House moving is one of the most stressful tasks. It involves planning, packing and securing belongings of the entire house into boxes.
One of the biggest ways to ensure the whole thing goes smoothly is by allowing yourself enough time to prepare. Most people wait till the last moment to start packing, which is the biggest mistake you can ever make. The more organised you are, the faster you will get it done.
We have created a guide on how to pack for your house, what packaging materials you need and some essential tips.
Packing materials that you need
Apart from house moving boxes of different sizes, you need a lot of supplies to get you through the process. Many people get second-hand boxes to cut out some expenses. But make sure you inspect the boxes properly—look for dirt, grease, dampness or damages.
We personally recommend getting your supplies from packaging distributors, as the materials will be of highquality and when bought in bulk, the cost will be much less.
You need:
- Double-wall cardboard boxes (small, medium and large)
- Bubble wrap rolls
- Brown packing tapes
- Trash bins or removal boxes
- Packing papers
- Fragile printed tape
- Markers and labellers
- Wardrobe moving boxes (optional)
Moving companies often supply packing materials but those are quite expensive. We suggest going for packaging suppliers like Wellpack Europe where you can find high-quality house moving kits.
Steps to pack for a house move
Start with decluttering
One of the most efficient ways to start the process is by cleaning out useless items from your home. By donating or decluttering, you will significantly reduce the number of things you need to pack.
This means you will also have extra space in your new home. You can also sell some of the items to make a few bucks.
Pack room by room
You cannot just buy cardboard boxes and start packing. This will only create confusion when you unpack. Start with a room that you use the least and work your way down. This will keep the process organised and you will have an idea of things you are packing.
We suggest starting from the garage or the guest rooms. The last ones are the living room and kitchen.
Do NOT overstuff the boxes
It is very easy to overpack house moving boxes when you are trying to accommodate everything. But this comes with a momentous risk of damaging the objects inside. Someone from the moving company can drop the boxes or injure themselves.
For small boxes, do not pack more than 30 pounds in each box. For medium to large boxes, the overall weight shouldn’t exceed above 40 to 50 pounds each.
Label properly
We cannot stress the fact that labelling your boxes correctly is as important as packing. Labelling will help you to identify a box and sort out everything while unpacking.
For fragile items,never forget to mark them with printed tapes. The same goes for kitchen utensils like knives, tools, and instruments.
Categorising
If you have a huge home, you will likely have so much stuff to pack. Sort your items into categories like clothes, books, decorations, etc.
If you have a huge collection of specific things like CDs, photographs or books, create an inventory to ensure nothing goes missing.
Things to have in an essentials box
When you are halfway through the packing process, it is time for you to pack an essential box. Essential boxes cover items that are needed for the first few days of moving into a new house.
It is evident that unpacking will require some time and important things like medicines or toiletries are absolute essentials.
So, grab a medium-sized double wall cardboard box, and pack:
- Emergency medicines
- Towels
- Change of clothes
- Canned foods and snacks
- Toiletries
- Pet food (if needed)
- Toolbox
- Chargers and headphones
- Tea/coffee
- Some pots, pans and mugs
- Paper eating plates and cups
If you haven’t cleaned the new house already, pack a separate box with cleaning supplies. We hope that this guide will come in handy when you are moving houses next time.
