PACKING TIPS
PACKING MATERIALS
Use only strong, corrugated cartons, we can supply you with specialise doubly ply removal
cartons. The added protection that these cartons provide may avoid damage that results
from the use of poor quality packing materials.
PACKING SUPPLIES.
Here is a list if materials you will need:
• Cartons/boxes.
• Plenty of clean Butchers Paper for wrapping items and padding.
• Packaging Tape for securing boxes.
• Markers for writing on cartons.
• Scissors or a sharp knife for cutting tape.
PACKING POINTERS
Before actually packing up, you need to have a game plan. For example:
• Pack one room at a time. This will help you when it comes time to unpack.
• Pack a couple of cartons a day, starting well ahead of the move.
• Mark all boxes with which room they are from and a brief description of contents.
• Be sure to have plenty of “filling/padding” material available.
• Be sure that the bottoms of all cartons are secured and will hold the weight of the contents.
• Packing tape or gum tape is better than masking tape.
• Pack heavier items toward the bottom of the box and lighter items towards the top.
• The final weight of the carton should not exceed the average adult strength of
approximately 25kg. Remember your removalist is only human.
A general rule to remember on carton size – the heavier the item, the smaller the carton.
TAPING THE BOTTON OF THE CARTON
Turn the carton upside down & fold in opposite flaps, do not interlock. We recommend that
you tape both ends and also down the centre of each carton.
TRY NOT TO USE NEWSPAPER TO WRAP YOUR POSSESSIONS
The ink in the paper can transfer onto your items, permanently staining them in some cases.
It is also very messy when packing and unpacking, covering your hands in ink. We strongly
recommend you use clean butchers paper or similar.
STACKING YOUR CARTONS
Time will be saved on your move if you arrange your cartons of similar size four to five feet
high, in the one area, not blocking any access to exits or furniture. The garage is usually the
best place for these.
LABEL EACH CARTON
Using a felt marker to clearly label each carton with its room, brief description of contents.
Labelling the cartons on their sides rather than the tops makes it much easier to find the one
you want they are stacked. If a carton is packed in a manner that requires it to be always
kept in an upright position, draw arrows on each side indicating which way it is to be place
up. Any cartons containing particularly fragile items should be labelled accordingly.
CORRECTLY FILL CARTONS
Fill all cartons to the top without overfilling. Cartons with items sticking over the top cannot
be properly closed or stacked, cartons that are under filled tend to crush when stacked.
Always make sure each carton is filled totally to the top before closing. Any spaces can be
filled up with scrunched up butchers paper, towels, blankets or other similar items.
PACKING DISHWARE
• Select a book/wine size carton and line the bottom with scrunched up butchers paper.
• With packing paper stacked neatly in place on a flat surface, centre a plate on the paper.
• Grasp a corner on a couple of sheets of packing paper and pull the paper over the plate
until sheets completely cover the plate.
• Stack a second plate on and, moving in a clockwise direction, grasp a second corner and
pull paper over the second plate.
• Stack a third plate. Grasp remaining two corners, folding two sheets of each corner (one at
a time) over the plate.
• Turn your wrapped stack of plates upside down onto your packing paper.
• Re-wrap the entire bundle: start with one corner of packing paper and pull two sheets over
the bundle, cover bundle with the next corner, then the third corner and finally, the fourth.
• Place the bundle of dishware into this carton so that the plates are standing on their edge.
Use this process on all saucers, bread & butter dishes and other dishware. When packing
small dishes, you may to choose to stack in a greater quantity.
PACKING CUPS / MUGS
• With packing paper in place on a flat surface, place a cup/mug six to eight inches from one
of the corners.
• Now pull the near corner of the paper up and over the cup/mug.
• Nest a second cup/mug directly on top, with the handle to the left (second cup should
“nest” itself in the packing paper folded over the bottom cup/mug).
• Pull the two side corners up and over, one at a time and tuck corners inside the top
cup/mug.
• Hold the bottom and top cup/mug in position and roll them to the remaining corner. Fragile
mixing bowls may be rolled in the same manner.
• Delicate cups, like china, should be wrapped one at a time. Antique glass or china should
be stuffed with scrunched tissue or butchers paper and wrapped one at a time.
PACKING GLASSES AND STEMWARE
• Stuff glasses and stemware with scrunched tissue or butchers paper before wrapping.
• Lay them on the corner of the packing paper and roll it one or two full rotations (depending
on size), pull sides of packing paper up and over glass/stemware and continue rolling to the
far corner.
• Place glasses and stemware towards the top of your cartons. Heavier items (dishware,
pitchers, etc) should be placed toward the bottom of the cartons.
Delicate glassware and stemware should be placed in an upright position, not on its side. No
matter what you’re packing, you should use scrunched up packing paper in between each
layer to ensure a snug fit wherever there is a gap. All boxes with “fragile” items should be
marked accordingly.
SPECIALISED PACKING TIPS
The list of individual household items is endless. Here are some packing tips for major items.
If you would like a more comprehensive list of how to pack special items, please contact us.
Tall Boys / Chest of Draws: Most of the time you can just leave the clothing in them, just
remove any fragile or spillable items from them.
Canned Goods and other Non-Frozen Food: Pack upright with no more than 24 – 30 cans
per carton. Don’t move perishables. Wrap glass containers and boxed foods individually and
pack into book/wine size cartons.
Plants: Do not water your plants prior to your move, it makes them heavier and also make a
mess in the back of the removalist truck. Smaller plant should be placed into open cartons
for ease of carriage.
Clocks: Remove or secure the pendulum and weights in clocks.
