Packing Hacks to Make Your Next Move As Painless As Possible

Packing Tips & Hacks
to Make Your Next
Move As Painless As
Possible
By Clive Smith, 2018

Introduction
Packing is one of the most important processes that can make your entire move a hasslefree
one. However, it is always challenging to keep all the precious treasures safe during the
relocation process.
It doesnt matter how far you are moving; packing is something that takes a lot of time,
effort and of course money. From arranging expensive packing materials to wrapping all
belongings carefully, you have to manage everything like a pro – which wont be possible
without a professional assistance
We hope you find this useful in your endeavor. Whether this is a minor or major transition
in your life, we wish you peace, success, and happiness.

Packing and Preparing for
Your Move
Theres a lot of preparation and packing that need to be done before moving day. This part
gives you packing how-tos and tips, as well as important information you need to know
before moving in Gold Coast.

PACKING TIPS FOR MOVING
HOUSE
Its not until you decide to move that you realise how much stuff you actually own and how
often you use it. The reality of having to pack it all up to move to your new house can be
quite daunting. After our recent move Ive put together my packing and moving tips to help
make your moving process easier, save time and frustration.
The choice is up to you if you want to do the move to the new house yourself or invest in a
removalist, either way you still need to pack everything up. I hired removalists as we had
so much stuff and both my hubby and I have bad backs, it was too big of a job for either of
us to consider.
MY MOVING HOME PLANNER WITH 6 WEEK COUNTDOWN
CHECKLIST
Wanting to create your next move as stress free as possible? Spending a little time planning
now can save you a whole lot of hassles in the days leading up to move home, which is when
you will be too busy to think about all the other little things involved in moving house. This
helpful moving planner will help you organise your move in Gold Coast, with checklists for
all elements of moving, pages to help you plan dates, room layouts and more, youll find
everything you need to eliminate the overwhelm and be able to focus on being ready and
stress free for the day you move house.

My Moving Home Planner with 6 week countdown checklist is available as an instant
download, so you can start planning your moving process today!
CREATE A MOVING KIT
1. Created a moving caddy – to have everything on hand so I wasnt continually searching
for it. If the kids used it they knew where to return it back to.
Packing tape – for boxes
Coloured paper – for labels
Ruler – easily rip paper in half
Sharpie – for labelling
Scissors
Stanley knife

PACKING TIPS
2. Book your removalist – remember book removalists weeks in advance, as many
removalists book up quite quickly and you may miss out on the date you want.
3. Gather boxes – your local storage shed and hardware store should stock moving boxes. I
found boxes the cheapest from Bunnings. The benefit from purchasing from Bunnings is you
can return the ones you dont use.
4. Purchase used boxes – great money saving tip – look on gumtree or your local Facebook
buy and sell groups to purchase used boxes.
5. Purge as you pack – take the opportunity while packing to purge items you no longer use.
Sell, donate or throw these items away, dont take items you no longer use to clutter up the
new house. If you dont have the opportunity to part with them before the move label the
box to sell or donate so you dont unpack it.
6. Colour code the boxes – colour coding boxes so its easy to identify which room they
belong in.

7. Label each box – when labelling boxes write which room it belongs to along with the
contents on the top and side of the box. By labelling the sides you can easily identify what it
in it when the boxes are stacked.
8. Rate each box – give each box a star or number based on the priority it needs to be
unpacked. eg 3 stars for high, 1 star for low (can take a few weeks if it needs to).
9. Place boxes in correct room – get the removalists to put the boxes directly into the room
labelled on the box, this will help make the unpacking process more manageable.
10. Dont write valuables on the box – we want to trust those helping us move, but you
never do know what can happen. If you have a box of valuables going with the removalists
dont broadcast it by writing it on the box, give it a codename eg. Nannas Linens.
11. Roll up jewellery – lay jewellery onto a bath towel, fold over each edge, the roll up towel
to help prevent necklaces getting tangled.
12. Keep it light – dont make boxes too heavy, its easy to fill them up but consider how
much they will weigh, you dont want the bottom to break away.
13. Where to start? – start packing in the kitchen, put heavy items at the bottom of a few
boxes, then load those boxes with lighter items.

