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. Moving home, though stressful can be a very rewarding experience, but its important to keep several things in mind when moving. These can include the welfare and comfort of your children, the support structure you'll have when you move (are you moving nearer your family, further away from your family? The company you eventually choose to move you will want to come out and inspect your home, to work out what they will be moving, and to provide you with a quotation, so you may want to de-clutter before they arrive - they will take an inventory, in some cases, with you and decide what your quotation will be. You'll probably have many memories, good and bad, there, and full closure on that period in your life is important, so that you can move on. You'll want to keep a couple of boxes, or bags spare and on hand so that you can catch anything that you've missed, that's been knocked into a corner, or essentials that you've kept out for the move the latter should be marked clearly so that you can find them at the other end. You'll have items you don't want them to pack - make sure you pack them yourself, or tell them, clearly what you expect them to pack and not pack. Its always good to take an inventory before allowing anyone to come in and pack your belongings - and if you can, take photos. Most companies provide insurance and are consummate professionals, but some can cause more damage than the cost of hiring them, and its important to have redress when moving belongings. It is possible for your belongings to be damaged in storage, but highly unlikely you'll be given a list of belongings that you're checking in and you should check at that time that everything is secure, sealed and stacked or placed well. If you're moving long distance, its always good to research, throughly, by phone and if possible, in person, how much access you'll have to your furniture, and belongings, and what sort of notice you need to give you'll also need to work out what is going into storage and how much space you'll need for it all.