Bedroom
Probably the trickiest things to move here are your chest of drawers and dresser– if they’re small and relatively light, consider tying the drawers/door shut and transporting them clothes et al. If they’re heavy, you need to empty your clothes into an appropriate box with wrapping and some form of protection against creepy crawlies. Don't use moth balls - naphthalene, the main ingredient in conventional moth balls was recently listed as a registered carcinogen by the U.S. government. If you come across past mothballs in your house, put them in the trash, and air anything that holds their smell in the sun as often as possible.
Here is how to make an easy and effective moth repellent sachet:
This recipe will fill about a dozen sachets. You can buy herbs in bulk at almost any health food store:
• 2 ounces each dried rosemary and mint
• 1 ounce each dried thyme and American ginseng
• 8 ounces whole cloves
You might also have smaller valuables in your bedroom, like jewellery – it’s a good idea to take these with you in the car as you travel, rather than packing them in a cardboard box. You’ll avoid any worrying that they might get lost in the move.
Kitchen
This room could potentially take you the longest to pack because all of those glasses, plates and mugs are breakable. Wrap them individually in tissue paper or packing materials that you have saved overtime to reuse for just such circumstances (if they do break, at least the pieces will stay together) and then pad the box with blankets, marking it as fragile. Plates should be stacked vertically rather than horizontally – that way, they’re less likely to snap if something presses down on them from above. If you are taking large appliances like washing machines and freezers with you, they need to be thoroughly drained and defrosted before you attempt to pack them up – at least overnight. There’s no need to box them up but you will need to tape their doors/drawers shut and wrap them in protective foam to stop them from being scratched.
Living Room
Take the cushions of settees and chairs to save room, you can use them to pad other items in the truck, or stick in leftover crevices of space between boxes and furnishings. LED and flat screen TVs need to be kept upright or they’ll be damaged, so be careful where you put them – it’s not a bad idea to save the boxes and packaging from these items so they can be carefully transported in the future. Books should be packed in smaller boxes because they can be quite heavy, and you don't want to pack a big box full of books.
Bathroom It’s better to try and use up any old bottles of shampoo and shower soap you’ve got lying around rather than taking them to your new digs – keep the stuff you’ll need as soon as you’re settled with you in your toiletry bag. Towels and shower mats that are damp need to be aired so keep them hung up for as long as possible – then put them in a plastic bag and take them with you in the car so you don't forget about them and end up with mildewed towels. If you're moving any mirrors apply an "X" over them with masking tape to help support them. If they break, the tape helps control shards of mirror from getting all over the place.
*disclosure: this post is sponsored by directline.com
