If you are moving home this year and starting to think about all the packing and work that needs to take place, try not to worry about it and get too stressed out. The anticipation and excitement involved with moving home can make you feel like you want to dive in headfirst, but that’s not always the best idea. Instead, work smart when it comes to your move.

Here’s a list of handy tips and tricks to make your house move go as smoothly as possible:

Bag up your wardrobe

The majority of households aren’t short on clothes, and each family member usually has enough clothing to fill a wardrobe or two to the brim. The idea of neatly folding away every single item of clothing can seem daunting, but there is an easier way to get around this.

Buy some bin bags that have drawstrings at the top, and while your clothes are still hanging in the cupboard bring the bin bag up and around them and tie tightly at the top. This will keep all your hanging clothes together and mean they are ready to hang in your new wardrobe as soon as you’ve moved.

Use soft dividers and padding

Packing up your kitchen can be a nightmare, as the majority of things that need to be moved are fragile and can easily be broken. Instead of wrapping up every single plate in newspaper, why not simply buy a pack of paper plates and use them as spacers.

When you pack fragile items into boxes, they can move around and become damaged in transit. Pad the top of the boxes with towels or stuffed toys, as this will keep everything in place and maximise your packing space.

Use your camera

If you have the chance, it is a good idea to visit your new house in-between completing and moving in – this will give you a chance to look round before you turn up with hundreds of boxes. Take lots of pictures of both the interior and the exterior of the property and categorise them into rooms.

This will help you plan where you want to put your belongings and which box belongs in which room – you can even draw up a floor plan and number the rooms if it’s easier. If you’re renting your property, having photographic evidence of its initial condition when you move out will also help you secure your deposit.

Tie your doors back

When you’re moving all your belongings into a new house, you usually have to go back and forth through multiple doors and deal with them constantly swinging shut. This can be very annoying if you are trying to carry heavy boxes.

If you are going to be walking in and out of your house for hours, then it’s a good idea to prop any doors open or pin them back so you have a clear walkway to bring in your things.

Get labelling

The amount of gadgets and technology set up in the average house will mean you likely have a huge amount of cables to sort out – power adaptors, internet leads, headphones, console controls, and more.

The last thing you want when you move into your new house is to be stuck with a tangle of cables and hours ahead of trying to work out which wire is for which device – it could be days before you get your TV working again. Pop labels on your cables as you pack, and group them together so you know which ones go where.

Make better boxes

When you’re packing up all your belongings, the best way to get everything neatly from one house to another is by using boxes. Packing tape gets slathered over every crack in the box and once it’s full it can be hard to carry.

Make your own handles in the sides of your boxes by cutting out triangle shapes on each side – this will make them much easier to carry, just make sure nothing falls out. Use string underneath your packing tape and when you come to opening the boxes you won’t have to dig with your fingernails to get it off.

For more little hacks and tips or to get your home move started, get in touch! We’ve seen thousands of moves and have the low down to get it done quickly and efficiently, as well as give you advice on your home purchase and sale.