14. Wrap breakables – use clothes, tableclothes, tea towel and/or towels to wrap around
breakables.
15. Wrap glasses – use socks to wrap around glasses.
16. Wrap artwork and/or large items – in doonas, quilts blankets etc.
17. Use pillows etc – use pillows, cushions and stuffed animals to pad things and keep them
safe from breaking.
18. Prevent plates from breaking – if you have run out of paper try wrapping plates
individually so they dont break, place plastic plates in between .
19. Remember display placement – take photos of display cabinets so you know how to
organise it at the new house.
20. Remember where cables go – take photos of how the electronics cables are connected to
easily know how to reconnect them at the new house.
21. Dont lose screws – when removing screws from items place them in a zip lock bag and
tape it to the piece of furniture it corresponds to so you dont lose it.
22. Keep boxes organised – use plastic grocery bags to keep the contents inside the boxes
organised. ie. place items from the top of your bedside table drawer into bag 1, label bag top
drawer. Items from 2nd drawer into bag 2, label. This will help you easily unpack and place
back into the drawers. This is particularly handy for office drawers too.

23. Tape cables to electronics – to prevent the confusion of what cable belongs to which
electronic, tape the cables or cords to the base of it. I say base in case the tape leaves sticky
marks its not so worrisome on the bottom of it.
24. Fill nail holes – use white soap to fill nail holes in the wall.
25. Eat from your fridge and pantry – dont do big grocery shops before your move, plan
dinners based on food you have in your fridge and pantry, try to use them up before you
move.
26. Dont take clothes off their hangers – use a bin liner to wrap around clothes to easily
transport. Wrapping them from the bottom will help prevent losing any clothes that might
slip off the hangers.
27. Kids toy boxes – wrap small-medium size toy boxes in plastic bags or plastic wrap to
save you unpacking the box into another box, wrap with plastic to help keep the items from
falling out.
28. Think outside the box – dont forget to pack items in baskets, hampers, suitcases.
29. Place heavy items in a suitcase – place books in suitcases they are easier to roll than lift.
30. Remove light bulbs – to prevent them from breaking during the move.
31. Toilet Paper Rolls to stop tangling – use toilet paper rolls to keep necklaces organised.
32. Finish it all before moving day – dont leave any packing for the day of the move. Have
everything ready the night before. I was really surprised that the removalist company
managed to pack up our entire house in a matter of 1.5 hours. There was no time for me to
anything more than to clean up behind them.
A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE MOVE
33. Grocery home delivery – place a grocery order to get delivered a few hours after you
plan to arrive at the new house. For general items such as fresh bread and milk for
breakfast the next morning. This is particularly useful if you have managed to eat most of
your items in your pantry. We also ordered sausages and had sausage sandwiches for
dinner on our first night.
34. Pack an overnight bag – get each family member to pack an overnight bag, with their
toiletries, toothbrush, PJs, a change of clothes to easily have on hand on the night of the
move. Save searching through boxes and everybody can have a comfortable nights sleep.
35. Sketch a plan – draw out an plan of where you want large furniture items placed in your
new home. ie where you would like your lounge to be positioned. This is handy if you arent
around somebody else can look at the plan and place the items in the correct place for you,
saves your back later.

BEFORE MOVING IN
If you are lucky enough to get access to the home before you move in these few tips will
make moving day a little bit easier:
36. My biggest tip is – before you move give your new house a good clean before moving all
the boxes over. Its so much easier to wipe over kitchen shelves and vacuum all the carpets
while the house is empty. Despite the showers looking clean I gave them a good clean again.
37. Take photos of your new home – so you can take the time to look through them and be
able to visualise where you want items placed before the move. This is also good for renters
to have as a reference for their landlords to prevent unnecessary repair fees (as it may have
been broken before moving in).
38. Organise pest control – get the pest control to spray the house the day before you moved
in, then you dont have to worry about moving any furniture later.
39. Bathroom stocked – put toilet paper, hand soap, hand towel in each of the bathrooms.
40. Shower ready – put soap and bath towels for each person in the bathrooms, after a long
day you will want a nice shower.
41. Take the cutlery drawer – Does the new house have a removable cutlery drawer?

Lift it out and bring to your current house so you can place the cutlery directly in it, much
easier to transport and you can simply place it into the drawer at the new house. Wrap the
cutlery tray in paper and tape up to prevent the cutlery falling out.
42. Check that lights work – have a few spare light bulbs on hand just in case. Strangely
some people take them when moving (I wouldnt recommend this).
THE DAY OF THE MOVE
43. Babysitter – if possible, organise to get somebody to look after the kids and pets.
44. Valuables – keep your most valuable items with you during the moving process ie.
jewellery, passports etc.
45. Esky – have an esky and ice packs on hand to put in all the food from the fridge.
46. Clean fridge – take the opportunity to give the fridge a clean out while its empty.
47. Dust under fridge – be ready for a heap of dirt and dust that may need to be cleaned up
from under the fridge. Make sure you have your dustpan on hand.
48. Get items from storage – Get the removalists to pick up items you have in storage, this is
a huge back saver!
49. Bed assembly – Get the removalists to help you assemble any furniture like beds, its a
job that you really dont want to be doing late in the evening while everybody is exhausted
and tired.
50. What to unpack first – determine which room you want to unpack first, so at the end of
the day you can relax in a not so cluttered space.
MAKE AN ESSENTIALS BOX
51. Create an essentials box – an essentials box is a box of items you will need on the day of
the move, consider items like
clean bed linen for each bed
toilet paper
paper towel
snacks
water
cups
coffee
all purpose cleaner
bin liners
scissors

