15 Packing Tips from Professional Movers

After hundreds of house moves, our team has seen every packing mistake going — and developed the habits that make moving day quick, safe and stress-free. Here are 15 tips that actually make a difference.

Before you start packing

• 1. Declutter first — pack only what you want to keep. Every box you don't fill is time and money saved.
• 2. Get more boxes than you think you need. Running out mid-pack is more common than having too many.
• 3. Use double-walled boxes for heavy items like books and kitchen contents.
• 4. Set aside an 'essentials box' before you start — this comes with you in the car, not the van.

Packing fragile items

• 5. Wrap every fragile item individually — don't layer unwrapped plates.
• 6. Fill void space in boxes with scrunched paper or towels. A box that rattles will break something.
• 7. Pack plates on their edges, not flat — they're stronger that way.
• 8. Label fragile boxes on all four sides, not just the top. When boxes are stacked, the top label faces the wall.

Labelling and organisation

• 9. Write the destination room on every box — not just the contents. Your moving team will thank you.
• 10. Use a colour-coding system (coloured tape per room) for even faster sorting on arrival.
• 11. Number your boxes and keep a simple list of what's in each — useful if anything goes missing.
• 12. Pack room by room, not in mixed loads. It makes unpacking far faster.

On moving day

• 13. Heavy boxes go at the bottom of the van, lighter boxes on top — always.
• 14. Don't overfill boxes. A box you can't lift safely is a box that will drop.
• 15. Keep a sharpie and tape roll accessible until the very last box is packed — you'll always need to seal one more thing.