I packed everything in boxes with lids..easy to just lift the lid and see the contents ..

boxes went with furnitures in the truck

clothes all went in the car wardrobe per wardrobe..

we were lucky as we had access to the new place and still had the old one til sold so I could clean the new kitchen moved all my stuff from the kitchen in without having to pack..

then all the clothes went in..

when we were ready the truck came ..

boxes went into a room until can unpack..

***** before anything went into boxes we decluttered..saves moving the whole lot and throwing it out at the new place

I've only moved 4 times and I'm never moving again lol

I've moved alot. Pack plates wrapped, on their sides, never flat. Pack the insides of hollow vessels, not just the outsides. Removalists charge more if you use supermarket boxes for a big move. Hide valuables in boxes of non related, non valuable stuff, and don't advertise their presence in your labelling. Label each box with the appropriate room. Use small boxes for books.

Are you moving across town - or to a new state or country? It's different for everywhere I think. I'll help you when I know that. But the key words are 'boxes, boxes, boxes' - grab them from anywhere!

We did what I seriously hope was our final move last year, and it was interstate, so not a small one.

We started by buying proper packing boxes and paper on line. Cost more than free boxes from the supermarket, hardware store or bottleshop (though we used a lot of those too), but it was worth it in the end, especially for things like paintings. And newspaper is terrible stuff for packing things like china and glassware, because it smudges. You can get used boxes on line or from moving companies as well. We also bought a giant roll of bubble wrap from Office Works. Mr Bubble, as he came to be known, ran out as I finished packing the last item - our TV.

We did the giant clean out - donated lots, threw out some, gave some to friends, books to the local library, and sold some items at a local car boot sale. And we continued to clean out as moving day got closer.

We packed non-essentials first - spare linen, out of season clothes, fine china and glassware, bric a brac, etc - and gradually worked our way down to the essentials. We used tea towels, sheets and pillow cases as extra padding in a lot of the boxes, and the TV got wrapped in the last of Mr. Bubble plus two blankets). We tried to make sure that none of the boxes was so heavy we couldn't lift it, so books and a fine selection of brass and bronze objects from India (don't ask) were packed in smaller boxes. All boxes were labelled by the room they were to go into.

It was all pretty horrendous (and made more so because we had a lengthy gap between leaving our old house and moving into the new one). We were still packing up the garage when the movers arrived! We made it, though, just. And it was all made more complicated by the fact that we had to leave our old house weeks before the new one was finished, so all sorts of interim supplies, cooking utensils, sheets, etc had to travel with us, plus one disgruntled dog. Never again! But at least, everything arrived intact.

It's exactly like childbirth. You push all the stuff out, it's appalling, then over time you forget the pain and do it all over again!!

I think the memory of that move will last my lifetime. Especially the two weeks we spent in a tent.

Sounds very intents.

It gave new meaning to the term "rustic decor."

You could have come on Houzz to Canvas for decor advice.

That would have been preTentious of me.

hehehehe I think next time I move I'm not going to take anything except the clothes on my back and my photo albums lol sounds nightmarish jmm..

Tribbletrouble..I didn't have to push..didn't mind being cut opened..just the sleepless nights that got to me..

We have left big items of furniture behind on interstate moves. I don't recommend it, as the cost to replace can mean you are stuck with a cheap "temporary" replacement, that you don't get around to paying thousands to replace, for years.

Pack a case with 2-3 days clothes and toiletries as though you are going on holiday so you can manage if things go wrong!

For instance:

• Removal company has an accident/breakdown
• Legal issues mean you can't get the key.
• Previous owner not finished their removal

We have moved, or helped family members move, around 20 times and twice needed that emergency bag!

We did a big interstate move. We had two 20 foot shipping containers full to the brim. We got the removalists to do all our packing. Best thing we ever did. Surprisingly it was only an extra 10% and well worth double that. They did EVERYTHING!!!

No cardboard boxes for me.....I bought sturdy plastic tubs with sturdy lids. Even my most fragile items arrived safely and the plastic tubs are now used to neatly store stuff in the garage....win win

trudilicous..you must only have a few boxes we amounted to about 100 or more

farsideb..that's not bad considering the stress associated with packing and unpacking ..

a cleaner to clean the old place would be lovely too..

