Should I pay for full packing or do it myself?

Pay for full packing if time, fitness or valuable contents make self-packing risky; do it yourself if you have time and mostly sturdy belongings. A sensible middle path is fragile-only packing, where we wrap glass, china, pictures and electronics and you pack the rest. Insurers can treat owner-packed boxes differently in a claim, so read your cover terms before deciding.

Can you supply boxes and materials if I pack myself?

Yes. We can drop off strong double-walled cartons, wardrobe boxes, picture packs, tape and wrapping ahead of collection, so self-packed boxes match the strength of ours. Pack heavy items in small cartons, fill gaps so contents cannot shift, and seal every box firmly. Number each one and list its contents, because that list feeds the inventory Italian customs will see.

Can you unpack for us at the Italian end?

Yes, on request. The crew can unpack cartons room by room, place items on surfaces or in cupboards, and take the empty boxes and wrapping away, which saves you working out how to dispose of packing debris through the comune's waste collection. Unpacking is optional and quoted as its own line, so you can choose it for the kitchen alone or for the whole house.

Wrapped for the Alps, labelled in Italian

Packing and crating for a move to Italy

Professional packing before your move to Italy: full or fragile-only, bilingual labels by destination room, a numbered inventory that doubles as the customs list, and crates for pieces that need them.

Ask for a written quote Call +44 800 054 6942

What does the packing service for a move to Italy include?

Professional packing at the level you choose: full packing of everything, or fragile-only packing of glass, ceramics, pictures, lamps and electronics. Every carton is numbered, recorded on your inventory and labelled in English and Italian by destination room, and pieces that need more than a box are crated.

Full packing means we pack everything, from crockery to the contents of the garden shed. Fragile-only packing means our team handles the breakables while you pack books, clothes and linen yourself. Either way, we can drop off strong double-walled cartons, wardrobe boxes and picture packs in advance. Furniture is dismantled and wrapped, with fixings bagged and labelled to the piece they came from. Unpacking and debris removal at the Italian address are available on request and appear as their own line on the quote, so you can see exactly what you are paying for.

How does packing for an alpine road journey differ?

The load spends a long time on the road, climbs and descends an Alpine crossing, and may be carried up a stone stairwell or swung onto a balcony at the far end. Boxes therefore need to be strong, evenly weighted and packed tightly so nothing shifts on the gradients.

That changes the details. Heavy items such as books go in small cartons, so no box is too much for one person on an Italian stair. Voids are filled so contents cannot settle as the vehicle tilts on mountain roads. Marble tabletops and large mirrors travel upright in braced crates, because laid flat they can crack under their own weight. Fragile pieces are wrapped in several protective layers with corner guards, and each crate is photographed and numbered so its condition can be checked on arrival in Italy.

Someone writing the word KITCHEN on a packed cardboard box with a marker pen — Every box is labelled by room, so the Italian crew knows where it goes without asking

How are boxes labelled and listed for an Italian delivery?

Room by room, in both languages. Each carton is numbered, recorded and labelled with its contents and the room it is going to, in English and Italian: cucina, camera da letto, soggiorno, bagno. The delivery crew, or a local helper who speaks no English, can then put every box where it belongs.

The numbered list matters for more than convenience. Italian customs will want an inventory of the household goods you are bringing under transfer-of-residence relief, and the packing list is the basis of it. Packing properly once, and writing it down properly once, means the paperwork does not have to be redone at the border. It also helps you settle faster, because each room receives its own cartons rather than a mixed pile in the hallway, and you are not hunting for the kettle on your first night.

What should I pack differently for an Italian home?

Measure before you pack. Italian apartments often have small lifts, tight turns on the stairs and doorways that do not suit oversized British sofas, so check that large pieces will fit before they are wrapped. It is far better to find a problem at survey than at the Italian front door.

Kitchens are another trap. Unfurnished Italian lets frequently come without a fitted kitchen or appliances, so decide whether your appliances are worth bringing, and check they suit Italian sockets and supply. Some households bring a cooker and fridge; others sell them and buy locally. Lighting is similar, since rentals may come with bare wires rather than fittings. If you are unsure, list the doubtful items for the surveyor, who can note dimensions and flag anything likely to cause trouble at a narrow stair or a small lift.

What can't go on a removal vehicle to Italy?

Anything flammable, explosive or corrosive is excluded: paint, solvents, fuel, gas bottles, fireworks and similar household chemicals. Removal insurers prohibit them and the Alpine tunnel operators enforce their own dangerous-goods rules. Cash, jewellery and important documents should travel with you rather than on the vehicle.

Garden equipment needs preparing too. Lawnmowers, strimmers and outdoor heaters must be drained of petrol or gas before collection, and soil should be washed off tools and pots. Plants and soil can raise plant-health issues at entry, so check the current GOV.UK guidance before packing garden pots. Food is best used up before you go, and alcohol is excise goods that customs treats differently from furniture, so declare any wine collection at survey. If you are unsure about an item, ask the surveyor rather than packing it and hoping.

What is covered by the packing service?

Full packing or fragile-only packing, priced as separate lines on the quote
Strong double-walled cartons, wardrobe boxes and picture packs supplied
Every carton numbered and recorded on your inventory
Labels in English and Italian, by the room each box is going to
Bespoke crates for marble, glass, mirrors and artworks
Furniture dismantled and wrapped, with fixings bagged and labelled
Inventory laid out to support the Italian customs claim
Unpacking and debris removal at the Italian address on request

Who usually books the packing service?

Households working full time in the UK right up to moving day.
Retirees who would rather not lift and tape a houseful of cartons.
Homes full of china, glass, art or antiques where breakage would really hurt.
Anyone moving into a building with a montamobili or a tight stairwell, where well-packed boxes make delivery quicker and safer.

What affects the quote for the packing service?

We do not publish a price list, because no two Italian deliveries share the same access, route and paperwork. These are the things that shape the figure on your written quote. For a fuller explanation, read what shapes the cost of moving from the UK to Italy.

How much is being packed: Full packing of a large house is a bigger job than wrapping the fragile pieces of a flat, and the quote reflects the labour.
What it is: Books and linen pack quickly; china, glass and pictures take longer and use more material.
Crating: Each bespoke crate is built for a specific object, so crates are itemised separately.
Unpacking in Italy: Unpacking and taking the cartons away at the delivery end is optional and quoted as its own line.

Where to check the official rules

Other services for a move to Italy

Tell us the Italian address —
and we will plan back from it.

A short brief is enough to start. We come back with questions about access, then a written, itemised quote.

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