Moving can be a challenge, especially if you have no prior experience moving house. If you are planning on changing addresses and have no idea how to start packing, here are a few tips to help you pack effectively. Before you start packing, the first thing you need to do is make a list of all the things you need to pack, don’t assume that you can remember everything you need to pack. You should put everything and anything that needs to be packed on the list (cutlery, toiletry, and electronics included). Once you are confident you have completed your list the next step is buying boxes.

An elementary mistake people make when they are moving is assume that they have enough boxes, this is why it is important to have a list of all things that need to be packed. Without a proper list there is no way of estimating how many boxes you need. So make sure the list is in order and then go out and buy more boxes if you need to. Also, you should have at least 4-5 boxes more than you need. Chances are you will end up needing more boxes than you have estimated, so instead of running around at the last moment you should have spare boxes available.

Wardrobe boxes are also ideal for packing larger items, the tall wardrobe boxes can be used for packing away decorative items like statues etc, you can put all your knick knacks in wardrobe boxes as well. The only thing to keep in mind is not to fill the box up with too many things; if the weight of the box is high the box will probably give way.

Packing is not just about packing things safely, it is important to know which item is packed in which box. A common method is to write what each box contains on the box itself using a permanent marker. In addition, you can go a step further and colour code all the boxes. For example if you want to unpack your kitchenware, you can simply open the boxes that have the colour code for kitchenware.

It pays to be smart and plan ahead, instead of packing everything at the last moment start packing a week before you plan on moving. Keep only essential items for the last day of packing, there is no point leaving expensive cutlery sets or 2 TV sets for the last day of packing. Be smart and leave only essential items for the last day’s packing. Also make sure every time you pack something you strike it off the list. Be meticulous and note down the box number next to every packed item, this will help you find what you are looking for in no time, all you have to do is look at the box number and you can get to what you want, instead of using trial and error. All it takes is a little bit of planning to ensure your moving is stress free.

It also helps to keep all related things together, for example it is a good idea to pack bookends with books. Often smaller things like screws are lost because they are left loose. It is a good idea to either tape things to the object they belong to or to store them separately in an envelope. Keep things like cables in a separate zip lock bag, make sure you clearly mark the bag with the electronic item it belongs to (for example, mark the TV cables by writing ‘TV Cables’ on the zip lock bag with a permanent marker). Also have a ‘last minute’ box, no matter how well you plan your packing there are usually small knick knacks that get left behind, put them in the last minute box.