I did a huge cleanout before I moved from Queensland to Tassie. Sold heaps of stuff, and what didn't sell in the garage sale, we donated it.
Then I packed every room in a few boxes at a time, and found it easier to not mix boxes with stuff from different rooms, just the same room. Most of them were pretty accurate, and I had a pen with me and wrote down everything that was in that box - with instructions as well if they were fragile. For example, I had written on one of them "Craig's bong - fragile - do not sit heavy things on me"
He doesn't have a bong, its a turkish pipe thing, but gee it made us sound more interesting folk than we actually are.. bhaahahahaha
A good black texta is essential. Label boxes so you will understand them. I used to label things like "Malyna's uni books", so I knew what they were. Also what room they will go into in the new house.
Unless you know some muscular guys, I'd get a removal firm to move the bed/fridge etc.
Removal companies won't take things like laundry cleaners, gas bottles etc
Pack all boxes to the top, even if you have to stuff things in boxes to fill them, otherwise they will collapse under the weight of other boxes on top.
I left all my linen and clothes until last. I used them to stuff in the top of boxes that were only 3/4 filled (linen is particularly good at filling and packing kitchen boxes - things like toasters and microwaves).
Think twice about packing kitchen things like sauces etc, particularly if your stuff is going into storage (even for a short time). - I hate moving food (just my personal irk).
Always have three rolls of packing tape and 2 pairs of scissors, because you will put them down and forget where they are.
Only pack books in book boxes, because they get really heavy.
Just did the move thing. We still had way more than we bargained for and we got rid of a lot of big furniture! DH just left on his 2nd run back for the stuff we couldn't fit on the trailers. My dad and brothers came down to help. We had a standard box trailer, a caged furniture trailer and a huge car trailer (can tow a 4x4 on it) with truck gates plus 3x4bies to tow it all and still couldnt fit it all. My big hint would be to utilise ebay for anything big you arent married to and replace it when you get there. We would have had less but DH didnt get the concept of replacing it here and kept buying down there. MEN! LOL. What you cant sell that is salable, donate. Everything else, find out about council pick ups.
Dont label the boxes, number them. Then have a master sheet with everything you put in them. Futher to that as we are still refining the system, use an alpha numeric system, such as K1 (Kitchen) and MB1 (Master bedroom). That way you can get them to the right place straight up. The benefit of numbering and having the information on you instead of the boxes is if you are getting help from outsiders, they do not know what is in the boxes. Keeps your stuff safe. If you have a set of scales, weigh the heavy ones and mark which ones are 20kgs and over. OH&S recommends 2 people for 20kg+ items.
Have a 'survival bag' for everyone. Couple of changes of clothes and anything else they will need as you are unpacking. Also have a household version with the important stuff you need right up til the move and right after, such as the phone, vacuum cleaner bags, kettle and other essentials.
I will rreiterate what the other ladies have said as it is really the biggest tip ever. Be ruthless. Go Sid Vicious on your belongings. Clothes, furtniture, books. Unless there is a real emotional attachment to the item - if its ripped, torn, damaged or broken, Toss It!
1. Be ruthless
2. Sell/Donate/Give (if you can be bothered sell it on ebay or gumtree/give it to a charity/freecycle it)
3. Don't use huge boxes (photocopy paper boxes are great for books/magazines/ornaments etc)
4. Post Tubes are great for putting glasses in (as in those tubes used for postage)
5. Plastic bins from discount stores are great to store things in (you know those clearish plastic ones with wheels that are about $10 each)
6. Pack a room at a time, if you can unpack at the other end, then go and move a room at a time
7. Survival box for the other end with kitchen essentials in it (kettle, toaster, cutlery, crockery, sugar, tea/coffee, washing up liquid, a couple of tea towels)
Do not try to cook when you get to the other end, this is a time where it is perfectly ok to pig out on junk food/take away.
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