Journal · 15 October 2026 · 5 min read
How to pack for a move, from the people who carry the boxes
Box sizes, labels, and the packing habits that slow a move down. Tips from a Northern Rivers removalist, plus when it's worth letting us pack.
We charge by the hour, so the way you pack shows up on your bill. A house that's properly boxed up loads fast. A house that's half packed into shopping bags and laundry baskets does not. Most of what follows costs nothing except a bit of time in the week before.
Heavy things go in small boxes
Books, tins, records, tools, anything dense: small boxes. Doona, pillows, towels, soft toys: big boxes. It sounds obvious until you're halfway through the bookshelf and there's a large box sitting right there.
A large box full of books is too heavy to carry safely, and it's almost always the one that gives way at the bottom. Keep every box to a weight you could comfortably pick up yourself.
Fill it to the top, then tape it flat
Half-empty boxes get crushed when something is stacked on them. Overfilled boxes bulge and won't stack at all. Aim for full and flat, and fill any gaps with towels or scrunched paper.
Tape the bottom properly, not just one strip down the middle. Run a strip along the seam and one across each edge. It takes ten more seconds per box and saves a floor full of plates.
Label the room it's going to
Write the room in the new house on two sides of the box, not just the top. When boxes are stacked in the truck, the top is the one side nobody can see.
If the room is clear on the box, we can put it straight where it belongs at the other end, instead of everything landing in the lounge for you to sort later. Mark anything fragile, and mark which way is up.
Sort these before moving day
Defrost the fridge and freezer the day before and wipe them dry. Drain the washing machine. Empty out anything with fuel in it. Take down mirrors and pictures if you can, and keep the hooks and screws in a labelled bag.
Leave the beds to us. We'll take them apart and put them back together. Same with most dining tables and basic flat-pack.
Pack a day-one bag that travels in your car, not the truck: keys, chargers, medication, paperwork, a kettle, toilet paper, and something to sleep in. You'll thank yourself at 9pm.
When it's worth letting us pack
If you're short on time, moving a big house, or just don't fancy it, we do packing and unpacking too. We also sell the gear if you'd rather do it yourself: small, medium and large boxes, bubble wrap, tape, mattress bags, and proper boxes for TVs and artwork.
Supplies are delivered free locally. Give us a call and tell us roughly what you're moving, and we'll tell you what you'll need.
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