more advice » Casey's Removals

Now you will have, a strong and secure box. Clearly write which room you would like the box to end up in. If you do this on the tape, the removal team will know that these are your instructions, and should help keep the boxes in better condition, allowing them to be used again.

Place heavy and bulky items in the bottom of a box but remember there is a culmination of weight. One dining plate on its own doesn't weigh very much but ten together is surprisingly heavy. Keep this in mind while loading your boxes. If at all possible try stand items like plates on their end as this will make them stronger. Do the same with glasses. Always use plenty of paper, bubble wrap and newspaper as packing or use items such as linen or soft toys that you will be taking with you anyway. Filling up any free space in this way helps to cushion delicate items. You might end up using a box or two more, but it ensures your goods have reliable protection in transit.

Make sure that all the lids, tops on bottles or anything else that could spill are securely fastened, and in the case of bottles make sure they are stood upright and held in that position firmly.

Refuse sacks are very useful for placing bedding etc into. This even helps with the packing of the van or containers as they squash and fill all the awkward gaps.

Different types of boxes are used for different jobs. Small boxes are used to pack books into (these are some of the heaviest items you will have to pack) and therefore keep the overall weight of the box down. Boxes for packing linen can be bigger because the contents are obviously lighter. Wardrobe Cartons are used to hang your clothes into. As well as these there are various types of boxes that can be used for specific jobs for example packing pictures and paintings.

DO NOT pack flammable items as these will not be allowed on the vehicle and will invalidate any insurance cover if they find their way on. Make sure sharp objects like knives are placed inside some sort of container like an old biscuit tin, before they go into your box as they easily cut through the cardboard, and can do some serious damage to the person carrying the box.

Acid free tissue paper is used to protect silverware from tarnishing. If you are going into store for a long period of time it is highly advisable that you use this.

Checklists

Checklists can prove invaluable in making sure that you have thought of everything that needs to be done. It takes several weeks to plan towards the move day therefore start planning as soon as you can.

Click the links below where you can print out helpful checklists:

• 1 month before moving
• 2 weeks before moving
• 1 week before moving
• 1 day before moving
• Moving day