Few commitments are more daunting, more stress-inducing than making the decision to pack up and go. The list of circumstances to consider seems endless and the risks involved are not to be underestimated.

Moving house is said to be one of the most stressful things a person could do, so it's no wonder we see such a wide array of emotions when we're out on the job. Thankfully, the main emotion we see is happiness - and that's exactly what we're there for.

Here at Alan Carroll Removals, we believe in absolute customer satisfaction, and our aim is to make your move as easy and as stress-free as possible. Starting a new chapter in your life shouldn't be such a daunting task. Our aim is to do all of the hard work for you, that way, you can savour the sweet flavour of a new beginning.

If your plan is to move house in the near future, why not get a head start on the whole thing by becoming an expert in the field of packing? A well packed job does two things: causes less stress for you, and makes transporting your goods a much easier, smoother process.

Being well packed and prepared - it's a win-win situation really. And in this article, we'll tell you how you can do just that.

Plan as Far Ahead as Humanly Possible

Let’s imagine for a moment that you and yours are embarking on a fantastical cross-country vacation filled with loads of laughter and joviality… except that in this case, you all have one-way tickets and there will be significantly less laughter and way more head-achery. 

Or will there be?

If you take the time to devise a plan and execute it systematically before the big day, you can avoid much of the frustration and confusion that often accompanies the act of transporting one’s livelihood.  Giving  forethought to the whole adventure reduces future stress and likely the amount of time you spend putting things in boxes and moving said boxes around. 

Begin by purging your house of all the clutter it’s accumulated over the years, and be ruthless in doing so.  That prehistoric television and VCR gathering dust in the corner of your loft after literal decades of non-use?  So long, old friend.  

After removing the clutter from your abode, take some time to create a list of supplies you’ll need for the moving effort. Basic supplies include plenty of cardboard boxes (which you can get from us if you're moving with us - just ask), packing tape, box cutters, permanent makers and sticky labels.  Of course, this list is not completely comprehensive, so take from it what you will and expand as needed.

It's also a great idea to have a variety of strong boxes that are fit for purpose. For things like books and heavy ornaments, you're going to want smaller, extra strong boxes to pack them in. This is because if you pack such items in a larger box, they'll be too heavy for single-person handling - with this, you'll only waste your own time. Portable wardrobes are another great example of a specialist box. These are used to hang your clothes in so they're kept clean and neat during transportation.

As a final note relating to preparation, you may even consider taking pictures of your new living space and mapping out where you might place your stuff on move-in day.  Having at least a rough idea of where things are going to go will help greatly when moving in.
 
Dismantle Any Awkward Items
When it comes to moving larger items, it's always wise to consider how they came into your property initially. Say for example you have a wide wardrobe that came into the building in sections and was built up in the bedroom, with this, consider that taking it out of the property may cause some issues. Sometimes things that were built up in rooms don't come out of the property at all, and they have to be dismantled.

We've included a handy list for you, which will save you a little thinking time. If you have any of the items on the below list, consider dismantling them before the day of your move:

• Large wardrobes
• Wooden frame beds
• Metal frame beds
• Sleigh beds
• Bunk beds
• Large office desks (especially if wider than the door)
• Wall units
• Dressers with built-in mirrors

If you have any of these, and dismantle them before the day of your move, trust us, your removal company will thank you for it. On top of that, you'll thank yourself too, because you'll save a lot of time and money in doing so.

Pack Your Boxes Intelligently
When packing your boxes, don't just focus on cramming them as full as you can get them - that's a great way to do two things. Number one: cause injuries to whoever is handling the boxes, and number two: break everything in said box into lots of little pieces. Packing boxes is a slow, steady process, and it requires a lot more thought than you may think.

When putting items into a box, the first thing you should consider is whether or not the items are fragile. Things like glasses, mugs, plates and china all need to be individually wrapped in paper before placing them into the box. Before putting them into the box, use your paper to pad out the bottom of the box - this gives the fragile items an extra layer of protection. Once the bottom of the box is padded, it's time to start packing.

You can't just throw things in at random. Even if you have wrapped the items up, there's still a great chance things will get broken if you pack a box like that. You need to be smart about how you place things into your box. Plates and bowls should never lie flat in the box, instead, stand them on their end in a row. Mugs and glasses should never be stacked without another protective layer of paper between each row. And you should never put liquids into a box with anything you don't want to get wet, you know, just in case.

The final thing to consider when packing your boxes is the weight of them. Say you fill half a box with cookbooks and it's already quite heavy, consider topping it off with towels or Tupperware. That way, the box won't get that much heavier, but you'll maximise its space. Once your box is packed, seal it up and stick a label on the top. List the things inside and write a destination on the label also.

For example: pans, cups, cookbooks - kitchen.

From there, you're just about ready to go.

More Than Meets the Eye
So, as you can see, there's way more that goes into packing and preparing your home than you may have originally thought. Don't worry though, you aren't alone in that respect. And hey, at least you have been gifted a little advice from the professionals.

Now, when the big day comes, you won't have to stress. You can chill and relax because you know you are prepared and have packed everything correctly. We could say that you have us to thank for that, but we won't. It's okay, reserve your thank yous and applause - it's what we're here for after all.