Welcome to your brand new job in a brand new city! You have finally landed that elusive job you were looking for all along, but are now to concern yourself with the nitty-gritty of moving your household goods. If you can afford the services of a professional company to save you all the hassles, skip this article. If you’d like to save some money or are the DIY types, however, read these quick tips to move in peace. Even though I have restricted myself to packing the dining room only, the principles apply equally to other parts of your house as well.

Although packing the dining room may well be less complicated than its other counterparts like the kitchen or the bathroom, it has its own specialties that need looking into. The smaller parts like the crockery need different treatment from the larger items like the larger dining room chairs or the hutch. Yet large size alone does not mean they are any less precious, or need less care.

Your crockery was probably the best available in the market when you bought it- in fact, it may still be. Now is the time to start thinking of moving it safely. In all probability you would have long discarded the original packing, unless you are a frequent mover who knows that the best packing is done in the original box. Equal value can be drawn, however, from similar sized cardboard cartons which can be used to pack even more than one set to save on space. What needs to be remembered here is that crockery pieces should not be able to scrape against each other. This is easily achieved by wrapping the pieces in paper, or separating them with small pieces of cardboard. Fill up the vacant spaces with paper shreds to stuff it tight.

The larger items of furniture like the dining room tables can be packed by separating the legs from the top. It is a good idea to go for removable legs if you are in a transferable job, as it will make your work much easier.

Use the shelves in your hutch to pack cushions etc. Putting heavy stuff like crockery in it will make it extremely heavy and difficult to lift.

Here are some additional tips to ensure your fragile goods arrive safe and sound at your destination: Use Bubble wrap for breakable items. The little air pockets are extremely effective.

Do not save on wrapping paper – use plenty to pack well. For a cost-effective solution, use shredded paper to line the inside of boxes and to fill any gaps or holes. Labeling boxes as "FRAGILE - THIS SIDE UP" will make the handler be a little vigilant. Plates and platters should be packed vertically into boxes to avoid cracking and breaking. Keep your stuff in layers. Keep larger items such as plates and platters on the bottom. Cushion each layer with lots of old newspapers, shredded paper or bubble wrap. Place bowls, saucers and small serving plates on top of the bottom layer. Pack glasses and cups repeating the same steps as above.

Your spare bed sheets are very useful to cover the gap between the top layer and the lid of the box.

While packing your furniture, use your old clothes and spare rugs to pack the tops and the legs to ensure scratch free transport. A couple of old mattresses tied onto the top of your dining room table acts as an excellent cushion.

The legs of each dining chair should be packed separately. Bolt the doors and drawers of all the cabinets and hutches. For fragile items like glass door hutches, use the services provided by professional packers to shrink wrap them in polythene.

Transit insurance of your goods is essential to cover the risk of damage en-route. Get your goods valued properly. While it may be attractive for you to under-value your precious possessions to reduce your costs, just think of the loss you would undergo should any untoward incident take place.

Best of luck for your new job! And don’t worry about your furniture – you can now be sure it will arrive in one piece.