Guide
How to pack for a move: boxes, weights and labels
A home typically needs 20 to 50 boxes depending on its size, according to Bishop's Move, and Enterprise rates a large van, sized for a 1 bed flat, at up to 45 medium boxes. Keep each box light enough to carry close to the body, well within HSE's 25kg guideline, and check what your firm's cover says about boxes you packed yourself.
How many boxes will you need?
Bishop's Move says a home needs anywhere from 20 to 50 boxes depending on its size, and at least 25 for an average home (March 2022). Enterprise's van guide implies higher counts if you box everything: up to 45 medium boxes for a 1 bed flat, 60 for a 2 bed and 70 for a 3 bed home.
Kitchens and rooms full of books take the most boxes, and each full hanging rail needs its own wardrobe box. Big Yellow's starter packs hold 18 boxes for a 1 to 2 bed home and 23 for a 3 to 4 bed home, so most people buy a starter pack and add to it. Suitcases, laundry baskets and drawers that are carried out whole reduce the count.
How heavy should a packed box be?
Keep each box light enough for one person to carry close to the body. HSE's manual handling guidance gives 25kg for men and 16kg for women as guideline figures for lifting at waist height close to the body, falling to 10kg and 7kg at shoulder height, and says these are not safe limits. The law sets no fixed weight.
Books, tins and tools go in small boxes; bedding, cushions and lampshades in large ones. BAR warns that a standard box full of books will be too heavy to carry any distance. A heavy box that splits on a staircase slows the move and risks injury.
How should you label boxes?
Label each box with the room it is going to, a short list of contents and a number. AnyVan suggests numbering boxes so the first one you open holds what you need most in each room. Write on two sides as well as the lid, because stacked boxes hide their lids.
Mark fragile boxes and the side that must stay up. Keep a list on your phone of each number and its contents, and at the new home stick a matching room sign on each door so the crew can unload without asking.
How do you pack wardrobes and TVs?
Hanging clothes travel well in wardrobe boxes. Big Yellow's wardrobe box measures 50 by 125 by 45cm, holds about 20 hangers on a rail and costs £13.75. Empty freestanding wardrobes completely, take off doors that lift off, and tape the keys inside.
A flat-screen TV is safest in its original box. If that has gone, Big Yellow sells a TV box for screens up to 47 inches. AnyVan suggests photographing the back of the TV before unplugging it, so the cables go back in the same places. Keep the screen upright, never flat, and wrap the stand separately.
How do you get white goods ready to move?
A washing machine needs its transit bolts fitted. AnyVan says these keep the drum still during transport, and that about 500ml of water can be left in the machine to drain first (July 2026). Disconnect it the day before; BAR says its members will not disconnect appliances unless this has been agreed in advance.
A fridge or freezer must be empty, defrosted and dry. Konnect You (formerly Compare My Move) advises defrosting at least 48 hours before the move (September 2026). Carry it upright, and leave it standing before you switch it on again, for the time your manual gives.
What might goods in transit cover exclude if you pack yourself?
Damage to the contents of boxes you packed yourself is often excluded. BAR says most removal companies' insurance accepts liability only for items they packed. Konnect You says goods in transit cover will not apply if you pack your belongings yourself, and AnyVan's own cover excludes self-packed personal effects and electrical items (May 2026).
Cover for the box being dropped or crushed may still apply, so ask. Konnect You puts a packing service at £325 for a 1 bed, £500 for a 2 bed and £750 for a 3 bed (September 2026). Paying the firm to pack only fragile items, such as glass, china and pictures, can cost less and keep them covered.
Common questions
How many boxes do I need for a 2 bed flat?
Enterprise's van guide implies about 60 medium boxes for a 2 bed home. Bishop's Move gives 20 to 50 for most homes, so the number depends on how much you own.
How heavy should a moving box be?
Light enough to carry close to the body. HSE gives 25kg for men and 16kg for women as guideline figures at waist height, and lower at shoulder height. Use small boxes for books.
Should I keep the TV box for moving?
Yes, if you can. The original box and packing fit the screen. Big Yellow sells TV boxes for screens up to 47 inches.
Does insurance cover things I packed myself?
Often not for damage to the contents. BAR says most removal insurance covers only items the firm packed, so ask before you pack.