Moving day is looming and you realise that you can’t put off the packing any longer. Have you got enough boxes? What about those breakables and family heirlooms? Think ahead and reduce the potential for disaster on moving day.
We are a professional company and we can always provide you with best service and good prices for all your removal needs for a hassle free house moving. Whether you prefer to rely on professionals or do it yourself, we offer you a few quick tips to make your moving a bit less nightmarish.
Before you start
You don’t need to leave everything to the day before the move. Consider what you don’t need to take with you, what will need careful packing, and that you are covered for potential breakages.
Two things are worth doing before a single box is filled. Declutter, because you pay to move volume and everything you leave behind saves money twice, once on the van and again on space at the other end. And get proper materials, meaning double walled boxes in two sizes, packing paper, bubble wrap, tape, marker pens and wardrobe cartons. Supermarket boxes have already carried something heavy and tend to fail at the worst moment.
Think ahead
Unless you travel light, you won’t be able to unpack everything in the first day, so it’s worth deciding what you might need easy access to soon after you cross the threshold of your new home.
In practice that means one bag per person and one box for the household, kept with you rather than loaded into the van. Kettle, mugs, tea, toilet roll, hand soap, towels, medication, chargers, and bedding for every bed. Making the beds on the first night is the single kindest thing you can do for yourself.
Sensible packing
Spend some time considering how you are going to pack your possessions. Books are easy but heavy, valuables need careful wrapping and will take time, and some furniture may need to be dismantled.
Three rules cover most of it. Small boxes for heavy things and large boxes for light and bulky ones. Tape the base with two strips along the seam and one across each end, because boxes fail from underneath while being carried. And fill every gap, then shake the closed box gently. If anything moves, it needs more padding.
Label the side rather than the top, since stacked boxes hide their lids, and write two things on every one: what is inside, and which room it goes to in the new house rather than the room it came from.
Packing room by room
Kitchen. The slowest room in any house, so start it early and leave out only what you need for the last few days. Plates wrapped individually and stood on edge like records, glasses upright with paper inside them, pans nested with paper between. Empty and defrost the freezer before moving day, and use up the cupboards rather than transporting half used bags of flour.
Bedrooms. Hanging clothes go straight into wardrobe cartons on their hangers. Everything else rolls rather than folds, which saves real space. Strip beds last thing and put the linen in a bag rather than a box, so it is easy to find.
Bathroom. Anything liquid gets its lid taped and goes in a sealed bag before it goes in a box. Throw away what is nearly empty rather than moving it.
Living room. Photograph the back of the television and any other cabling before unplugging. Books in small boxes only. Lamps come apart, with the shade boxed on its own and nothing packed inside it.
Home office. Cables coiled, bagged and labelled with what they belong to. Documents and anything irreplaceable travel with you, not in the van.
Loft, garage and shed. Consistently underestimated, and often the reason a job overruns. Clear them a week ahead rather than on the morning, and deal separately with anything that cannot travel.
Garden. Pots, tools and furniture need cleaning and drying before they are loaded, particularly if anything is going into storage.
What cannot go on the van
Removal firms cannot carry flammables. That means paint, aerosols, gas canisters, petrol for the mower and similar. Plants are usually excluded, and frozen or perishable food certainly is.
Keep passports, documents, jewellery, medication, cash and keys with you rather than in the van, along with the first night bag.
An order that works
Start two to three weeks out with the rooms you barely use: spare rooms, books, out of season clothes, decorations, the loft. Move on to the living room and home office, then the bedrooms, and leave the kitchen and bathroom until the final few days because you still have to live there.
Our guide to two weeks to go sets out the wider timeline, and container storage is worth considering if the new place is smaller or the dates do not quite line up.
For suggestions, information or quotation keep visiting our website, write us, use the chat on our homepage or call us directly on 0208 0900 232.
Frequently asked questions
When should I start packing for a move? Two to three weeks before, beginning with the rooms you barely use. Leave the kitchen and bathroom until the last few days, since you still need them.
What size boxes should I use? Small double walled boxes for heavy items such as books and crockery, larger ones for light and bulky things like bedding. If a full box is uncomfortable to lift, it is too heavy.
How do I pack plates so they do not break? Wrap each one individually and stand them on edge, vertically, in a small box with the gaps filled so nothing can shift. Stacked flat, the lower plates crack under the weight.
What should I keep with me rather than in the van? Documents, jewellery, medication, cash, keys and anything irreplaceable, plus a first night bag with bedding, toiletries, chargers and enough to make a cup of tea.
What can removal companies not transport? Flammable items such as paint, aerosols, gas canisters and petrol, plus plants and perishable food. Ask your firm for their list, since it varies slightly.
Is it cheaper to pack myself? It costs less in cash, but self packed boxes are commonly excluded from transit insurance, so anything that breaks in a box you filled may not be claimable. Having the crew pack the kitchen and fragile items is often the sensible middle ground.
Written by Riki Migliori, Director at RMV Storage & Removals. Originally published November 2013. Fully reviewed and updated summer 2026.