PODS packing tips for moving house
We want to help you have the best and least stressful move possible so have put these handy packing tips for you so when you’re packing your items you have some expert advice.
You can also download a copy of PODS Self-Packing Tips for Moving House as a PDF to print and keep for when you need it.
Hazardous Materials
Our insurance doesn’t allow us to carry or store the following items:
- Hazardous materials
- Flammables
- Liquids and Paints
- Food
They should be secured in plastic or metal containers, and you’ll need to determine how you’ll move them to your new home. Please see t’s and c’s for items we cannot store in our facility.
Start Early with Non Essentials!
Start early and pack non essential items and continue to do so until you have exchanged contracts for your new house. Once you have a completion date you can go full steam ahead with the packing. If you have chosen to pack for your move yourself, it is very important that all of your goods are packed and ready to go on the day of your move.
Be Prepared!
Begin to clear out each room and remove all unwanted items –moving is a great time declutter and lose some of those unwanted items! If you are loading your PODS Container prior to your move this should make things even easier!
General Packing Tips for Moving House
Be methodical – go room by room in an orderly manner as you pack.
Don’t overfill boxes – especially large boxes! Not only will you find them hard to move later on, our team will too. Please ensure you can comfortably pick up all packed boxes yourself – remember, our removals men are only human, so if you can lift them, we can too!
The heavier the item, the smaller the box. This rule should help you and our team.
Always label the box with its contents! You should assign a room in your new home for each box. This will make life easier for you as you unpack, and for us to ensure all of your boxes go into the correct rooms.
Open first!
Prepare an “ open me first box” for arrival at your new home. You’ll have trouble finding the things you’ll need for your first day and night in your new home if they’re scattered throughout different boxes. Kettles, toaster, chargers are all useful.
Move your “open me first box” yourself, if possible, and be sure to inform the removals crew that the box is not to be loaded into the van.
Dismantling of items
If items need dismantling, do it in good time before moving day. If you need us to dismantle and reassemble any items let us know well in advance and we will inform you of the costs.
Keep all the screws, nuts and bolts together in a plastic bag, which should be kept in a bits box clearly labelled. You could also tape the bags to the item they belong to.
Lamp shades
Once removed from their fittings, they should be wrapped and packed as you would other breakables.
Fragile Items
Use plenty of bubble wrap, packing paper or newspaper. Don’t let your valuables and fragile items be broken for the sake of saving some paper.
Remember, our insurance doesn’t cover owner-packed goods.
Provide plenty of packing for boxes with breakables in them. You can use packing paper to stuff the sides and bottom of the box and cushions or pillows inside the box.
Wrap crockery and china individually in packing paper and or bubble wrap. Layer the bottom of your box with a thick padding of scrunched up paper. Stack plates on their sides to avoid breakages. Before closing the box, put another layer of scrunched up paper at the top and tape the box shut. Mark the box CHINA AND GLASS – FRAGILE and use our fragile tape!
Appliances
Freezers, washing machines, tumble dryers, cookers, dishwashers, and refrigerators will need draining / disconnecting the day before you move. We are not plumbers, gas workers or electricians so are not qualified or insured to drain or disconnect any appliances.
ALL Electrical appliances – TV’s, Lamps, Games Consoles, Printers, Laptops, PC’s, toasters, kettles etc. should be unplugged, wrapped, packed and ready to move.
Books
Books should be always packed in small or our short boxes, as they are generally heavy.
Linen and bedding
Put linen and bedding into larger, tall boxes; they are generally not heavy.
Furniture and Soft Furnishings
Ensure your furniture is protected for transit and storage (if applicable). Items can be stacked inside the PODS Container so inform your team of anything fragile or valuable. We will always take the upmost care with your items but you must make sure they have been protected as necessary.
Wardrobes and clothing
Our crew will bring along wardrobe cartons for your hanging clothes on the day of the move
– again let us know in advance and we will know how many to provide.
Pack all other clothing before moving day. Many people fill their suitcases with clothes to be moved, in addition to using boxes to save space.
Electronic and computer equipment
Keep them well protected with white packing paper or bubble wrap and be sure to keep the leads and remotes together with each device. You can tape them to the sides.
If you have the original packaging for electronic and computer equipment, use these to pack for transport and/or storage
Important documents and keys
Keep important documents and keys together – emptying half a PODS Container or removal van to find those vital papers, passport or key isn’t fun for anyone!
If these documents are in a box, inform the crew that the box is not to be loaded into the vehicle/PODS Container, or if it is to be loaded, that it should be loaded last.
Questions about our Packing Tips?
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you’ve got any questions about packing, boxes, or your moving or storage service – we will be glad to help!