Guides · packing

Packing fragile and valuable items for a move: who packs, who carries, who covers

Pack the sturdy things yourself, leave the breakables to trained packers, carry valuables and documents in your own car, and settle insurance in writing before anything is packed, because a removalist does not have to insure your goods.

Most breakage questions after a move come down to two things: who packed it, and who insured it. Settle both before the first box is taped.

The short version, as St Ives Removals would put it: pack the sturdy, unbreakable things yourself. Leave the glass, mirrors, screens and art to trained packers. Carry jewellery, passports and documents in your own car. And get the insurance arrangements in writing before packing day.

What to pack yourself, and what to leave to the packers

Pack it yourself	Leave to the packers
Books Linen and bedding Clothes and shoes Toys Everyday kitchenware you would not miss	Glassware Good crockery Mirrors Framed artwork TVs and screens
Unpacking yourself? AFRA warns breakages may not be accepted by the removalist as a claim. Ask before you pack.

The industry body is blunt about breakables: leave breakable items to the experts. AFRA says its members are trained in packing methods that minimise breakage risk.

That suggests a sensible split. Books, linen, clothes, shoes, toys and everyday kitchenware are forgiving. You can pack them over a few evenings without much risk. Glassware, good crockery, mirrors, framed art and TVs are where packing skill shows up, and where a bad carton costs the most.

Saving money by doing the unpacking yourself has a catch. AFRA suggests you ask whether unpacking the boxes yourself lowers the cost, but warns that "breakages may not be accepted by the removalist as a claim". Its advice is to ask about unpacking and packing services before you pack, while the choice is still open.

Once the packers arrive, let them work. One of AFRA's don'ts is plain: don't instruct packers on how to pack.

If your home has floor-to-ceiling glass or timber floors, the house itself needs protecting as well as the contents. Our guide to glass walls and timber floors covers that side.

Packing fragile items for moving: how each carton should look

Source: AFRA

A well-packed carton does two jobs. It doesn't crush when another carton goes on top, and nothing inside it moves. AFRA's tips come down to a handful of rules:

Heavy goes small. Pack heavy items in smaller, heavy-duty cartons. A large carton of books is a carton that splits.
Fill to the top. Pack to within 5cm of the carton top and fill the gap with crushed paper. A half-empty carton caves in under the next one.
Plain paper only. Use unprinted butchers paper, not newspaper. Newsprint ink rubs off onto plates and pale fabric.
Pack by room. Group items from the same room and write the destination room on top and at least one side of every carton. In a stack, the side label is often the only one anyone can read.

Glasses and plates being wrapped in plain paper beside a smaller carton.

Two jobs make packing day smoother. Set aside everything that isn't being moved and tell the removalist when they arrive. And if you're short of cartons, the removalist can supply packing materials, so ask before you buy.

What to carry in your own car

A lidded tub and a document pouch in an open car boot.

Some things should never be in a carton. AFRA's advice is to keep jewellery, passports and other valuable documents separate and carry them yourself. That covers wills, property papers, spare keys and anything else you can't replace in a day.

The second car job is the arrival box. AFRA says to put what you need on arrival in a box and take it in your car. Think of the first night: kettle, mugs, phone chargers, medication, toiletries, a set of sheets per bed, and whatever the kids won't sleep without.

Empty the fridge, too. AFRA lists don't leave food in the fridge among its don'ts.

What has to be made safe, or kept off the truck

Source: AFRA, NSW EPA

Some household items can't simply be boxed up. AFRA's list starts with don't pack ammunition, aerosol cans or other explosive items. Beyond that, gas BBQs, pool chemicals, lawnmowers or garden equipment with flammable liquids, fire extinguishers, plants and animals need special attention or can't be moved.

The BBQ gas cylinder is the one that catches people. AFRA says it won't be carried unless you provide a certificate from a Standards Australia-certified Gas Cylinder Test Station saying it has been purged. Have it purged by an authorised dealer, and don't release or burn off the gas yourself.

For the mower, lawnmower petrol must be drained. For interstate or storage moves, the equipment must also be steam cleaned. Collections and special-interest items depend on company policy, so ask about them early.

If you move the gas bottles yourself, there's a limit. NSW EPA and SafeWork NSW advise no more than one 9kg and one 4kg bottle in the boot or any space connected to the passenger compartment. The same page warns that pool chlorine and acids can react dangerously, so keep them in separate boxes or compartments.

Appliances are their own job. AFRA says washing machines, stereos, fridges and computers often need specialist attention. Preparing them is not the removalist's responsibility, so follow the manufacturer's moving instructions and ask your removalist for advice.

Who pays if something breaks

Source: NSW Government, AFRA

Many people assume the removalist's insurance covers their belongings, but NSW Fair Trading says removalists are not required by law to insure your property, and most only insure their vehicle.

The cover that is about your goods is transit insurance. The same page says AFRA-accredited removalists have public liability insurance and can provide transit insurance for all goods moved. That cover includes packing, moving and storage, and storage is extended for a separate premium.

The business's own insurance is a different thing. AFRA notes that not all damages and breakages are the liability of the removalist. Its members must hold public liability, third party property, motor vehicle and carrier's legal liability insurance.

Here is a quick test worth knowing. Only a removalist qualified to do so may sell you transit insurance. A qualified one can give you a Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and a Financial Services Guide (FSG). If they can't, they may not be qualified. Ask for both before you sign.

Then look at your own side. AFRA's first packing tip is to check your insurance cover first. Read your own policy, or ask your insurer directly, rather than assuming.

You also have rights that don't depend on a policy. Australian Consumer Law guarantees apply to removalist services. The work must be done with due care or skill, "taking all necessary steps to avoid loss and damage". The remedy depends on whether the problem is minor or major.

Paper is what makes any of this workable. NSW Fair Trading says to ask for an itemised written quote. The contract should include a household inventory, pick-up and delivery details, how payment is made, and any extra storage costs for delays. AFRA adds: don't let goods be packed without the correct paperwork received and signed. Our guide to what a written move plan contains sets out how the details fit together.

Packing day at a glance

Source: AFRA, NSW EPA

If you remember six things, make it these:

Fill each carton to within 5cm of the top.
Label the room on the lid and on one side.
Put heavy items in small cartons.
Get a purge certificate for the BBQ bottle.
Keep the gas in your own car within its limit.
Ask whoever sells you transit insurance for a PDS and an FSG.

Each one is linked above where it comes up.

Before anyone packs: the questions to ask your removalist

Do you offer packing and unpacking services?
Can you supply packing materials?
Does unpacking myself change the price, and how does it affect a breakage claim?
What insurance applies to my goods, and can I see the PDS and FSG?
Is storage covered, and at what extra premium?
Will I get an itemised written quote and a contract with a household inventory?
What will you not carry, and what do my appliances need beforehand?

The best time to ask these is before you buy a single carton:

Do you offer packing and unpacking, and for which rooms?
Can you supply packing materials?
If I unpack myself, how does that change the price and a breakage claim?
What insurance applies to my goods, and can I see the PDS and FSG?
Is storage covered, and what is the extra premium?
Will I get an itemised written quote and a contract with a household inventory?
What won't you carry, and what do my appliances need beforehand?

If you're moving in or around St Ives, put these same questions to St Ives Removals when you ask for a quote. We'd rather answer them before packing day than after it. The move planner will help you set the order of the jobs around them.