Jen..after being married for near 22 years I've figured out he's a man he's suppose to worry about the big stuff not little stuff like getting in a cleaner plus what he doesn't know won't hurt him lol

saves endless bickering about money don't grow on trees lol

@ trudilicous - we had a few plastic tubs on hand so those were packed up, of course, but we had well over 100 actual boxes as well - way too many for actual tubs. The cardboard boxes, especially the double corrugated ones, were fine even for a few very delicate pieces (that's where Mr. Bubble came in as well). Once we unpacked, we flattened all the boxes, took the old wine boxes, etc to the tip for recycling, but we sold the real packing boxes (advertised in the local freebie paper at no cost and sold them in a week. Didn't get what we paid for them of course, but it was better than a kick in the head and someone else got some use of of good boxes)

Farsidedeb, we also had two semitrailers, plus a truck for a good car that was unregistered at the time, plus we did two runs in a rented little truck and four wheel drive with trailer. I did my own packing. Family minded our animals while we did cleaning and repairs. A guy to repair the carpet where my sons office chair damaged it, and remove the rubbish from the garage including chemical drums. With property transfer costs, I stopped counting at $20,000. Consequently, I don't lightly recommend interstate moving to people.

We used our boxes, ripped up, to make raised garden beds. They were ex supermarket, so no resale. When I mentioned that to our local nursery, he said they did that as well.

I endorse the recommendation to use small boxes for the heavier items – wine boxes are the perfect size for about 90% of books for instance and they will be easy to carry. The last two times I have used a mixture of 'proper' (but 2nd hand) packing boxes of various sizes plus the afore-mentioned wine boxes as well as some lidded plastic tubs (mainly for bedding, towels etc). Bubble wrap is really useful as well as a roll of butchers paper and some good old newspaper as well. We have moved many times as well as helping various of the offspring move multiple times as well and we now have it down to a pretty fine art – moving the Stuff out is more challenging and time-consuming than moving it in; runs to Vinnies and recycling depots are essential; clear labelling of boxes is the way to reduce stress at the other end (especially if everything has to go into storage for more than a few months); having people unpacking at the other end makes for a jolly end to the day (see note about labelled boxes – the labelled boxes make it possible for other people to pitch in and help with minimal number of queries) – although, in the interests of sanity, I always like to 'do' my own kitchen; and a lovely take-away meal and a good bottle of wine on that first night as you wait for the refrigerator to start chilling and the salad servers to emerge.

Just a quick fix on the newsprint dilemma, folks, I use plain wrap freezer bags on plates, they come in diff sizes, also supermarket bags on bigger breakable items (save them up), then you can wrap with newsprint without the ink. Under crockery in the box, I also use a couple of layers of bubble wrap, also on top. With "good" china, I use squares of cardboard between the plates.

I line every book box with a supermarket bag in case it rains on moving day. You don't want musty smelly books.

Lollol, what about a scalpel to cut open the boxes on arrival?

@Tribble - any move requires at least one tape gun, at least six rolls of tape, and five box cutters (because you can never lay your hands on the other four). Also, one substantial bottle of Scotch.

You forgot pizza, lol.

as long as my bed is made up don't care about all the other stuff..needs a nice bed after all the moving ..one good thing no more moving for me..I'm sitting tight until I hit the nursing home lol

we had a salad and cold chicken given to us on moving day ..was too tired to eat ..needed something soupy..

We will give you moral support!

We have moved 3 times. Next time I 'm going to ask the buyers of this place would they like to buy my patio/pot plants. Plants are so bulky, heavy and awkward. Each time we have moved I have used such care but my favourite's have still curled up and died, not adjusting to the new environment. I think better to get a few dollars towards the new ones.

After selling our last house and moving 500k's the agent rang me settlement day, said the buyers wanted to buy my patio plants. To late we had hired a trailer took them to the new place where in 6mths they were dead. If I'd only known !!

We actually have a full to do list when it comes to being prepared for the move day.

https://www.brisktransport.com.au/moving-house-checklist-tips/

Everything from disconnecting power to preparing for the removalists on the day!

You shouldn't leave behind big pieces of furniture and buy a new one just because of complicated transportation. When I was moving from one apartment to another I found a crane hire service in Melbourne, and that was the better decision than choosing a whole new furniture.