New Zealand moving truck packing tips from u-save to help you plan a smooth house move
12 Packing Tips For Moving Home
Here are our top tips for packing up your belongings and loading up your moving truck hire vehicle when moving to a new home. Whether you’re moving from an apartment or a large family home, these tips will keep you on track.
1. Get The Whole Family Involved
Packing can start off being fun but that can soon wear off with a larger move. Set some deadlines (such as a weekend to pack up the garage etc) and stick to them. Give children some small tasks such as packing up their toys and clothes to keep them occupied and make them feel involved.
2. Don't Leave All Your Packing To The Last Day
There’s nothing worse than being unprepared and finding out you’ve damaged something precious or can’t find something important because you packed in a hurry.
3. Buy Plenty Of Packing Tape
You can never have too much and is handy for strengthening boxes as well as sealing them. A tape gun makes taping up your boxes much easier and adds a bit of fun – something else to let the kids help out with.
4. Use Plain Packing Paper
Instead of old newspapers stick to plain paper, newsprint can be tough to remove – especially from fabrics such as lampshades.
5. Label It!
Label boxes by room so they can be placed in the correct location at your destination, and you’ll be able to easily find items you’ll need to use straight away.
6. Create An Open First Box
When packing essential items such as the kettle, toaster etc, write ‘Open First’ clearly on these boxes and ‘Do Not Move’ on boxes you’re planning on taking separately.
7. Take Care With Fragile Items
Wrap fragile items separately and provide plenty of padding around each item. Write ‘Fragile’ on any boxes containing items that might easily be broken.
8. Don't Squash It In
Don’t pack more into a container than you can lift comfortably and remember to distribute your belongings evenly to avoid injury and a trip to the chiropractor.
9. Store Packed Boxes Neatly
Place your boxes and containers neatly around the walls in each room to make it easier to get in and out when you’re loading up your moving truck, and do the same when you unload at the other end.
10. Hand Trucks Or Trolleys Are Great!
Hire a trolley to help you move heavy items and several boxes at once. It’ll save time and prevent injuries from lifting.
11. Stack Well
Stack lighter items on top of heavier items when you load your van or truck. Under-packing can cause damage in transit so pack items together as tightly as possible to prevent shifting during transit and pad items with old blankets or duvets for extra cushioning if necessary
12. Don't Forget Anything
Ask someone to do a last walk through your old house with you before you leave. A fresh pair of eyes can often spot things you’ve missed.
Packing Specific Items - Tips and Tricks
When packing up your house for the big move you want to make sure your belongings arrive in one piece – check our tips for packing specific more tricky items
Furniture
Disassemble anything that you can to save room and make things lighter to carry. If you have very large items of furniture, make sure you can fit them into your new home before you move to save hassle.
The recent trends for larger lounge suites can make moving them to a smaller home difficult if yours doesn’t come apart, and if you can’t part with your granny’s grand piano, you may need to hire specialist equipment to move it to your new home.
Books
Books are compact so you can fit a lot of them in a box, which is great for packing but not so great when you have to lift the box! It is a good idea to use a number of small, sturdy boxes or to line the bottom of several larger boxes with books and layer lighter items on top.
Valuables
Important documents, medication and some valuables should be kept separate from other belongings that you’re packing as you’re likely to need them close to hand. Keep them with you in a small case and pack medication in a leak-proof container in case of spills. Keep these items separate and take them in your car instead of sending them with the truck.
Electronics
Pack electronics in their original packaging where possible. TVs, computers and other consumer electronics have delicate internal parts that can be easily damaged while moving. Unplug them the day before you move to let them cool down, and take extra care if you’re not transporting electronics and appliances in their original packaging to minimise the chance of expensive damage.
Refrigerators
Refrigerators require care when moving them and need a couple of people to move them safely. Unplug the appliance the night before moving it and remove all shelves and removable parts. If you have an older fridge, cover the back with cardboard to protect the cooling tubes, and secure the door to stop it opening in transit (use rope instead of tape as this can damage the finish).
The safest way to move a fridge is in the upright position – placing a it on its side is not recommended as oil can run from the compressor into the cooling tubes and laying it on its back can damage the cooling tubes. Leave the refrigerator upright for a couple of hours before plugging in – it will take about 72 hours to reach its ideal cooling temperature.
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Packing Tips
Packing up all of your belongings can be a daunting and time consuming task, but it does save you money and also allow you to take special care of your precious items. Take a look below for our top tips for packing up and moving home and some tips on packing up specific items that need a little extra care.