Packing tips

I used to ride a bike and packing for a camping trip takes on a perspective all of its own. Though I expect hikers know what I mean. For example, you can pack socks inside shoes, and shoes can go inside other things. You quickly learn to fill every nook and cranny. The following tips don’t go to that extent, but if you have the time and want to minimise space and cost that style of packing may be worth considering.

1. Packing may take longer than expected. It’s also not something you can work at continually. It drove me nuts after too much of it, and I found I needed rest periods to get my sanity back before I could go at it again, and anyway you will have interruptions that eat away at your time. Unless you have experience, plan for thee or four times your initial estimate of how long it might take to pack.
2. Get a supply of small cardboard boxes to help with your packing. Hardware stores often throw them out. Small boxes are really useful for packing delicate items, and they will pack better and safer than simply wrapping you small precious items in paper in a large box. The vegetable markets have some very study boxes used to pack fruit. These boxes can be greasy, but are just the right size for hanging files, from the filing cabinet.
3. Your removalist company will have a supply of butcher’s paper for wrapping crockery and delicate items. Paper is essential. Rolls of paper are unsuitable; get a stack of individual sheets of butcher’s paper. Old newspaper pages are not nearly as good, but of course they will do at a pinch.
4. Pack several boxes at the same time. Something that is a poor fit in one box may fit better in one of the other boxes. Don’t leave any empty spaces in the removalist boxes to prevent things from moving around, but never force anything inside. If there is a risk of things moving around and getting damaged and you don’t have anything to fill the gap in a box, place a few socks in the space, or if it’s a large gap fold up a towel or two and put it into the space.
5. Try to use standard sized boxes; it will keep the removalist people happy. Get them from your removalist company, or pick them up second hand. People who have moved previously might have them available as giveaways.
6. Don’t pack your removalist boxes too heavy. Think about the people carrying them. And think about your own back too. The heavier they are the greater will be the chance of them being dropped and things getting damaged.
7. Delicate items can be placed inside kitchen containers. Sturdy sealable plastic or metal containers and saucepans make great containers for fragile items such as ornaments. Of course, ensure your delicates are suitably wrapped to prevent them from rolling around inside the container, and don’t forget to tape the lid shut unless it’s a click seal plastic container. And when you pack your circular kitchen containers you will have a lot of gaps between them. Those gaps are just calling out for tea towels, socks, underwear, t-shirts etc; firstly, to fill the gaps between them, and also to stop them from being damaged by rubbing against each other.
8. Mark important boxes clearly to make them easy to find. Such things may include perishable items or clothing for the first day back at work. A clear mark might be a splash of red on all sides of the box to make it stand out. The last thing you want is to identify your kitchen items in a week or so after you get to your destination by the number of ants crawling over the box.
9. Boxes full of crockery will travel well if each item is carefully wrapped. Bubble wrap may be best, but butcher’s paper works very well and doesn’t take up as much space, and I’ve had few damages to crockery using butcher’s paper.
10. Pack dinner plates and larger ceramic plates at the bottom of the box on their edges. Plates can be wrapped in groups with each one separated by a sheet of paper. To wrap a group of four plates, place the first one in the centre of the pile of butcher paper, fold one sheet of paper over the top of it, and place the next plate on top of the first, and fold the second layer of paper on top of that one, and continue in this way until the fourth plate has been placed and fold a sheet over on top of it, then finally, wrap the lot up as you would an ordinary parcel. Fill the bottom of the box with these parcels of plates on their edges, and if you don’t have sufficient to fill the bottom, pad it with something to prevent any movement.
11. Wrap cups and other items individually in one full sheet of butcher’s paper. There is no need to tape each item when wrapping them. If the paper wrinkles that can be good as the air gaps will act as a buffer from the other items. Pack the heavy items at the bottom, and place the lighter items on top, leaving no or few gaps.
12. If you don’t have access to boxes designed to carry books, distribute your books between several boxes to spread the weight over many boxes. Paper is very heavy.
13. Buy an industrial type tape dispenser to seal the removalist boxes. They are inexpensive and help seal the boxes well. Your removalist company might have tape giveaways or a cheap supply.
14. Label the boxes appropriately so that the boxes with fragile items don’t get dropped or packed underneath boxes of hardware. Don’t forget to put your name and a contact phone number on each box.
15. Linen and clothing can make excellent padding for breakables, and I found it useful to pack both together.
16. Make sure garden tools are clean, and empty the garden hoses of water well in advance of moving day.
17. Have a look at some of the removalist company web sites for a check list of other tips and tricks. Some of them are quite useful.