The Seddon’s guide to: Packing like a pro…

The Seddon’s guide to: Packing like a pro…

When it comes to buying and selling houses, there are few tasks which are as daunting as packing everything you own into boxes and moving it. So how can you pack your home up like a professional and make the process as streamlined and stress-free as possible?

Organise and Declutter

It seems like whatever stage of the process of selling a property you are at, you need to de-clutter! When it comes to packing up to move, this is a really a great place to start. There is little point in packing and moving stuff that you no longer need or want so getting a early start and eliminating this as much as possible is a good plan. Take it one room at a time and sort through the items which you don’t want to take with you and either sell, donate or otherwise dispose of them.

If you are leaving things behind in your property try and dig out things like product manuals and guarantees and put them in a file for the new occupiers. Similarly, important paperwork you need to take with you such as birth certificates and passports should be separately packed and labelled so you know where to find them.

Get your packing materials organised

You are going to need a variety of different sized sturdy boxes and lots of them! Smaller boxes are best for heavier items like books with large boxes being useful for bulkier lighter items. You will also need box tape, labels, markers and packing paper and some kind of cushioning for larger items which can’t be packed into a box. To avoid a frustrating packing experience – don’t be tempted to buy cheap packing tape!

Using things like cushions, blankets and towels to stuff into spare space in boxes and protect the contents from movement is a good idea.

Make a start

You don’t want to have everything you own packed up too early, if you start too soon you risk spending a fair amount of time rooting through boxes looking for things you need which you have packed away. However, packing away things you are not likely to need before you move is a good idea. Taking it room by room, have a look and identify those items which you have not used in a couple of months and start by packing them. Things like out of season clothes, spare bedding, and the contents of your garage or shed can probably be safely packed with no fear of needing them again.

Clean as you pack

Dust and clean things as you pack them away and this will make unpacking at the other end much easier. If you are able to completely pack up a room ahead of time, do any necessary cleaning in the room then and shut the door on it so you don’t have to worry about it again until it comes to loading.

Some more do’s and don’ts

Don’t leave the disassembly of furniture too late (definitely not moving day!). Make sure that you keep all of the fixings together by bagging them up and attaching the bag to the furniture, along with the assembly instructions. The same applies to things like shelves and wall mounted cabinets if you are planning to take them with you.

Don’t forget the loft. You may be surprised at the amount of stuff you are storing in places like the loft or your garage. Make sure you factor this into your plans. Getting things down from the loft can take time and you do not want to be doing this on moving day.

Do make sure that you label fragile items well and if anything needs to kept upright draw arrows on the boxes to indicate this at a glance. Make sure that you clearly label boxes on all four sides so you can always see what is in them.

Do check the weight of your boxes periodically as you are packing them to make sure they are not too heavy to lift. Overweight boxes have a habit of coming apart and can be difficult for one person to lift safely. Label heavy items on the box to avoid injury.

Do label your boxes well with the details of the contents and the room they need to go to at the other end. Some people find that colour coding boxes with different colours representing different locations is a good idea.

Do pack a box of essential items which you will need when you arrive at your new property and make sure that you load it last (this will probably include the kettle and cups or wine!)

Do pack electrical items in the boxes they came in if you still have them. This makes it a lot easier to identify them and will likely keep them better protected in transit.

Do pack an overnight bag with all the usual items so that you don’t need to be looking around for essential items at the other end before you can go to bed!

When it comes to packing and moving, thorough organisation and clear game plan are the key to a less stressful experience so do try and plan ahead as much as possible. For more helpful tips and advice on selling, buying and everything in between – have a look at our website or get in touch with one of our friendly and experienced staff in your local Seddons office.

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