KEY POINTS:
Even if you are one of the country's serial movers and shift house every three or four years, packing and moving is a big chore. Make things easier on yourself with these tips.
1. Get rid of stuff first: Before you move, start culling. In fact, you already know that you should have done your biggest culling and de-cluttering before you even have your first open home. That way, not only have you a lovely clean house to sell, you're also packing up only stuff you actually want to keep. And you save on moving/trucking fees.
2. Bring in supplies: Start accumulating boxes, packing tape, big fat felt-tip pens.
Haunt supermarkets or wine shops for wine boxes (small enough to carry, all similar sizes for more efficient packing into a truck). Create a master checklist (on a clipboard which holds everything together is good) with phone numbers and packing lists.
3. Book a moving company or hire truck: Companies are heavily booked on the peak times of Friday and weekends, so don't leave it until the week or two before you move to try to find someone. Even if you plan to do most of the moving yourself, you will need professionals to manhandle big or valuable items. Book specialist movers for things like pianos.
4. Box up as you go: You are moving in winter, so as summer sports finish, or the camping season is over, start packing it away in moving boxes. Label clearly with room destination in the new house, contents and a number, which you write on the numbered packing list.
5. Book the utilities: The days of a three-week wait for a phone are long over but phone and utility companies do need some notice. And there's nothing worse than flopping down after a hard day's moving to find that the Sky box isn't connected. Book the mail and paper relocation and go online to switch things like bank records to your new address.
6. Settle in: Keep the kettle, tea and coffee things, snacks and beer in the last box to go in the car. Second to last: bedding, pyjamas, towels and toilet bag. The first un-packing job is to make the beds and put out the towels. So when you fall down exhausted at midnight, at least there's a shower and clean sheets to greet you in your new home.