paper plates
hand soap
tools to help you assemble beds and other items
toiletries
medication, such as pain relief
first aid kit, you may need a bandaid or two
tissues
pet supplies
dustpan
kitchen sponge
detergent for dishes
corkscrew/bottle opener
Dont make your first meal in the new house too difficult, sausage sandwiches were our goto
meal, or you could spoil yourself with takeaway.
UNPACKING TIPS
I didnt muck around when it came to unpacking, I had 95% of the house unpacked by Day 3.
The key:
Colour coding– having the boxes colour coded I believed really saved us so much time and
back ache by getting the removalists to drop them into the correct room.

Purging as I packed – I managed to purge before packing, selling most on Facebook buy and
sell pages and donating to our local charity. Majority of what I had in boxes was items we
used so there wasnt anything in our boxes that wasnt to be unpacked. I did however label
a few boxes of items that shouldnt be unpacked, like kids trophies as in the new house they
only wanted to display a few not all 50+ of them. They are currently sitting tidily to the side
in the garage.
Dont be too organised – unpack the boxes and place into drawers and cupboard, but dont
be too worried about it being orderly and organised, once all the boxes are unpacked you
can go back when you have time and neaten it up.
How to… Moving Tips

Top Ten Ways to Cost Effectively Pack for Your Move
Whether you’re a devout penny
pincher or just an occasional
coupon cutter, these ten tips
will help you save money on
your move:
1. Scavenge your neighborhood for free cardboard boxes. Many grocery and large
chain stores give cardboard boxes away in pallets if you ask for them.
2. Look for newspapers and phone books around your neighborhood. Crumple the pages
of the periodicals into the shape of a ball and they make a great substitute for packing
peanuts.
3. Use your belongings as packing materials. Blankets, soft clothing, and stuffed
animals also make a great substitute for packing peanuts.
4. Hold a yard sale. Youll have fewer things to pack, less weight to ship, and a few
extra bucks of cash in your pocket for any last minute incidentals.
5. Donate unused items to charity. Anything you dont sell at a yard sale can be
donated to the less fortunate. Be sure to get a receipt from your charity, as you may
be eligible for tax credits.
6. Recruit friends and family to help wrap items and pack boxes – one of the most
time consuming parts of moving.
7. Create a packing plan so you dont buy more packing material than necessary.
8. Save all receipts for supplies and keep unused packing materials in their original
wrappers. This way, if you overestimate the amount of packing supplies you need,
you can return the unused materials for a refund.
9. Use the web to search for discounts and coupons on packing material. Many
moving companies offer Internet only offers.
10. Before taping any box closed, clearly label the contents of each box on its side. If you
need to find something in a hurry, you wont have to waste and reapply several feet
of tape in the process.

Top Ten Ways to Avoid Breakage During a Self-Move
Nothing is worse than unpacking after a long
move only to discover several of your favorite
possessions broken or damaged. If youre
going to be doing it yourself, here are some
simple tips you can use to safely pack fragile
items and avoid breakage during your move:
1. Plan ahead to ensure you have enough space to store your items during a
move. Many items are broken or damaged when individuals are forced to
cram and shove their belongings into a truck.
2. Specially mark any boxes containing fragile items. If the placement of the box is
important, also label the top of the box, so it isnt placed upside down by mistake.
3. Use packing peanuts to occupy unused space in boxes. The peanuts will
insulate the items and help prevent jostling.
4. Make use of bubble-wrap to wrap fragile items. Items that are unwrapped
but stored in the same box, even one loaded with packing peanuts, can bump
up against and scrape against each other.
5. Use clothing to cushion fragile objects. This can save both space and money.
6. Crumpled newspaper also makes great insulation.
7. When possible, wrap especially valuable items in at least two layers
of protection.
8. Instead of juggling multiple boxes, just carry one at a time; especially if the
boxes are marked as fragile.
9. When loading a truck or storage facility, stack heavier boxes towards the rear of
the container and under less heavy boxes. Make sure that boxes labeled as
fragile do not end up under several heavier boxes.
10. Lift and lower carefully. Squeezing a box too tight, putting a box down too fast, or
placing a box in an unsafe area can lead to smashed boxes and broken property.

