How to move house

It could be fun. Or traumatic. Or both. But one thing's for sure: moving house is never simple. There's the sorting out, the list-making, the disposing of what you don't need, packing what's left and buying what's essential.

There are also the memories, the friends and family you leave behind, the goodbyes to be said and the 100 items on your must-do list you remember 200 miles too late. Here are some tips for making it a little easier:

1. There is no such thing as too much bubblewrap. Use it on everything: glass and crockery, of course, but also photo frames, toys, telephones and old books. As a veteran of four moves in five years "" and having seen the systematic destruction of Art Deco glass vases, terracotta Bankura horses and even a sturdy, all-metal hot water geyser! "" take it from me: the more you wrap, the less you trash.

2. You need a mover, not a shaker. Unless, of course, you get landed with the packers from hell. You know the kind. They walk in demanding tea "" with biskut "" take extended lunch, tea, snack and water breaks, and just when you're ready to scream, suddenly swing into action and have the contents of your four-bedroom house all boxed in under three hours. Then it's a heave, shuffle and swing onto the truck. Avoid the heartache that this scenario will inevitably lead to by checking out the credentials of the firm before you sign on. Take quotes from three or four packers, ask for references and damage liability and delivery delay provisions before picking one.

3. Never underestimate the power of a good black marker. No other colour works as well when it comes to tagging all those boxes and packages (remember to do that yourself and make a list "" in duplicate "" alongside). If you can lay your hands on a glow-in-the dark variety of marker, so much the better. Those psychedelic "fragile" and "toys" tags may give some unwary trucker nightmares, but if you're unloading in a house where the power's still switched off, you'll be grateful.

4. Stock up on stuff. Remember it's all being loaded on to trucks, you won't be doing any of the heavy lifting and carrying. Buy a month's supply of essentials and provisions "" fill all jars before packing them, and put that marker to good use. You don't want to land in an unfamiliar city and go searching for kirana stores rightaway. Or worse, knock on your new neighbour's door asking for tea, sugar and milk.

5. True friends give you dusting rags. Even if you're in an off-with-the-old, new-beginnings-mean-new-stuff kind of mood, remember to keep aside some old clothes. You'll need rags and old newspapers for everything "" from lining shelves and cleaning counters to mopping floors after the packers spill coffee on it.

6. Children and animals not allowed. Unless they're old enough to help, that is. "Help" from pre-schoolers and pets will only double your work afterwards. Send them away to the grandparents, out with the maid, to the park.... anywhere. Only, remember to pick them up when you're ready to leave.

Last, but still important:

7. You will lose your temper. Accept it, deal with it, and move on.