Top Tips for Packing Moving Boxes

This is where most people go wrong before they've even started. Grabbing whatever boxes are lying around the garage or begging leftovers from the local supermarket might save a few quid, but those boxes weren't designed for a house move. They're inconsistent sizes (which makes stacking in the van a nightmare), they're often single-walled, and half of them are already weakened from previous use.

Invest in proper double-walled removal boxes. The double layer of corrugated cardboard gives you roughly 60% more strength than single wall, which matters enormously when boxes are being stacked three or four high in a removal van. Make sure you get a range of sizes too. You'll need small boxes for heavy items like books and tins, medium boxes for general household bits, and large or extra-large boxes for bulky, lightweight things like bedding and cushions. If you're not sure what to get, have a look at our boxes and covers range or read our guide on how to choose the right moving boxes.

This is the golden rule of packing and the one that gets broken most often. It's tempting to grab a large box and fill it with books because there's loads of space, but you'll end up with a box that weighs 35kg, can't be lifted safely, and has a very real chance of the bottom giving way entirely.

Keep your heaviest belongings (books, vinyl records, tinned food, tools, small kitchen appliances) in small boxes. Use medium boxes for general kitchen items, toys, shoes, and bathroom products. Reserve the large and extra-large boxes exclusively for lightweight, bulky things: pillows, cushions, towels, soft furnishings, and winter coats.

If you're packing a box with a mix of different weights, always put the heavier items at the bottom and lighter bits on top. This stops the light items getting crushed and means the heaviest part of the box is closest to the person's centre of gravity when they carry it.

Every single fragile item needs its own wrapping. No exceptions. Two glasses touching inside a box will chip or crack the moment the van hits a bump, even if you've padded the outside of the box beautifully. The protection needs to be between the items, not just around them.

For glasses, vases, and china, wrap each piece in acid-free tissue paper or bubble wrap. Acid-free paper is worth using for anything decorative or valuable because regular newspaper ink can dull the finish on china and leave marks on lighter-coloured ceramics. Plates should be wrapped individually and packed vertically (standing on their edges like records in a rack) rather than stacked flat. This distributes pressure more evenly and dramatically reduces breakage.

For mirrors and picture frames, use extra-wide bubble wrap and secure it with tape. If you have flat-screen televisions, wrap them in foam wrap first, then ideally pack them in the original box if you still have it. Stick the remote control to the back of the set with tape so it doesn't go missing during the move.

Fill every gap in the box with scrunched-up packing paper, foam pieces, or soft items like tea towels. The box should feel solid and firm when you give it a gentle shake. If anything rattles, there's still movement inside and that means potential damage.

Use polypropylene packing tape on both the top and bottom of every single box. This is the brown or clear tape that's specifically designed for cardboard, and it sticks properly even in cold or slightly damp conditions. Don't use duct tape, masking tape, or sellotape. They look like they're holding, but they'll let go under any real weight or stress, and they don't adhere well to cardboard.

Reinforce the base of every box with at least two strips of tape in an H-pattern (one along the centre seam, one across each end). This is especially important for heavier boxes. The factory fold on a flat-pack box is nowhere near strong enough on its own, and a box that gives way from the bottom while being carried is the kind of disaster that ruins a moving day.

For boxes containing fragile items, add a strip of "FRAGILE" tape or write it clearly in large letters on all sides. This tells anyone handling the box to take extra care, and it also flags which boxes need to go on top of the stack in the van rather than having other boxes placed on them.

This sounds obvious, but the number of people who skip labelling (or write something vague like "stuff" on the side of a box) is staggering. Good labelling saves enormous amounts of time and frustration when you're unpacking at the other end, and it helps your removal team load the van intelligently.

Use a thick permanent marker and write on at least two sides of each box. Include the room it belongs to ("Kitchen", "Master Bedroom", "Kids Room") and a brief description of the contents. Be specific: "Kitchen, pots and pans" is far more useful than just "kitchen". Some people find colour-coding helpful too, using different coloured tape or markers for each room.

If you're moving long distance, perhaps up to Surrey, across to Northern Ireland, or even over to France, clear labelling becomes even more important. Your boxes will be on the van longer, potentially handled more times, and you want to be absolutely certain the essentials are identifiable the moment they come off.

Overfilled boxes can't be closed properly, which means they can't be stacked safely in the van. If the flaps are bulging open or you've had to force them shut, the box is too full. Besides being unstable, overfilled boxes are also more likely to split under their own weight.

Underfilled boxes are just as problematic. If there's a load of empty space at the top, the box will crush when something is stacked on it. Items inside will also shift around during transit, which is how things get broken. Every box should be packed firmly to the top. If there's a gap, fill it with packing paper, bubble wrap, towels, or clothing.

The flaps should close flat and the top should be firm enough that you could place another box on top without it caving in. That's the sweet spot.

Resist the urge to wander around the house grabbing random things and throwing them into whichever box is nearest. Pack one room at a time, keep items from the same room together, and label accordingly. It feels slower at the time, but it makes unpacking at your new home significantly easier and means you're far less likely to lose track of things.

Start with the rooms you use least: spare bedrooms, lofts, garages, studies. Leave the kitchen, bathroom, and your main bedroom until last because you'll still need them right up until moving day. Aim to start packing four to six weeks before you move if possible, doing a room or two per week. Leaving everything until the last few days is a recipe for rushed packing, damaged items, and unnecessary stress.

If you own suits, dresses, coats, or anything that hangs in your wardrobe, wardrobe boxes are a genuinely worthwhile investment. They're tall cardboard boxes with a built-in hanging rail, so you can transfer clothes straight from your wardrobe to the box on their hangers. No folding, no creasing, and unpacking takes about thirty seconds.

Most wardrobe boxes hold around 20 to 25 garments, with space at the bottom for shoes or accessories. For everyday clothes that don't need hanging (t-shirts, jeans, jumpers), suitcases and holdalls work brilliantly. They need to go on the van anyway, so you might as well fill them. Rolling clothes rather than folding saves space and reduces creasing.

Before you unplug a single cable from the back of your television, router, sound system, or games console, take a clear photograph of the rear panel showing exactly where each cable is connected. This takes ten seconds and will save you a solid hour of confused poking at ports when you're trying to set everything up again at the other end.

Bundle cables together with cable ties or elastic bands, label them with masking tape, and pack them in the same box as the device they belong to. If you still have the original packaging for TVs or computers, use it. Those boxes were designed specifically to protect that item. If not, wrap electronics in foam wrap or moving blankets and pack them in appropriately-sized boxes with plenty of padding around all sides.

This is the box that makes the difference between a miserable first night in your new home and a manageable one. Pack it last so it goes onto the van last, which means it comes off the van first.

Inside it, put everything you'll need within the first few hours of arriving: kettle, mugs, tea bags, coffee, milk money, phone chargers, toilet roll, basic cleaning supplies, a few snacks, a change of clothes, pyjamas, and toiletries. If you have children, add their bedtime essentials too. Medication, important documents, and anything you genuinely cannot do without should also go in here (or better yet, keep those on your person).

Some people pack a second-day box as well, with towels, bedding, and a bit more kitchen kit. Given that most people are too exhausted to do any serious unpacking on the first evening, this is a sensible move.