Flammables and Combustibles: Flammable liquids or solids and aerosol cans must not be
packed for the removalist to take. Change in temperatures can cause them to leak or even
explode. For your own protection, you should now that if you pack these items for a
removalist to carry and they cause damage to your possessions or other, you, not your
removalist, may be liable.
Lamps and Lampshades: Remove bulbs, harps and shades/ Roll up cord. Pack lamp with
bedding or wrap separately and place upright into carton with padding. Wrap the harp and
finial (decorative knob) in packing paper and tape to the inside wall of the carton that
contains the shade. Wrap shades in tissue or butchers paper and place upright in
appropriate size carton.
Medicines: Seal caps with masking tape, easy to remove. Wrap and pack upright into
book/wine cartons. If need during travel, carry them with you.
Mirrors, Paintings and Pictures: Tell your removalist about valuable items which require
special care. Wrap small mirrors, pictures, paintings and frames in bubble wrap or butchers
paper and place on their edge in appropriate size carton. Large paintings, mirrors, etc can be
wrapped and placed into picture cartons or tape closed the bottom of a flattened Tea Chest
carton and place pictures, mirrors, etc inside them (one per carton) and tape the top closed.
Do not force them in as it will cause damage.
Computers, DVD Players, Video Recorders: Pack these back into their original cartons if
you still have them. Otherwise, using the appropriate size carton/s place protective padding
on the bottom of the carton. Wrap item in a blanket, towels, etc and place into the carton.
Place plenty of padding around, filling any gaps. Wrap any detachable cords separately, try
to put these into the same carton with the item they are from. This should save you time, by
not having to remember where they are.
Lawnmowers, Whipper Snippers, etc: Drain all fuel from any fuel driven appliances, empty
catchers and give them a quick clean, getting rid of any grass.
Cars, Motorcycles and Buggies: Any of these which are being transported in the
removalist truck should be drained nearly empty of fuel. Motorcycle batteries should be
disconnected.
Barbecues: Wrap the grates/plates in newspaper, place briquettes into a strong plastic bag.
Place inside an appropriate size carton with padding to reduce movement. Please empty the
fat tray and clean out the litter tray as well.
DANGEROUS GOODS:
Following is a list of items which are not able to be carried by SPRINGALL MOVERS. It can
be very disappointing to have a removalist arrive at your property only to discover they will
not move all your items. This will be because there are certain items that we may not carry
by law.
Class 1) EXPLOSIVES: Ammunition, Flares, Fireworks, etc
Class 2) FLAMMABLE GASES: Oxygen, Acetylene, LPG, etc
Class 3) FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS: Petrol, Paints, Turpentine, etc
Class 4) Methylated Spirits, Flammable Solids, Matches, Magnesium, Phosphorus, etc.
Class 5) OXIDISING SUBSTANCES: Calcium Hypochlorite, Ammonium Nitrate, Sodium
Nitrate, Hydrogen Peroxide, Fire Lighters / Powders, etc.
Class 6) POISON & TOXIC SUBSTANCES: Pesticides, Weed Killers, Photographic
Developers, Arsenic, etc.
Class 8) CORROSIVE SUBSTANCES: Oxides, Caustic Soda, Hydrochloric Acid, Sulphuric
Acid, etc.
Class 9) MISCELLIANEOUS: Scuba Tanks, Gas Cylinders, Aerosol Cans, Explosive
Devices, etc.
* If any of these or ineligible items have been packed by you & carried SPRINGALL
MOVERS, your goods will not be covered by any insurance.
CHECKLIST FOR MOVING
REMEMBER TO ADVISE THESE PEOPLE:
• The Post Office – for mail redirection.
• Electricity & Gas Authority.
• Telephone Service Provider.
• Water Supply Authority.
• Taxation Department.
• Bank / Building Society.
• Redirect / Cancel subscriptions to wine club, book club, newspaper, magazines,
etc.
• Vehicle Registration Authority.
• Insurance Companies – Car, House, Property, Health, etc.
• Doctor & Dentist – Arrange for records to be forwarded.
• Foxtel / Austar, Cable TV provider.
• Lawyer / Solicitor.
• School/s – Arrange for records to be forwarded.
THINGS TO DO PRIOR TO YOUR MOVE:
• Carefully read the DANGEROUS GOODS list & dispose of all flammable &
prohibited items.
• Sell or dispose of any furniture that you are not taking with you.
• If you are doing all or part of your own packing, allow plenty of time for this task.
• Backup your computer hard drive, ensure printer, scanner, monitor, etc is prepared
for transport.
• * Disassemble any beds & frames ready for transport.
• * Disassemble any built in fixtures & fittings, ready for transport.
• * Disassemble outdoor items i.e. swing set, cubby house, etc & place all bolts,
screws, etc in a container for safe keeping.
• * Disassemble all prefabricated furniture ready for transport, particularly computer
desks, as these tend to collapse during transport.
* SPRINGALL MOVERS can disassemble these items for you, simply ask us for a quote,
most of the time it is free!
THE DAY BEFORE YOUR REMOVAL:
• If packing yourself, ensure all cartons are packed, sealed & clearly labelled ready
for collection.
• Keep all valuable jewellery, passports, important documentation, money, tickets,
etc with you, as these cannot travel with SPRINGALL MOVERS & are not covered
by our insurance.
• When paying for your removal, please have the correct amount / funds available for
collection by the removalist upon completion of your move.
• Make sure all fuel is drained from fuel driven appliances / devices.
• Empty & defrost your fridge / freezer.
• Disconnect TV, stereo system, computer equipment. Remember to remove CD’s,
tapes, etc prior to transport.
• Please arrange to be at your home on both the packing & removal days. If you
cannot attend, please have someone you can trust to attend & act as your
representative.
• MOST IMPORTANTLY, get a good night’s sleep & leave the rest to SPRINGALL
MOVERS!