Moving & Packing Tips

• Clear out unwanted goods – hold a garage sale.
• Get rid of flammables – paint, petrol, gas cylinders.
• Empty fuel from mowers, clippers, trimmers and so on.
• Clothes – do you need them all? Charity shops may want them.
• Separate books – disposable, family reading, valuable.
• Check all electrical goods – will they work in the new home?
• Start making up your change of address list.
• Arrange to have mail forwarded.
• Agree termination date for electricity, gas, oil, telephone and other main suppliers.
• If you are taking electrical goods such as a stereo, see if you still have their original boxes.
• Have rugs cleaned.
• If you have children, separate cherished toys to travel with you.
• Round up personal documentation – marriage/birth certificates, driving licenses and so on.
• Keep passports separate so they are not packed.
• Want to take the car? Check on import regulations and the duty payable.
• With regards to family pets – make sure vaccinations and documentation are up to date.
• Will your new home be ready? If not, you need to arrange temporary storage.
• Shops, schools, theaters, life styles – it’s never too early to find out about your new home.
• Start running down freezer stocks.
• Arrange your finances – close or transfer bank accounts, savings accounts and so on, if necessary.

Packing Materials

Use only strong, corrugated cartons with covers. We can supply you with specially made cartons, for everything from mattresses to clothing and mirrors. The added protection of mover-provided cartons may avoid damage that results from the use of poor-quality packing materials. Your alternative is to collect boxes discarded by your grocery or liquor store. Save old newspapers for use in packing, but remember that ink may rub off and stain clothing or other items. *WARNING: Insect eggs and insects such as roaches can travel in food boxes. Keep this in mind when getting boxes from food stores. Here’s a list a packing supplies that will come in handy:

• Plastic bags and labels for easy identification.
• Foam peanuts, Styrofoam pellets or “popcorn.”
• Tissue or craft paper for delicate packing jobs.
• Corrugated paper rolls for figurines and fragile items.
• Gummed tape (1 1/2 to 2 inches wide) and/or strong twine for sealing cartons.
• Markers and labels for identifying contents of cartons.
• Notebook and pencil for carton identification log.
• Scissors and/or sharp knife.

Packing Pointers

Before actually packing-up, you need to have a game plan. For example:

• Pack one room at a time. This will help you when it comes time to unpack.
• Pack a couple of cartons a day, starting well ahead of the move.
• Mark all boxes, designating room and box number. Make a carton identification log to show the number of boxes packed per room, and the total number of cartons packed. It’s a good idea to leave space in your log for a special comments section to note carton conditions or location of high value goods. Notify your mover of any high value items.
• Be sure to have plenty of “filling” material available.
• Be sure that the bottoms of all cartons are secured and will hold the weight of the contents.
• Packing tape or gummed tape is better than masking tape.
• Pack heavier items toward the bottom of the box and lighter items toward the top. Try to keep a per-box weight of 50 pounds or less; it makes moving a lot easier. A general rule to remember on carton size — the heavier the item, the smaller the carton.