These companies do it all - from finding a suitable house within your price range and requirements, to packing you and moving you in. Some even unpack at the other end for you. You'll need to check any company out thoroughly before hiring them - each company should be vetted to your satisfaction, with viable references, if possible. The move itself should be planned the same way as you would any other move but remember, the more you're moving, the more petrol you'll need. A 400 mile move MAY end up costing you the same as renting a van in the UK a move out of the country may be cost prohibitive, and it may be easier just to sell everything and start fresh when you get there. Buying boxes and containers from hardware stores or supermarkets is a good way to get sturdy, reusable containers for your new house, but may not prove to be cost effective if you've got lots of belongings. Boxes are a good, cheap alternative to plastic containers and can be bought from websites, along with tape and stickers to mark your boxes. Moving Day The day of your move is all about getting you out of one house and into the new one if you've hired a company, all you'll need do is oversee them, or stay out of their way entirely. If you haven't, its important to have some strong family members and friends on hand to help you shift everything into your van. From collecting supplies - buying boxes and tape, to packing your house up, cleaning and moving to your new home, its an adventure for all involved. Small and home offices are also usually quite interesting to move - a new area for local clients and a nightmare for people that run services online, so its important to plan accordingly and ensure that you've made plans to cover yourself during the move. Fragile items, such as ornaments and dishes can go in polystyrene bead lined boxes, or be packed in bubble wrap, but its important to remember that this will cut down on the volume of the items you can fit into the box, and its still no guarantee that they will survive the move. Careful packing does minimize the risk of things being broken, but one of the only ways to actually ensure that you have no breakages whilst moving is to take them with you, or, if hiring a firm, allowing them to pack.