Packing Tips - A Packing Checklist

Packing Materials

Sturdy Boxes
Packing Tape
Bubble Wrap
Styrofoam Packing Peanuts
Use newspaper, old blankets, pillows and clothing to serve as a buffer between breakable objects

Pack one room at a time, labeling each box with a description of its contents and its destination (e.g., kitchen, bathroom). Mark the room destination on the top and at least one side of every carton. Be as specific as you can to make unpacking easier. Follow this up at your destination home by taping an identifying tag on each room, e.g., Bedroom-1 or Bedroom-2.
Put heavy items in small boxes to make them easier to carry.
Don't apply tape directly to polished or painted wood finishes. Removing the tape could ruin the surface.
Double-box fragile items and add plenty of cushioning.
Do not pack up valuables such as jewelry, money or important legal documents. Take them with you in your car.

Make sure the items you need most are loaded LAST.
Pack essential items that you will need for the first 24 hours in your new home and take them in your car. For each person: a change of clothes, a towel, prescriptions, toothbrush and other personal items. For everyone: food, plastic eating utensils, toilet paper, soap, local phone book, aspirins, pen/pencil and paper, snacks, beverages, coffee and trash bags.

Have a notepad or clipboard handy to jot down reminders
Have everything packed and ready to go by the time your helpers arrive
Make sure the movers have clear directions to your new home and that someone will be there to greet them.
Make sure the moving van has a convenient place to park. Mark off the parking area with cones or other suitable objects. Make sure the moving truck doesn't block a neighbour's driveway.
When loading and unloading, make sure the movers don't walk over your neighbour's lawn.
Try not to move too early or too late in the day.
Confine your pet or arrange for a friend or family member to care for your pet during the move. Another alternative is to take your pet to the groomer for the day.
Food and refreshments for your family and the movers.
Leave your old house as clean as you would like to find your new house. Clean as much as you can before moving day, and then make a final check after everything is out.
Stay around until the movers are finished loading. You will be asked to sign a bill of lading and to check an inventory sheet. Read the documents carefully before signing.
Remember the last walk-through of all rooms.
If the movers have done a good job for you, it is customary to tip them around $20 each, depending on the difficulty of the move.

It will be less stressful if you know that you don't have to unpack everything in one day or even in one week.
If you have prepared well, furniture and boxes can be unloaded directly into the correct rooms.
Focus on one room at a time, beginning with the kitchen, followed by the bathroom.