• Cartons/boxes: Ensure you have enough boxes to hold your belongings. A few extra boxes will not hurt but certainly not having enough will make your move more difficult.
• Keep a record of what is packed in each box: A simple inventory list of what is packed in which box will prove to be an immense help, especially at the other end until you have had a chance to get everything unpacked. This will also assist you in prioritizing what to unpack first. This inventory can be typed on a computer and printed out for the move, or hand written in a spiral notebook.
• Make sure you have a supply of paper, pens, markers and labels to assist in organizing your packing process.
• Packing Tape: A strong packing tape and dispenser is essential for closing boxes.
• Bubble Wrap/Packing Paper is important to protect your cherished belongings. Try to avoid using newspaper because it could stain your items and at the very least will require that all items need washing before being put away in your new home.
• Wardrobe boxes: Wardrobe boxes can be easily obtained from moving companies. They are very helpful to transfer bulky items such as blankets and draperies and clothing that needs to remain hanging.
• Coloured labels to colour code your boxes: A simple color code for your rooms in your new home can save a lot work. Choose a different colour label for each room and pack your belongings with labels that correspond with the room they are destined for. This will ensure that movers, friends and relatives will be sure to place the boxes in or close to the correct rooms on move in day.

Once the above mentioned items are arranged, next comes the work of organizing belongings into cartons/boxes.

A Color Scheme helps to co-ordinate the work a lot. A color for each room in the new house is to be designated and colored stickers are to be applied on the box. In the new home, a matching sticker is to be pasted on the door of the room or hall. This ensures that the movers will place the boxes where the boxes are meant to be kept. This color scheming process helps in reducing ambiguities and confusions. It also makes the system more organized and proper. This system can also be used to stack all the boxes in a single hall keeping them out of furniture.

Create an item list for each carton and keep a copy of the item list. While the stuff is being put in the boxes one item list can be used as a check list while the other one should ideally be pasted on the box so that while unpacking one knows where items are kept. Also, the inventory list is useful if any box goes missing.

When placing items into boxes one must ensure that heavy and bulky items are placed at the bottom. Fragile and delicate items should be properly wrapped in a bubble wrap or towels and if possible should be kept together in a single box. A label explicitly mentioning “handle with care” should be pasted on all such boxes. Other handy tips for packing items into boxes can be summarized as follows:

• Stuff like socks etc can be kept inside shoes.
• If liquids are to be carried, they should be properly packed in air tight containers and those containers should be kept in plastic bags.
• Fill in empty spaces in the boxes/cartons with used newspaper balls.
• Silver Ware: Silver tarnishes when it comes in contact with air. It is very necessary, therefore, to properly cover it with tissue paper and then with newspaper to provide a complete air-tight covering.
• Major appliances: Some major appliances require help of technician when de-attaching and attaching. An appointment with the service providers has to be made in advance. Alternatively, the moving companies may also provide such service.
• Outdoor equipment: Outdoor equipment like TV antennas, swing sets have to be dismantled. Since these are very bulky items, individual parts of the items should be tightly wrapped with a nylon cord.
• Miscellaneous: Every item has its own way to be handled. Having specified the general way to handle things as well as the way to handle the important things, the rule for simple items also remains the same. Always , care has to be taken that the stuff should not be damaged while loading, unloading or during transit.

Shifting form one place to another may not be as fun an exercise or experience as living in a new place and exploring a new life, with a different community and neighborhood. But by keeping the above mentioned things in mind the whole backbreaking & nerve wracking process of shifting can be at least made bearable. It always helps to plan from before and carry out tasks in a more systematized and organized way. Laying out a well defined and structured plan for the process will give you the peace of mind you wish for.