Start With a Game Plan, Not a Guess

Before a single box is taped shut, the most valuable thing you can do is create a packing timeline and checklist. Give yourself more time than you think you need. Moving week is always busier than anticipated, and running out of time usually means things get thrown in together without care or labelling. A room-by-room approach helps you stay in control from the beginning.

Aim to pack one room completely before moving to the next. This makes unpacking at your new place significantly faster and less chaotic.

Kitchen Packing: Where Most Moves Go Wrong

The kitchen is typically the hardest room to pack because it's full of awkward shapes, heavy items and fragile pieces mixed together. Wrap plates individually and always stack them vertically in the box, not flat. This dramatically reduces breakage during transit. Use smaller boxes for heavy kitchen items like appliances and pots.

Label every kitchen box with both the contents and the destination zone in your new kitchen. It saves your removalists, and yourself, a lot of back and forth on the day.

Living Room: More Than Just Furniture

Electronics, books, decor and soft furnishings each need different approaches. Group cables and accessories with the device they belong to and seal them in a labelled bag. Wrap picture frames and mirrors in butcher's paper or bubble wrap and pack them standing vertically. Books go in small boxes only, a large box of books will be dangerously heavy.

Cushions and soft furnishings can go in garbage bags or vacuum storage bags to save space.

Bedrooms: Keep It Simple and Systematic

Pack from the back of wardrobes and drawers forward. Out of season clothing, extra bedding and items you rarely use should go in boxes first since they won't be needed until after you're settled. Keep a separate bag with your essentials for moving night: fresh clothes, toiletries and chargers.

Mattress covers are worth using if you have them. They keep your mattress clean during loading and unloading and cost very little.

Bathroom: Small Items, Big Hassle

Tackle the bathroom early in the packing process, not at the last minute. Seal all liquid bottles with tape over the lids to avoid leaks. Dispose of half used products you won't realistically finish. Keep a small toiletry bag out of the boxes entirely so you have what you need right up until moving day and as soon as you arrive.

Garage and Storage Areas: The Hidden Time Trap

Most people underestimate how long the garage and shed take to pack. Tools, garden equipment, sporting gear and miscellaneous stored items accumulate over years. Give yourself extra time here and sort before you pack. Heavy items like toolboxes need sturdy boxes and should be packed with the heaviest items at the bottom.

Protecting Fragile and High Value Items

Use specialised packing materials for fragile items rather than improvising. Avoid stacking fragile boxes under heavier ones and label them clearly on multiple sides. For particularly high value items, talk to your removalist about additional protective measures or transit insurance before the move.

Make Unpacking Easier Before You Even Move

The best time to plan for unpacking is before you start packing. Label boxes with the room name and a priority level: high priority for things you'll need in the first 24 hours, low priority for items that can wait. When your removalists arrive at the new property, they'll know exactly where each box goes without having to ask.

Easy Choice Removals and General Freight. AFRA accredited, free quotes. Call (02) 6583 1595.