Tips for packing up the house

[TheOriginalNutcracker]

I'm doing a house exchange, and although we've not been given a date for the swap yet, everything is pretty much in place so it should only be a few weeks at the most.

I have moved before, but it's always been a chuck things in whatever bags and boxes we could find thing. This time I have proper boxes and bubble wrap and paper etc and yet I am confused lol.

Have got 3 different sized boxes, but what do I put in the really large ones ? Surely nothing too heavy ??

At the moment i only need to pac stuff like ornaments and pictures, but when do i start to pack stuff like dvds, cds etc.

I am sure i am being a bit dense, but i thought someone on here might have a foolproof way of doing it.

I would think room by room (so have boxes for only main bedroom things, only study things etc) and then think by weight. I have always tried to keep all the boxes of a pretty even weight.

When I am unpacking, I like to have things like DVDs in only one box, I don't like them to be spread over lots of boxes as then it wastes time at the other end when you think you've done all the DVDs only to find more!

I put things like duvets, towels, toys, cushions etc in the really big boxes.

Keep whatever you will need for your first night and following morning to hand too!

• Use things like bins/laundry baskets etc to store towels/books/toys etc.

• Rather than bubbling hanging wall pictures, bubble and then slip into an unmade box that fits them (like a sleeve) and then tape around edges. Much more secure than moving about in a box and risks corners getting doofed.

• Buy removal guys lunch - pizza/cans of coke etc - always good to be nice to them and they'll care of your stuff.

• Don't overpack boxes of books - put some in the bottom and then fill with bedding/linen/other stuff that's light.

• Use old tins/plastic lidded boxes etc to put away stuff from junk drawers that you want to keep and buy elastic bands to tidy papers/documents that need keeping but aren't filed. (I had a tin full of blue tak/safety pins/ink pad/tipex/penicl sharpener etc - that would normally live in my junk drawer).

*Use towels/tea towels to wrap some stuff if it's easier - saves space too.

*DVDs/books etc can be packed as soon as. Then seal boxes and stack out of the way.

Good luck with your move - we're forces and about to do our 9th move in 12 yrs!!!

Who are you using to move all your boxes once packed? I am looking for a recommendation on a removal company in West London..... Suggestions gratefully received..... :)