If you are moving a house or apartment remember the old adage, ‘fail to plan – plan to fail’. A poorly planned move will take longer costing you more money and will mean that the unpacking at the other end will be more of a chore rather than pleasure. There are a few simple rules you should follow.

1 Get Rid of Unnecessary Possessions – Removal companies find that they move items from a basement or attic that haven’t been opened since the last house move. If you know when you are going to move it is time worth spent sifting through stuff that you are never going to use and putting it on e-bay or giving it to the local charity shop.

2 Plan Your Packaging – Hire plastic crates in advance and or you may choose to purchase your own storage boxes, tape and bubble wrap. If you are working to a tight budget you may opt to collect boxes that are being thrown out at the local supermarket.

3 Mark Every Box – Buy some marker pens and take your time to mark up each box. Firstly with the room it is going to be going into, e.g. Bathroom, Bedroom 1, Bedroom 2, Kitchen and secondly with the key items that are in the box. There is nothing more frustrating than ‘losing’ a box in your new home and having to rifle through boxes that you would have otherwise not opened.

4 Reserve Parking – If you have residents parking, you may need to speak to a local council and suspend the parking bay to allow access for the removal vans. You should do this a few weeks in advance of your move. You may have to do this at your destination address as well.

5 Utilities & Insurance – Make sure all utilities are notified before you move and that you have checked your insurances.

6 Cleaning – If you can afford it, pay for a cleaning service to clean your house as you leave. Managing a move and moving in at the other end is enough stress to cope with, let alone trying to give your previous house a spring clean at the same time.

Even if you can’t wait to live in your new house, curb your enthusiasm and resist the urge to cram all your possessions any which way into boxes.

1 Pack one room at a time if possible, and start with items that are least often used.

2 Write down a list of everything you are packing, in particular if it’s valuable. Books, cds, expensive clothes. Also, take note of which item is in which box.

3 Use sturdy boxes. Fill the box to the brim and seal the lid. That way, you can easily stack boxes on top of one another.

4 Tape the bottom of the box securely so that it doesn’t give way.

5 Never fill a box until it is so heavy that you can’t lift it safely. Spread the heavy items over a few boxes. Balance boxes with lighter items like towels or soft toys. Pack the lighter items on top.

6 Use bubble wrap or newspapers when packing fragile items. However, newsprint may smudge so use newspaper selectively. Clean paper can be purchased cheaply from moving supply stores. Boxes should be marked “Fragile” and “This side up” to prevent mishandling.

7 Label each box clearly and which room it belongs to. Write on the sides of the box as well.

8 Pack a separate box of essentials you may need for the first night at your new house. Include items like toiletries, toilet paper, bottled water, snacks and a change of clothes in case you cannot unpack everything in time.