so you know where things are. Also label each box with a separate number that corresponds with a numbered list detailing its contents, so finding specific items is easy when unpacking. Make a special mark on boxes you want unpacked first.
Pack heavier items in the bottom, lighter things on top. Remember you have to carry these boxes, possibly up stairs, so don't make them too heavy.
When moving existing packed items, check to see if the boxes/tape are ok or if they are damp which makes the boxes less sturdy. Now is the time to re-pack, the last thing you want is spillage and broken goods.
Don't pack flammables, chemicals, some cleaning products or other dangerous goods such as thinners, aerosols, petrol cans, fireworks, pesticides or poisons. This is not an extensive list but you still need to be careful about what you store and transport.
Mark things ‘heavy’, ‘this way up’ and ‘fragile’ where necessary in large, bold and clear writing.
Wrap items individually and always place a thick layer of crushed paper in the bottom of the carton for cushioning. This is especially for glasses, plates, dishes and other fragile items. Coloured paper and newspaper can leave stains, so use clean paper for wrapping porcelain, china, etc.
Pack similar types of items together - all fragile items together, for example, and if things come in sets or pairs don't separate them.
Fill empty spaces with additional crushed paper so that carry boxes are firm and items don't slip, wobble, rattle or roll. Be sure no sharp points, edges or rims are left uncovered.
Place knobs, bed and furniture feet, cables, remotes, screws and other loose ends in a bag so they don't get lost.
Empty drawers before transit.
Use your common sense with heavy items. In boxes these may be clumsy and difficult to carry.
Are you moving any special or unusual items like a fish tank or piano? Any of those will take special consideration. Think about whether or not you have the skills to pack and protect them, as well as your physical ability to move them. Don't overdo it; get professional help if you need to.
When packing electronics such as computers, TV, DVD, VCR and stereo equipment, you should refer to the manufacturer's instruction manual or website for instructions. When you disassemble these types of devices that have numerous parts and cords, place coloured stickers on each cord and the same colour sticker where the cord connects to the device and make a note of all the parts. This will save you the hassle of trying to figure out what goes where when it comes time to reassemble. Place screws, remotes and other plugs into a plastic bag. For extra protection, pack these with additional protective wrapping, try to keep screens upright and cover and seal them well to keep dust and dirt out.
Immediately find and unpack your valuables and important documents and put them away first. Carry them with you as far as possible. Items such as deeds, wills, share certificates, titles, the moving documents, passports, jewellery, stamp or coin collections and other heirlooms like photographs cannot be replaced.
Depending on how far you are travelling and over what time frame, certain perishables such as foods and plants may spoil or die in transit. Make a separate bag for perishable foods or pack these in an esky for the trip or give them to a friend or neighbour. Plants will need special attention when packing so that mess and damage is avoided. You may have to give these to someone depending on the term of transit.
Pack those boxes and items that you will need first at the new place, last. This makes them easy to get to.
When moving items like dishwashers, fridges, washing machines, and dryers, clean and dry them thoroughly, disconnect and drain the hoses and leave the doors/lids open for a few days prior to the move to let out the humidity (be careful to ensure you turn off all appliances prior to cleaning). Wrap dry hoses in towels and packing paper and place inside the appliances. You can secure moving parts with paper or towel packing. Hire professional help for re-installation if needed and follow the manufacturers' removal, transit and re-installation instructions at all times.
If you are moving gas appliances, these must be disconnected prior to moving day by a qualified service technician. The gas line must be properly secured also and when arriving at your new residence with your gas appliances, you will need a qualified gas installer to check your gas supply, connect the gas line, seal any openings, light the pilot and handle any other hook-up requirements.
When moving a microwave oven, remove any glass trays, wrap and securely pack them in a carton.
Pack your ‘cleaning box’ and write ‘don't move’ on it. When the house is empty, this is the box of cleaning goodies you will need.
Un-packing
Assign a number to every room of your new home so that your labeled boxes with the number of the room in which they belong can be found. Tape a number to the door of each room, so boxes go to the correct location.
Check boxes off on your list as they are unloaded from the truck to be sure nothing is left behind.
If you want to do any cleaning in the new property, it will be easier before things are unpacked. Look at the bathroom and kitchen cabinets of the new property. If you want to put drawer liners in the kitchen or bathroom now is a good time to do it.
Unload the bulky items first and place these into the rooms where they belong eg. Dining table, lounge suite, beds and drawers. It will be easier to get these in with no other boxes in the way and also give you a better perspective on what should go where. Make note of where electrical, TV and cable outlets are.
Then unpack one room at a time, working around the big items. Start with rooms that you might need to use such as the kitchen and bathrooms.
Double check all boxes and paper bundles before throwing anything away.