Are you moving? 12 tips

Proper storage is the key to a smooth move

During the move, organising and storing your belongings correctly is important to make the process go smoothly. It's easy to feel overwhelmed when you're surrounded by cluttered bags and random bags that make the move unnecessarily stressful.

Maria Laitinen, an experienced professional organiser from Tavararemont, has helped with hundreds of removals over the past seven years. Here are her top 12 tips for smart and efficient packing:

1. Don't pack unnecessary stuff

Clean up before you move in! Sort your belongings into three categories: keep, throw away and recycle. Don't drag everything into your new home only to decide later what to keep.

2. If you move to a smaller home

Go through your cupboards and choose the items you want to make sure you take with you. The rest you can assess later.

3. Sort your goods by category

Pack items in the same category together. For example, if you wrap dishes in towels, label the box with both “dishes” and “towels”.

4. Use clear labelling

Write in permanent marker so that the text is clearly legible.

5. Mark the boxes by room

Write clearly which room each box belongs to in your new home. This will make it easier to organise your belongings.

6. Labelling of boxes to be stored

If some boxes go into storage, clearly mark them. Write down which boxes should be placed in the front and which in the back of the storage area.

7. Avoid “clutter”

Do not write “miscellaneous” in the boxes. Mark exactly what's in them, especially if they're going into the basement or storage.

8. Choose quality boxes

Moving companies do not consider banana boxes durable enough. Use sturdy cardboard boxes or open and stable boxes for moving and storage.

9. Avoid boxes that are too heavy

Pack books in small boxes or combine them with lighter items, such as decorations, in larger boxes. Make sure you don't overload yourself.

10. Pack the boxes evenly

Make sure the boxes are evenly packed so that they can be stacked. The metal handles must also be sealable.

11. Plan time for packaging

Allow enough time for packing to avoid last-minute stress.

12. Unpack immediately

Avoid temporarily storing things in your new home. Unpack them directly into their proper places so that your home feels ready quickly.

Maria also recommends Pelican's storage facilities if you need extra space during your move. Your belongings can be stored safely and easily accessible - just when you need them.