How to Pack and Get Ready for Your Move
Moving home is one of life's biggest events — and one of the most stressful if you are not prepared. The good news is that with the right plan, the right materials, and a bit of organisation, moving day can actually go smoothly. This guide walks you through everything you need to do, from six weeks out to the moment you walk through your new front door.
In This Guide
1. Start Planning Early
The biggest mistake people make when moving is leaving everything to the last minute. Start planning as soon as you know your moving date — ideally six weeks in advance for a standard home move.
Create a moving timeline and work backwards from your moving date. Assign tasks to specific weeks so nothing gets forgotten.
6 Weeks Out
Book your removal company, start collecting boxes, and begin decluttering room by room.
4 Weeks Out
Start packing non-essentials. Notify your bank, DVLA, GP, and other services of your address change.
2 Weeks Out
Pack the majority of your home. Arrange disconnection and reconnection of utilities.
Day Before
Pack your essentials bag, confirm times with your removals team, and do a final walkthrough.
Book your removal company as early as possible, especially if moving at the end of the month or during school holidays — these are the busiest periods and slots fill fast.
2. Declutter Before You Pack
There is no point paying to move things you do not want or need. Before you pack a single box, go through every room and be ruthless about what comes with you.
Separate items into four categories: keep, donate, sell, and bin. Charity shops, Facebook Marketplace, and local selling groups are great for shifting unwanted items quickly.
"The less you move, the less you pay — and the easier it is to settle in."
Pay particular attention to kitchens, loft spaces, and garages — these tend to accumulate years of forgotten clutter. A lighter load means a faster, cheaper move.
3. Get the Right Packing Supplies
Using the right materials makes a significant difference to how safely your belongings travel. Do not rely on random bags and odd-shaped boxes — invest in proper packing supplies.
Ask local supermarkets, off licences, and bookshops for spare boxes — they often have strong, uniform boxes available for free. Wine boxes are especially good for heavy books and kitchen items.
4. How to Pack Room by Room
The most efficient approach is to pack one room at a time, starting with the rooms you use least. This keeps your home functional for as long as possible while making real progress.
Kitchen: Pack rarely used appliances first. Wrap all crockery individually and stand plates upright in boxes — they are much less likely to break this way. Fill gaps with packing paper to prevent movement.
Bedroom: Use suitcases and bags for clothes and bedding — they are already designed to carry these items. Wardrobe boxes are ideal for suits, dresses, and anything that needs to stay hanging.
Living Room: Disassemble flat-pack furniture if possible. Wrap mirrors and artwork in bubble wrap and mark clearly as fragile. Keep remotes and cables together in labelled zip lock bags.
Bathroom: Seal bottles with tape or wrap in plastic bags to prevent leaks. Pack toiletries in a separate clearly labelled box that goes on the van last and comes off first.
Loft and Garage: Pack these last as they often contain large, awkward, or heavy items. Drain any fuel from lawn mowers or power tools before moving day.
Never pack boxes so heavy that one person cannot lift them comfortably. For heavy items like books, use small boxes. For large light items like duvets and cushions, use bigger boxes.
5. Label Everything Properly
Good labelling saves enormous time on the other end. Every box should have at minimum: the destination room, a brief description of contents, and whether it is fragile.
Label all four sides of the box and the top — boxes often get stacked and you need to be able to read the label without moving everything.
Room Name
Write the destination room clearly on every side. Use a colour coding system for speed — one colour per room.
Contents Summary
A brief note like "Kitchen — pots and pans" is enough. You do not need to list every item.
Fragile Warning
Mark fragile boxes clearly in red and add an arrow indicating which way is up.
Priority Boxes
Mark boxes you need immediately on arrival as "Open First" — kettle, bedding, toiletries, phone chargers.
6. Moving Day Checklist
Moving day itself should be about execution, not preparation. If you have packed and planned properly, the day should run smoothly. Here is what to keep in mind.
Have cash or a drink ready to offer the removal team. Moving is physical, demanding work and a small gesture of appreciation goes a long way.
7. Settling Into Your New Home
Once you arrive at your new home, direct the removal team to place boxes in the correct rooms using your labelling system. This saves enormous effort later.
Prioritise getting beds set up first so you have somewhere comfortable to sleep on night one. Then tackle the kitchen so you can make food and drinks. Everything else can wait.
Do not try to unpack everything in one day. Take your time, one room at a time, and give yourself permission to settle in gradually. Your new home will feel like yours before you know it.
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The Removals Hub is a 5-star rated removals company based in London. We handle everything from packing to delivery — stress-free, on time, every time.
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