Moving house is exciting, yes. But it’s also a headache.

Just thinking about all the packing and organising can be enough to make you start panicking.

But don’t sweat it. At GD Legal, we’re all about taking the hassle out of house moves. Just follow our handy tips and you’ll be packing like a pro in no time…

In preparation

· Get supplies

Boxes, bubble wrap, old newspapers, tape – start stockpiling early to make sure you have everything you need before you get started.

· Have a sort out

What’s the point in taking unwanted items with you? Before you start packing set aside some time to have a proper sort out. Charity and recycle what you can and bin the rest so it’s out of the way.

· Book your movers

When it comes to moving day, co-ordinating diaries can be a nightmare. Make sure you’ve researched removal companies in advance and book your date in as early as possible.

How to pack

· Put a system in place – and stick to it!

It’s easy to think you’ll remember what you’ve packed where, but we can guarantee you won’t. There are lots of different ways to organise packing. The key is to decide on one and stick to it for the whole house – otherwise, you and your movers will end up in a world of chaos.

Colour coding each room with a simple sticker on boxes is a great idea. So too is refining this with a number – e.g.1 for items likely to be needed straight away. 2 for things you can live without for a bit. 3 for the things you don’t really need but want to keep…think books, photo albums, and ornaments.

· Take photos

Snap a pic of the inside of your boxes as you go along for an easy record to help jog your memory of what’s gone where.

This is also a handy hack for your tech. Photograph the back of the TV and computer etc, for a quick reference of where wires go to save time reassembling.

· Don’t over pack

Yes, cupboards need to be emptied out, with valuables and breakables wrapped up safely but that doesn’t mean everything needs to be boxed up!

Save yourself time and energy by keeping desk, or dresser, drawers as they are. Simply tape the drawers shut and you’re good to go. And if this makes items too heavy, simply lift out the drawers and wrap in plastic or place in a box to lighten the load.

· Keep clothes on the hanger

In keeping with not creating unnecessary jobs – keep clothes on the hangers. Instead, bunch hangers together and cover clothes in plastic or bin liners.

· Fill suitcases

Suitcases are designed to transport items, so fill them! There’s no point using up boxes when you can pack suitcases and holdalls and save space.

· Put towels and linen to good use

Similarly, don’t go overboard with bubble wrap and newspaper when you can use household linen to wrap up delicate items. Tea towels, bath towels, tablecloths etc, can all be put to good use.

· Use pots and pans

Put herbs, spices, flour and other small food items inside pots and pans. This reduces the chance of them spilling everywhere, curbs strong smells and saves heaps of space.

· Prevent spillages

Unpacking is hard enough, without having to deal with spillages too. Any items that could leak – cleaning products, bathroom supplies, food and drink etc, need to be packed with extra care.

Make sure lids are fully secure and stick with tape to prevent them from opening in transit. Remember to keep items with the potential to leak away from anything precious or valuable.

On the day

· Pack an ‘essentials’ box

And by this we mostly mean biscuits! Well ok, maybe not just biscuits. A few other items too…bin bags, scissors, tape, cleaning items, kettle, tea bags, milk etc. Try to think about what you’re going to need to hand straight away.

· Sort kids and pets

Keep stress levels down and organise care for the children and animals on moving day. With them safely out from underfoot, you can focus properly on the task in hand.

· Be ready

There are always final bits to pack away but do these the night before, not on moving day. That way you can relax, confident everything is boxed up and ready to go with no last-minute dramas.

And the unpacking?

You’re in, YAY…but now what?

Surrounded by hordes of boxes, the prospect of where to start can be daunting. But the sooner you get going, the sooner you’ll be sorted.

Here’s the best way to go about it:

· Kitchen first

You can’t function properly on an empty stomach. Breakfast, lunch, dinner – you need the kitchen, and its contents, regularly throughout the day, so it usually makes sense to start here. Putting essentials in place so you can make drinks, grab a bite to eat and fuel the rest of the unpacking.

· Little and often

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the scale of the task at hand, but here’s where your systems come into play. If you’ve numbered boxes, focus on priority ones first. There’s plenty you can live without so allow yourself breaks, grab some fresh air and focus on one box at a time.

· Set a date

Whilst there’s no rush to get everything unpacked straight away, nor do you want boxes hanging around for weeks on end. Set yourself a goal and book an event in – such as inviting friends round for a housewarming – to make sure you stick to it.

· Bin the boxes

Once a box is empty, collapse it and get rid. This will free up space and help to make you feel like you’re making progress.

Follow this advice and you should find that moving isn’t quite as bad as you anticipated.

Another great way to take the headache out of buying and selling property? Use a conveyancing solicitor.

At GD Legal, we may draw the line at bubble wrapping but we guarantee to go above and beyond to keep your house sale on track. Doing everything in our power to ensure the process – right up until moving day – is as smooth as possible.

Get an instant quote for our competitive services now, or to talk to a member of the team please get in touch. We’d love to help.

Moving house? How to pack like a pro