Packing Tips for Moving House — From Professional UK Movers

Packing is the single biggest variable in how a move actually goes. Good packing means nothing breaks, nothing gets lost, and unpacking is a one-day job rather than a six-week saga of cardboard chaos. These are the techniques professional packers use.

Buy decent materials — it pays for itself

• Double-walled boxes (not single-walled supermarket boxes)
• Bubble wrap on a roll, not pre-cut sheets
• Tissue paper for crockery (not newspaper — ink transfers)
• Wardrobe boxes with hanging rails for clothes on hangers
• Strong parcel tape and a tape gun

Pack rooms, not categories

Resist the urge to pack 'all the books' in one go. Pack room-by-room, label by room, and unpack room-by-room. It sounds slow but it's dramatically faster end-to-end.

The kitchen — pack last, unpack first

The kitchen is the hardest room to live without. Pack it last, label every box clearly, and unpack it first at the new house — even before you start on bedrooms.

Fragile items — the professional method

1. Line the base of the box with crumpled paper or bubble wrap
2. Wrap each item individually — never group fragile items
3. Plates go vertically on edge, not stacked flat
4. Glasses go upright, mouth-up, with paper between
5. Top the box with more padding — nothing should rattle

When to just pay for professional packing

If you're moving with children, working full-time during the move week, or have a kitchen full of fragile items, full professional packing is usually £400–£900 well spent. It's a single day rather than three weeks of evenings.