PACKING TIPS
A good many people ask me for packing tips. My first is that it takes longer than you think. Don’t leave it all until the night before the move, take on small amounts of items you know you won’t need at least a week before the move. Put the boxes out of your way and don’t fall over them. Take a look in the loft. You won’t want to bring it all down too soon but you may want to take some to the tip. You’ll know the staff at the tip well by the time you move. Likewise, the shed, garden and garage. These are difficult to pack and need time for a good sort out. Do you really need to keep that cracked plant pot that aunty Maud bought you 20 years ago? Speaking of plant pots, we don’t mind moving plant pots but if they’re only full of weeds, we’d appreciate you tipping them out and cleaning them. We don’t want mud getting into the van then the house.
Inside the house, the hardest job, without doubt, is packing the kitchen. There’s only so much you can do in advance but there are usually plenty of tea cups and saucers, who uses them anyway? Spare plates, spare everything that can be packed or dumped.
The rule with plates is to wrap them in paper and stack on edge at the bottom of a medium size box, then place a layer of cardboard on top of the plates and start packing lighter items on top, such as wine glasses. Secure the contents of the box with crumpled paper void fillers. Tape securely like you did with the bottom, didn’t you?
Don’t carry heavy boxes once they’ve been filled. Fill them in place and leave them there for the removers.
Ornaments and nick knacks can be packed in a similar way by wrapping and layering in medium or small boxes.
Large boxes are needed for saucepans pots and pans.
Books are heavy. Again, place medium size boxes where they’re to stay and fill them in situ.
We often wonder how we managed without black bin liners. Your quilts, pillows, huge teddy, and lightweight clothing can be moved in bin liners. We also use these soft bags to fill gaps and stabilise loads in the van.
Write on the boxes in felt pen where they are to be taken to and the contents of the box.
Serious now, have a look at this.
How to tape a box. Fold over the two short flaps at each end of the box then fold over the two long flaps. Tape along the end of the box then follow along the join of the flaps and along the other end of the box. (Keep these tails long on each end). Now tape along the short edge of the flaps, half on the flap and half on the box. The tape now forms an ‘H’ shape. There’s no need to go tape over tape, it’s a waste of time and tape.
Why did I tell you to keep the tail long at each end? I hear you ask. OK, re-cycled cardboard can be sort of powdery and tape might not always stick too good. By leaving long tails, the closing tape on top can be brought down to stick over the tails. Now the top tape is holding the bottom tape from slipping. The bottom won’t fall out of your box. You can thank me for this super top tip developed over many years of watching DIY packed boxes fall apart.