Packing to move home

Packing every household item up in preparation for moving day can seem like a daunting task. This is especially true if the move is a downsize and decisions need to be made about what to keep and what to leave behind, sell or give away. For many, packing up belongings can be an exciting time, the start of the process that moves them closer to their amazing new home; for others it can be a period of reflection, a time of packing up a lot of memories as well as belongings, in a home that they’ve loved: the dining room table that hosted so many noisy family meals; the comfy chair that was positioned to take in the view of the much-loved garden; the sofa where everybody tried to grab the best corner to watch TV. For everybody, whatever their circumstances, packing up and moving on is always a time of change.

Here are our top tips for successful packing ahead of moving home:  

1.  Start early. Don’t underestimate how much ‘stuff’ you’ve accumulated if it’s a family house you’ve been in for a while; if you’ve had loft or garage space, it’s easy to have filled it with clutter which you may have forgotten about as the children have grown up: it can seem like only yesterday that you packed the carry cot or highchair away, intending to give them to somebody else; however, with the children now older, it’s clearly time to sell or pass these items on to grateful  friends, family members or your local charity shop.

 

2. Consider whether you need professional packers before, during and after the move. Talk to your Jackson-Stops team who is handling your move to find out who they would recommend in your area. It’s worth taking time to gather several quotes – the difference in price and type of services offered can be significant. Generally speaking, many companies offer three different tiers; all should be able to assure you about their level of insurance cover:

 

A.  Full packing service:

This service provides full packing of every item in the property and generally takes place one day before moving. Your packers will arrive at a time agreed previously with you to pack items safely and securely. Reputable companies will always use appropriate packing materials - for example, acid-free paper can be used to protect crockery and china from getting tarnished. Many companies provide specific-shaped boxes suited to transporting particular items such as glasses, dinner service crockery or books. The boxes will be labelled to ensure they are taken to the correct rooms at the other end. If you have particularly fragile or precious pieces, you should discuss these with the company ahead of the moving day and ask them to provide assurances and details of any additional costs they might incur. Clothing will often be packed on hanging rails to avoid creasing, and can then be transferred directly into your new bedroom wardrobes.

B.  Glass and china packing service:

Some companies provide a service whereby packers will ensure all of your fragile glassware and china is packed safely and securely before transportation. They can also deliver packing boxes to your home for you to carry out the rest of the packing ahead of moving day.

C.  Self-packing service:

If you are looking to move your items yourself, companies can be enlisted to supply packing materials to you ahead of the move. Make sure you leave yourself plenty of time ahead of the big day, it can take far longer than expected!
 

Good luck with your packing, however you make it happen.