The Moving Planner Blog

Packing 

Start with the items that are least used and, if possible, pack the items in one room at a time. Make sure you use strong boxes for packing. Always fill the box to the top and close the lid. By doing so, you can stack the boxes on top of each other. Before you start packing your items in the box, ensure that the bottoms of the boxes are well taped to hold the contents. Masking tape is not recommended as the packing tape because it is easy to tear it off. The best type of tape to use is plastic of a width of approximately 1.5 to 2 inches. Never pack the boxes too heavy such that they cannot be lifted safely. Keep each box below 20kg. Try to balance the weight by packing heavy items with some light bulky items such as linen, towels, cushions or soft toys. For boxes that contain both heavy and light items, always place the heavier items at the bottom, graduating to the lightest items on top. Use bubble wrap to pack fragile items. Alternatively, you can use newspapers for packing breakable items. However, do take note that the ink on the newspaper may be smudged onto the packed items. Label all the items in each box clearly. This will come in handy when you unpack the boxes in your new house. Boxes containing fragile or valuable items should also be clearly marked. Pack a bag of daily items that you may need to use 1 or 2 days before and after the move. Do not pack any flammable goods, explosives, and perishable foods with the other items in the boxes. Pack them separately, label the boxes clearly and inform your mover.

Fridges/Freezers

Consume/dispose all groceries in the fridges, if possible, so that you do not need to worry about bringing these groceries to your new house. Empty, defrost and dry out your fridge/freezer one day before the moving. Switch on the fridge/freezer only a few hours after moving to your new house to let the coolants settled down.

Moving your pets

If possible, make arrangements for your pet(s) to stay with a friend, relative or neighbor whom it is comfortable with. As pet(s) are sensitive animals, they may be distressed with strangers coming into the house for the move. If you cannot find a suitable candidate to take care of your pet(s) during the move, then you may secure your pet in one room to minimise any inconvenience. Make a tag with your name, new phone number and place it onto its collar for the day of the move. In the event that they do really escape during the move, this will increase their chances of getting back to you.

Moving your fish

Never move your fish in their tank. Take the fish out and then remove the water from the tank. Fish should be transported in clean, strong, polythene bags part filled with the tank water. Make sure that you seal the bags leaving a good air pocket above the water. Secure the bags with 2 strong rubber bands and try to use double bags to reduce the chance of leaks. Gently place the bags into a box and clearly label the box with the position arrow or the words “this way up”. Do not feed your fish for at least 24 hours before the move. By doing this you will minimize wastes in the bag. This could harm the fishes, especially those larger fishes that regurgitate food when stressed. Do not forget to keep living plants also bagged up with enough tank water to keep them moist.

Moving your plants

Plants are one of the items that will take up most space in the truck. Cut off any protruding branches/stalks, which might break off or cause a problem during the move. On the moving day, drain off excess water from the plant pots/vases. Line a box with plastic sheet or newspaper. If the pots are breakable, separate them with newspaper and clearly label the box “fragile”. Do not shut the lid so that the moving team can see that there are plants inside and won’t stack anything on top of the boxes. Large pots should be placed inside plastic bags to prevent the soil from falling out.