Moving house? See our tips for stress free packing

OK, so you’ve sold the house and booked the removalists.

Daunted by the packing process? Our moving tips will help take the stress out of boxing up your entire life.

1) Measure up

Before even thinking about packing, have a clear picture of the spaces in your new home. Get a floor plan from the real estate agent or get measuring.

If you know the dimensions of cupboards, doorways and ceiling heights, you can plan accordingly and won’t end up with Nana’s vintage dining table wedged halfway up the stairs.

If possible, disassemble bulky items like beds ahead of time and take some of the exhaustion out of moving day.

2) Trim the fat

Hoarder or not, you’ll inevitably own a pile of possessions that no longer play a function in your life. End that clutter!

Go room by room so as not to over-face yourself and divide into three piles: keep, donate/sell, and ditch.

Anything you haven’t used or worn in years is probably just taking up space and might be loved by a new owner.

Of course, don’t be too handy with the shredder when it comes to paperwork. The Australian Tax Office generally requires us to hang on to the past five years’ worth of tax documents and bank statements.

3) Plan must-haves

Group the ‘essentials’ you can’t get through a day without and keep them handy. These must-haves might include toiletries, kettle, teabags, cereal, phone chargers, bin bags, dog leads, paracetamol, scissors and toilet rolls.

And pack linen, pillows and towels separately so beds can be made and showers quickly taken at the end of a long, long day.

4) Stay connected

You’ll save a whole lot of cursing if you’re able to piece things back together easily and make them function quickly.

As insurer Budget Direct advises: “Begin by dismantling removable parts such as legs, frames, doors and tabletops, and put the hardware (nuts, bolts, etc.) in labelled plastic bags. These can then be taped underneath the item.

“If the piece itself has numerous parts, it helps to number each part using a labelling sticker that indicates part: 1 of 6, 2 of 6 and so forth.”

Of course, it also makes perfect sense to put allen keys, instruction manuals and TV remotes in the same box as their partner items.

One tip is to photograph the way leads attach to electronics so you can reconnect them without a headache.

5) Stock up

Handling you own packing? You’ll need to source boxes, bubble wrap, butchers paper, tape, furniture protectors and marker pens.

If you’re using removalists but they’re not packing for you, they may still provide packing materials at cheap prices (with money off if you return the boxes) and some will give you a ‘starter kit’ of boxes for free.

If you’re sourcing your own materials, buy more packing materials that you imagine you’ll ever need. It’s frustrating to have to make an Officeworks run part-way through a pack and rookie packers tend to chronically underestimate what’s needed.

6) Pack right

Pack with butcher’s paper rather than newspaper, which can stain, and reinforce boxes with extra tape - especially the heavy ones. A good tip is to stack plates vertically, like in the dishwasher, as they are less likely to break.

Label everything. If you have a child that prizes neat revision notes, put them to work colour coding, numbering and labelling every box by both designated room and listed contents. This may seem a little pedantic at the time, but when you’re missing a specific item, it’s gold.

Of course, if you’ve hired removalists to pack for you then sit back and watch - they’ll provide all the materials and box things up with ruthless efficiency.

7)  Travel smart

If you’re moving to a busy street, secure a park in advance for the removal van and yourself.

Remember: it may be cheaper to book removalists on a weekday rather than a weekend. As realestate.com.au advises, It’s worth doing your research and working around their preferences.

8) Be safe

Don’t risk spills or cuts. Drain garden hoses and don't water your pot plants the day before moving. Make sure pantry jars lids are secure and sharp objects are well bubble wrapped.

Finally, dispose of flammable and corrosive liquids (pool chemicals and mower fuel included) and return or arrange to leave behind any gas cylinders. Removalists can’t legally transport these things.