Packing/Moving - Your Tips

[fionas]

OK, first question what did you pack your clothes/bedding into? Did you use the big zip lock bags that you hoover the air out of?

Whatever we use will sit in storage for a while.

[CrazyLady]

DP packed and I am still finding misc items in odd boxes.............

Just a tip, don't let your partner pack :laugh:

Those vacuum bags were fantastic to bring all my linen bargains back from my east coast shopping spree on the plane

[AnyDream]

You can get "portarobes" from the removals company, it's a tall box with a bar across that you can hang your coathangers straight onto out of the cupboard. Other bedding/clothing can be packed into book boxes or tea chest-sized crates (depending on their weight). Make sure everything is clean & dry before it's packed.

How long will your stuff be in storage? Weeks or months?

[YoYo]

I packed mine into boxes, but they weren't staying in storage.....

Those big bags and hoovering out the air sounds like a good idea to me. They wouldn't take up much space. I would make sure though they aren't cheap & nasty ones though so they don't get a puncture and the air gets back in!

[fionas]

Portarobes? Whoda thunk it?

They'll be in storage about three months. Every girl's worst nightmare. Have to leave myself enough clothes for change in season AND growing belly.

[surprised]

Hi Fionas,

I've had 3 moves in 18 months so here are my tips for what they're worth:
- clothes and linen make great padding in boxes. For example, I would put a couple of (folded) sheets in the bottom of a box, then put wrapped crockery in, using towels/clothes around the outside of the crockery.
- make sure your boxes are filled to the top with some padding. If you have removalists (or just strong men in general), they are likely to pick the box up and put in sideways on their shoulder. If the box isn't full, things can move around and break.
- don't wrap things in newspaper - you will have to wash all your stuff! I bought paper at cost price from the fishmonger.
- you can get industrial size and strength glad-wrap-type stuff to wrap around small pieces of furniture - great for keeping drawers from falling out, and preventing little scratches.
- make sure you take out insurance on your stored goods. When we picked up our lounge from storage it was wet as the roof had leaked in really heavy rain. Fortunately it dried fine, but if it was books or similar, would have been ruined.

Hope this helps, any more questions just ask away!

Surprised xo

[Astrid]

I used a mix of boxes and big stripey bags. The bags are fantastic for pillows and doonas. They are also great for those large plastic toys that just don't seem to fit into any box. For storage just put some pest deterring herbs in like lavender.

Where will you be storing your stuff? If somewhere like a friends shed, just make sure you place any boxes on old pallets, and maybe even cover the lot with a tarp, just incase of rain damage etc. If using a proper self store place, then you wont really need to worry about stuff like that.

[surprised]

Astrid is right about the pest-deterring stuff... also ****roaches hate bay leaves

[Inertia]

We used our suitcases and other bags for clothes.

My biggest tip with moving however, its the best opportunity to get rid of that stuff you know for a fact you just wont use anymore. Never pack in piles. Go through it all one at a time. You sometimes find out you have paperwork so old that its so utterly irrelevant and you really don't need to be carting it across the countryside. Same with clothes, bedding - everything.

And I know labelling boxes is a great idea, but DH found that when it comes to removalists and storage, you are better off getting a notepad, numbering the boxes and then listing what was in the box on the notepad numerically - that way no one else knows whats in it, and you don't have any worries of things going walkabout between your old place and new place. Not saying that all removalists or storage places are dishonest thieves, but there is always the odd chance you cop a bad one.

[Astrid]

And I know labelling boxes is a great idea, but DH found that when it comes to removalists and storage, you are better off getting a notepad, numbering the boxes and then listing what was in the box on the notepad numerically - that way no one else knows whats in it, and you don't have any worries of things going walkabout between your old place and new place. Not saying that all removalists or storage places are dishonest thieves, but there is always the odd chance you cop a bad one.

A spreadsheet works well for this. When ever I need to find something I just ctrl+f, I have a fairly detailed listing, so it is very handy.

[Rainbow_Mumma]

My tip marry a furniture removalist like i did lol i get told not to pack as its not done right haha

When he gets home ill get some tips and helpful little things off him for you