When we start thinking about that cupboard we all have that we’re ashamed of, we break into a cold sweat, make a cup of tea and call it a day. Packed full of unwanted gifts, a bread-maker, Tupperware lids, last year's school projects, the “fancy” dinner set and a never-ending supply of questionable batteries, it starts to feel overwhelming.

So here it is, my complete guide to packing your goods properly, safely and quickly. What you will need, what needs to be packed, how to keep everything safe and how to find everything when you move into your new home.

There are a variety of packing materials available to use, but high quality cardboard cartons are by far the best option. Most of the larger removal companies and self storage facilities in Toowoomba have a good range available for sale to the general public.

If you are using a removalist for your move, they should be the first people you ask as they often will supply cartons to their customers at a cheaper rate and may even collect them once you have finished unpacking. 

PLASTIC STORAGE TUBS

These are great for exactly that, storage! When it come to transporting them, they rarely stand up to the task. They become very brittle over time, causing the lids to crack and cave in - potentially damaging the contents inside. The castors fall off or the plastic clips holding the lid on fail, spilling the contents (and you had better hope its not Lego) all over the place. If you have to use them, keep them very light and never pack anything breakable in them. Moving bags are also a popular choice, but should only be used for light bedding and clothes as they can tear quite easily.

TEA CHEST AND BOOK/WINE CARTONS

Tea chests, often referred to as standard cartons, should be your go to carton for most of your small items. They are great for kitchenware, clothes, ornaments, games and almost all your other household Items. Removalsts will often load furniture on top of these as they are very strong if packed right.

To pack a tea chest correctly, first - tape up the under side of the carton. Use at least one strip of tape over the join and at least one strip of tape across the join (perpendicular to the previous strip). Start by placing something protective in the bottom of the carton like bedding or scrunched up packing paper. Then, starting with heavier, larger items, start packing.

Make sure that you fill as much of the internal volume as possible. Ideally, once packed, they should not be any heavier than 15-20 kgs. So, to avoid injury or damage, pack heavier items like books, magazines, canned food, wine, weights and heavier tools into book/wine cartons. 

GLASSWARE AND BREAKABLES

When it comes to the more delicate or fragile items like glassware, ornaments and china, there are a few extra tips you should be aware of to make sure everything gets to the destination in one piece. Wrap every item individually with at east one sheet of butchers/packing paper. Once wrapped, pack items into cartons the right way up, or to the items strength. That means packing plates, wineglasses and teacups vertically.

Never on their side or laying flat! It goes without saying, keep the heavier items (plates) lower in the cartons and lighter items (wineglasses) near the top. Mark fragile on the cartons and let the movers know which cartons are fragile before they start loading. They will then know to keep them higher in the load and the right way up. Use scrunched up packing paper at the bottom, along the inside wall’s and at the top of the carton.

ARTWORK

Artwork can be very valuable and/or sentimental and can often be irreplaceable. That is why packing and preparation of artwork for a relocation needs to be done properly to avoid breakage in transit. Bubble wrap is great for artworks as it also protects the art from dust or felt from the furniture blankets. If you are transporting an exposed painting without a frame, it may be best to look for professional laminated wraps.

Although more expensive, they offer superior protection as they have a thin sheet of poly packaging on one side to protect against the abrasive bubble wrap. Once wrapped, place the artwork inside a flat carton or picture carton. Clearly mark on the carton which side the front of the painting is facing.

HANGING CLOTHES

To keep your fine clothes like suits and dresses in good condition, and for ease of packing and un-packing, port-a-robes are fantastic! Just seal the bottom of the carton, Put the hanging bar across the top of the carton and transfer your hanging suits or gowns straight from your wardrobe into the port-a-robe. If you are storing your clothes for a while, it may be a good idea to seal the carton completely and throw in some moisture absorbing sachets.

ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT

Expensive electronic equipment such as stereos and game consoles need to be packed securely for transport as these items can damage easily. Re-packing the items into their original packaging is the best solution, if you remembered to keep them. Otherwise, wrap the goods in butchers/packing paper and pack the equipment flat (the correct way up), or vertically (front up). Use a layer of bedding or a cushion between each tier.

Make sure cords and USBs have been disconnected and you have kept track of where they come from. A good tip is to take a reference photo of the rear of the equipment before you disconnect the leads.

LABELLING

Each carton that you pack should be clearly marked on one side with your name, the room the carton came from and a brief description of the contents. This will make it easy to relocate and reposition at the delivery destination. Mark the carton ‘FRAGILE’ if you have packed fragile items inside it, and include any special instructions (eg. loading directional arrows, ‘HEAVY’ and ‘TOP-LOAD’) if necessary.

IN SUMMARY

My final tip - hire professionally trained removalists to pack your house for you. Engaging a moving company to pack the kitchenware and breakables for you can save you hours of labour. As you would expect, there is an additional charge for this service, but the benefits will be evident should you decide to move this way. Goods packed by a removalist are more likely to be covered by your transit insurance.

Removalists are constantly keeping their staff trained and up to date with best practices and they may include un-packing in their service, but it would depend on the removalist. They will usually provide cartons for you and remove them once they have been unpacked.

If you need a professional furniture removalist to pack, move and un-pack your goods for your next move, contact Toowoomba Sensitive Freight on 07 4549 6790 today for your obligation-free quote.