Packing is really about unpacking
Boxes are packed once and unpacked for a week. So every decision while packing makes more sense if you picture not the removal crew but yourself three days later, standing in a new flat with a knife and one question: where is the kettle?
That gives two rules that save the most effort. First: every box is labelled with its room and its contents, not just “kitchen”. Second: there is a separate first-night box that travels with you and gets opened first.
How to label
| What to write | Example | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Destination room | “Kitchen” | The box goes straight to where it will be opened |
| Contents, briefly | “Plates, mugs” | No need to open it to remember |
| A “first” marker | “★ open first” | Separates today’s needs from next weekend’s |
| “Fragile” and which way is up | “Fragile ↑” | Helps the crew and you |
Label the sides, not only the top: in a stack, the sides are what you can see.
Heavy things go in small boxes
Books, crockery and tools in a large box make it unliftable and likely to split. A small box of books and a large box of cushions is the right split, even if it feels like wasted space.
Fill the gaps with something soft. Stand fragile items on edge rather than stacking them: a plate on its edge survives the journey better than a pile of plates.
What must not go in the van
Documents, keys, medication, valuables, chargers, devices with personal data and anything you cannot manage a day without travel with you. Cleaning products and liquids go separately from food and textiles, in sealed bags: one leaking bottle ruins an entire box.
The trick that saves an evening of reassembly
Photograph anything you will have to put back together: the back of the television with its cables, the computer’s ports, the order of shelves, the assembly of flat-pack furniture. Put fittings in a bag and tape it to the part it belongs to. Those twenty minutes save several hours later, plus one trip to buy replacement screws.
When packing is done
Every box is labelled and closed, heavy items are in small boxes, fragile ones are padded, the first-night box is separate and with you, devices are photographed, fittings are taped to their parts, and there is at least a rough inventory in your notes. What is left — cleaning the old place, meter readings, keys — belongs to a different list.
