With 20 moves in 25 years, I've learned a thing or two about moving house. Here are five steps you can take to make sure that all your belongings arrive with you.

1. Wrap it up

To avoid breakages, wrap your fragile items very carefully. The best packing items are newsprint and bubble wrap. If you can get it, beg or buy large sheets of unprinted newsprint or ends of rolls from your local printer. (When we did this, the roll we got saw us through three moves). If you can't you'll have to start saving your Sunday newspapers (the bigger, the better) the minute you put your house on the market.

Bubble wrap is also a safe, clean alternative, and if you get bored, you can pop a few bubbles while you wrap. Electrical items are best transported in their own packaging if you've got it, or bubble wrap if you haven't. Sharp knives and toasting forks should also be wrapped so no-one gets hurt. All mattresses should be wrapped, otherwise you'll be sleeping on dirt for years. They're quite heavy, and you'll usually drop at least one corner. Black garbage bags and packing tape are useful for wrapping large items such as these, but even better are big dust sheets from your local hardware store.

2. Get stuffed

Cups, mugs and glasses should be stuffed inside before being wrapped. That provides an extra layer of protection. Anything with a delicate handle should have that wrapped separately before wrapping the whole item. Lids to milk jugs, sugar bowls and teapots should be wrapped separately. And remember, with wrapping, more is more: the more stuff you put around your stuff, the more likely it is to survive the move intact. I haven't lost a cup yet.

3. Space saver

Line the bottoms and tops of your crockery boxes, as well as any nooks and crannies with old tea towels. This provides more protection for your breakables and packs the towels as well, and you'll have the satisfaction of having killed two birds with one stone.

4. Open spaces

OK, there are a lot of items you won't be able to do without, but that doesn't mean you have to leave the packing till the last minute. Pack your canned foods in boxes but don't seal them. That way, you can easily get hold of something you suddenly find you need.

5. Delete the junk

When you're moving things out of the loft or basement, use this as an opportunity to clear out anything you haven't needed in the last two years. If you don't need it, why move it? The same goes for the garage (does anyone keep a car in there?) and for the garden shed. Be ruthless, or you'll end up with backache for nothing and have to throw it away on the other side. Moving is also a good excuse for 'losing' that unwanted gift from five years ago.

Final words

Follow these five steps and all your stuff should arrive safely. Happy moving!

Sharon Hurley Hall

Sharon Hurley Hall is a freelance writer, ghostwriter and editor. Sharon has been writing all her life and loves the written word. She has worked in several countries and speaks French, Spanish and German. Sharon has lectured on journalism and media issues and has also done research into media education. Get in touch to see how Sharon can help with your writing, editing or design projects.