So if your convinced that getting a reputable moving firm is out of your budget and you fancy doing it yourself there are a few golden rules of packing the hire Van/Lorry to make sure that you minimise the chances of damaging your goods whilst in transit.

Aside from making sure that you have enough room and the vehicle can take the weight of your possessions, you need to have a number of bits of kit to make life easier.

The first is removals blankets. These are the staple of any decent removal firm and really make the difference when you are packing your furniture into the van. They are basically cheap recycled blankets that perfect for :

• Wrapping up your furniture
• Wedged between things to stop them moving/rocking in transit
• Using as a makeshift sled if you have to drag something across a wooden floor say.
• Used in wrapping around furniture with doors with glass in that could open during your removals
• As a cheaper option to foams and cardboard you can wrap them up a flat screen TV, mirror or other fragile items.

At a modest £2 each to a degree they are sacrificial.

The next vital bit of kit is your rope or ratchet straps. Once you have your wardrobe safely down the stairs and into the vehicle all wrapped up in your removals blanket you need to make sure it won’t fall or move when your driving. You want everything rock solid, as after accidental damage furniture is most likely to be damaged during the removals process when you’re in transit. So if your not so hot on not’s, its probably best to buy or borrow some small ratchet straps.

It is important that you don’t use the big industrial ones if you can help it. If your not careful you can crush your furniture if you ratchet them up to much! Another important tip is to make sure you get one of your trusty removals blankets and wedge between the strap and your furniture. This still results in a secure load but also protects your furniture from marks and scrapes from the strap itself.

So with this is mind even if you don’t plan to move again anytime soon I would still invest in removals blankets and ratchet straps, as it will make moving easier and result in less damage. So they are worth the investment, and still considerably cheaper than hiring a removals firm. They have many other applications around the home.

It’s also important to use decent removals boxes.