Advice for Disassembling Large Furniture
Its typically best to move large pieces
of furniture in small sections. The
lighter the sections are made, the less
likely that the item will be dropped
from someones arms. Disassembly
will also make it far easier for moving
trucks to be loaded. Before large
pieces of furniture are disassembled,
ensure that:
• Children and pets are free of the area to prevent injuries from falling furniture.
• Heavy furniture is not disassembled alone. A partner can help keep furniture steady while
it is disassembled and offer assistance if an injury is sustained.
• The person taking the furniture apart has the proper tools to do the job. Hammering
and banging shouldnt be required to break down most pieces of furniture.
• Glass doors and shelves are removed prior to the frame being taken apart. These can be
wrapped in newspaper or bubble wrap and packed snug in boxes to prevent cracks,
chips, and breaks.
• All screws, bolts, etc. are kept organized. Plastic sandwich bags can be filled with all
the pieces to a single piece of furniture and taped to the furniture frame.
• Sharp corners and edges are protected. This can be as simple as draping large moving
blankets over sections of furniture to prevent scratches and dents on other closely
packed items.
In many cases, furniture may not even need to be disassembled. Before hiring a moving
company, when an in-person quote is provided, the moving company representative can be
asked whether or not any particular items of furniture will need disassembly in order to
make everything fit. If so, they should be asked whether or not their movers will provide the
service.

Easy Packing Hacks during a Move
It doesnt matter how far you are moving; packing is something that takes a lot of time, effort
and of course money. From arranging expensive packing materials to wrapping all
belongings carefully, you have to manage everything like a pro – which wont be possible
without a professional assistance.
Hiring a professional and experienced removalists in Gold Coast can make your packing job
easier. Since they have the right set of tools, resources and techniques for quality packing and
moving, you can easily focus on the other important task of your life.
But if you have already planned that you are going to pack your stuff on your own, then the
following hacks will help you a lot. Below are some easiest packing hacks that will reduce the
stress out of your move.
So, lets get started!
1. Create a packing toolbox
Before getting into the packing process for a move, take some time out of your busy schedule
and create a portable packing toolbox. Now, here the purpose is to make your packing job
more organised and convenient. Since you dont have to look for packing supplies every time
you wrap your stuff, you will get more time for other essential tasks like updating the
authorities in Gold coast of your new address and contact details.
Making a list of all packing materials can make your work easier. You can pack the following
supplies:
Packing papers,
Form wraps
Packing tape
Scissors
Trash bags,
Cutter
Bubble wraps, etc.
Make sure you carry all in one large box. This will make your entire packing and moving
process a smooth and efficient one. In case, you want professionals to assist you in this
complicated chore, then hire the best Removalists Gold Coast who can offer you custom
packing service at the best price.
2. Cover glassware items with blankets
Undoubtedly, bubble wraps are great for wrapping glassware or delicate items. But if you
want extra care for your breakable items, cover all your fragile items with towels and
blankets.
Instead of spending all your money on bubble wrap, you can play with this trick and protect
your glassware throughout the moving process. This will not only give extra protection to
your fragile items but also save space in your moving truck.

You must try this packing hack if your budget is low!
3. Colour code moving boxes
Packing is not an easy task at all. You cant even count your household belongings that need
to be packed, especially when you have a big family. In order to manage all your packed
items, you can use the coloured-coded hack.
All you need to do is to label each of your moving boxes with a specific colour. For example,
paste a pink sticker on the box having only kitchen items. This will keep your post packing
task organised as it will become much easier to find any item in a breeze.
Colour Coding trick works wonder when you have so many boxes to pack for a house move.
4. DIY Packing materials
Heavy-duty packing materials arent inexpensive. You have to spend bucks to buy highquality
paper wraps and plastic bags to ensure the safe packing of your belongings.
If you want to save your moving budget without making a compromise on the quality of your
packing, then use egg cartons, sheets, and clean socks to pack your household belongings.
These can easily be available in your house.
So, what are you waiting for? Use your mind and do something creative while packing your
breakable items before putting them into moving boxes.
Quick tip: Put jewellery in egg cartons as it will keep them organised and tangle free during
the relocation.
5. Use plastic bags for hanging clothes
Preparing wardrobe for a move can be challenging. It is always difficult to carry clothes from
one location to another in the hanging position. But we have an excellent solution for this.
You can relocate your hanging clothes the way they are in your wardrobe using black binliner
bag. All you need to do is to cover your hanging clothes with a huge plastic bag and put a
rubber band around the hangers for extra support.
Now, you can carry those bags in a truck or car and open them up to your home. Isnt it easy!
6. Pack essentials in a separate box
Moving a house with kids and pets can be very annoying. Therefore, it is imperative to keep
all the essentials, including water, milk, snacks, first aid boxes, tissue papers, toilet papers,
soap and other essentials in a handy bag or box separately.
You cant deny the fact that moving is an exhausting journey and you wont let your kids
suffer because of any delays. So, pack all the essentials and keep them handy.
7. Label your boxes
Dont forget to label your moving boxes. Most of the people overlook labelling and then meet
with chaos when they unpack their stuff in a new house. If you dont to be a part of any
unwanted scenario, make sure you label each of your box with relevant names using a black
marker.

