Method. Baselines are the figures removal companies publish for kit bundles: a studio takes roughly 20 boxes, a 1-bed 30, a 2-bed 45, a 3-bed 60 and a 4-bed 80. People add possessions, years multiply them (+3% per year lived there captures the accumulation), and clutter level shifts the total by ±20%. Tape runs out at about one 66 m roll per 10–12 boxes; wardrobe boxes hold roughly a rail’s width each; book boxes stay small so a human can still lift them.

Packing order. Eight weeks out: declutter and sell/donate what never gets packed. Six weeks: attic, garage, shed and seasonal kit — the stuff you will not miss. Four weeks: books, ornaments and the rooms used least. Two weeks: most kitchen gadgets, spare bedding, off-season clothing. Final week: daily-use items, with one “first night” box per person (kettle, mugs, bedding, chargers, medications, loo roll, snacks) travelling in the car, not the van.

Money-savers. Supermarket banana boxes are sturdy and free — ask produce staff early morning. Second-hand moving boxes sell for pence on local groups. And label on the side, not the lid, so you can read a stack without unstacking it.

Method: industry rules of thumb with accumulation scaling — estimates, not quotes. Last reviewed 2026-09-21.