Packing Yourself? Please Read
Packing Yourself? Please Read
Many people choose to pack for themselves when they are planning a house removal. It cuts costs and some people have the time to do it, which makes it an option. It is really important to get advice on how to pack though. It is not like packing for a trip or to clear a room for decoration; you are moving your entire contents of one home and moving it to another.
I have written about packing before in a blog post and have added advice in the document section of the website. I thought I should highlight some of the errors people often make with packing to help you avoid them.
Using inadequate bags.
Don’t use carrier bags, bin liners or, what is growing in popularity, – IKEA bags. These are all perfect for the purpose they are intended, but that isn’t house removal.
The problem with these bags is:
• They break and expose their content.
• Open bags spill easily.
• It is very difficult to label.
• It is extremely difficult to load efficiently and securely into the removal lorry.
• Breakable and delicate content is not protected.
• It is more difficult and time consuming for the removal team to move and stack.
Incorrect packaging is just as much of a problem for short distance removals such as those within West Bridgford and Nottingham, as long distance across country.
Forgetting to label boxes.
Don’t assume we know what room you want everything taken to. It is essential to label clearly to ensure a speedy and efficient unload, into your new home.
It is frustrating for everyone if the removal team are constantly having to ask where to take boxes and furniture. Your labels need to be:
• Visible; sometimes it is useful to have more than one on larger boxes and items of furniture.
• Print which room it is to be taken . If these are multiple, like a bedroom, state which one.
It is useful to add an inventory onto the box or just under the lid, to help when you are unpacking or looking for specific items.
Over the years I have had many phone calls from people who want us to check the lorry as they believe something has been left in it, only to find it a day or so later. At the end of each removal, we sweep out the lorry, so we are confident nothing is left inside.
Appropriate boxes
It is important to use double layered boxes designed for removals. These are fit for purpose and will protect your possessions whilst being moved.
Avoid using:
• Supermarket single walled boxes, they are not sturdy enough for removals.
• Open fruit crate boxes as these have the additional problem of being small and open.
These boxes have a high risk of breaking and collapsing. We have to stack boxes in the lorry, so packaging not only needs to cope with the weight and integrity of the content, but also be able to cope with the weight of other boxes.
Timing
If you are packing and dismantling yourself make sure it is all completed the day before the move. We usually arrive about 8:30 to start loading the lorry/ies. Packing is a very time-consuming job, it cannot be done on the day of the move. If it has not been completed when we arrive it can create lots of problems and incur considerable additional costs.
At Albany Removals we aim to support you through the whole process of moving. If you have any queries or concerns just gives us a call.
To take the strain out of packing leave it to us. We can supply quotes for removals and packing, including all the boxes and labels etc.