Labelling always comes under smart packing tricks because it saves you from wasting
unnecessary time. So, use a simple name for easy references for example delicate items
when your box includes fragile belongings.
8. Cushioning to your boxes
It is good to add some padding to your moving boxes. Use plastic grocery bags, crumbled
newspaper for providing extra cushioning to your boxes. Padding can save your delicate
items from damages and make your move a soothing one.
9. Put cotton balls in your makeup compacts so they don't break. They act as a cushion inside
of fragile powder cosmetics.
10. Use toilet paper rolls to organise your cords. Keep wires organised by wrapping each cord
up and stuffing it inside an empty roll.
11. Take pictures of your house before you move in. If you're a renter, make sure you
document exactly how your house looks when you move in. You want that deposit back!
12. Wrap breakable dishware in your shirts. Not only are you saving on bubble wrap, but
you're also packing multiple items at once.
13. Use ftouch to unpack if you're time-poor. It might cost more than doing it yourself, but
can you put a price on peace of mind?
14. Cover all bottles of liquid (shampoo, cleaning supplies, etc.) with plastic wrap before
putting the top on. Avoid messy explosions.
15. Colour-code your boxes. You will know exactly where everything goes.
16. If your painter's tape is dried up, put it in the microwave for a few seconds. It will become
sticky again.
17. Use suitcases for your heaviest items. The handles and wheels will make for easy
transportation.
18. Cut handles into the sides of cardboard boxes for easy lifting. All you have to do is cut a
rectangular shape on either side of the box.
19. Pack a separate small bag with all of your basics. Chances are you won't unpack
everything in one day, so make sure you have everything you need for one night easily
accessible.
20. Make sure to use the Moving Day app. This app will make sure that you stay super
organised on your busy moving day by helping you catalogue the things you pack. It also has
a built-in bar code scanner and label maker so that you can keep track of all of your
possessions.

Ways to stretch your renovation budget
The best way to set a budget for home improvements is to work out what you
want/need/would die without then tot up how much its going to cost you and stick to that
amount. Most of us, however, are more likely to work out how much we can
save/beg/borrow then see what that buys us. As such, your budget is prone to blowouts
when you realise its not going to get you what your heart truly desires. And thats where you
might need a bit of help. To make sure youre getting bang for buck, you need to know how
your money is best spent, from the design and building work to managing your finances
cleverly.

Conclusion
Moving a house without proper packing wont be possible. The choice is up to you if you want
to do the move to the new house yourself or invest in a removalist, either way you still need
to pack everything up. If you want to ensure safe removal, you have to pay more focus on
your packing activities. With the use of simple and quick packing hacks, you can efficiently
manage your move.
Reference
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11, 2018,
https://theorganisedhousewife.com.au/organising/moving/packing-and-moving-tips/
Angus (2011) | Top 10 Things To Remember When Moving House | Lifehacker, Recaptured
June 11, 2018,
https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2011/11/top-10-things-to-remember-when-moving-house/
Fiona Joy | 10 ways to stretch your renovation budget | Insideout, Recaptured June 11, 2018,
https://www.insideout.com.au/expert-advice/10-ways-to-stretch-your-renovationbudget/news-story/8288310df72af6459365897d2e90d1b8
8 Easy Packing Hacks during a Move | Better Removalists Gold Coast, Recaptured June 11,
2018, from
https://www.betterremovalistsgoldcoast.com.au/8-easy-packing-hacks-during-a-move/
Macy Cate (2015) | Ingenious Moving Hacks That Make Packing Painless| Popsugar,
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