Moving house isn't easy. To soothe the strain, it's best to get things properly organised, writes Anne Dempsey

In a list of stressful events, moving house is up there with illness, bereavement and broken romance.

While much of the sadness may be about leaving the familiar and the reasons for relocation, the actual removal can either soothe or add to the angst.

"People can be at a terribly low ebb at leaving home. When the truck comes, there is a finality about it, and a good mover will take that on board, be able to put people at their ease while being sensitive to the situation if that is what's called for," says Tim Cronin, owner of Cronin The Art of Moving, Dublin 15.

Jenny, moving within Dublin 8 last year, sought to save money by hiring a small company where removals was a sideline. "They were very professional but didn't arrive until early evening. By the time they left me in my new home surrounded by my possessions piled into the livingroom it was 2am. My former owners had kindly left a bottle of champagne so I spent the night moving furniture and swigging champagne. It all became very surreal."

Hiring a company which will arrive on time is probably a good reason for choosing a full-time company, though don't be hung up on having it all done in one day.

Maurice Keating, managing director of MK Removals, Dublin 11, is one of several who suggest that taking two days to move may be in the client's best interest. "Packing anything between 50-100 boxes in a morning when the customer has to hand over the keys and be out by lunchtime is a lot of pressure for them.

"Instead we like to pack almost all of it the day before, leave just what people need for overnight living - beds, clothes, crockery, toiletries - which we pack easily the next day. It takes the stress out of things," he says.

One of your first decisions is whether you ask the removal firm to do everything for you, or save money and be hands-on by doing all or most of the packing yourself. Many firms give both options.

MK Removals offer a complete service, or alternatively deliver crates in advance, so that householders can pack for themselves. Their DIY package, suitable for apartment or small house moves, comprises 10 large boxes, five book boxes, one wardrobe carton, packing tape, bubble wrap, wrapping paper and labels, at a cost of €105 including VAT. Packages to hold the contents of larger homes are available at €175 and €290 respectively.

When self-packing, it's vital to label each box with the name of the room, and its contents. When householders pack themselves, MK's removal, transport and delivery costs begin at €650 for moves in the greater Dublin area up to €1,100 depending on volume.

To move the contents of a three-bed semi within the greater Dublin area, A to B Removals of Dublin 24 charges from €550 when customers provide and pack their own cartons, from approximately €750 to provide packing materials, load and move and deliver, and from €900 approximately if the company does the complete job themselves.

Many companies will provide you with boxes a week prior to the move for papers and small items. Removal firms tend not to take responsibility for jewellery or money. Householders are advised to keep any essential documentation close by, as there are apocryphal tales of arriving at departure gates and realising that family passports are sitting snugly in the back of the truck.

Leaving insufficient time to plan and prepare for a move is another common mistake, resulting in poor labelling and no chance to do a proper purge.

Thirdly, moving on a Friday - which sounds sensible - may not be so. "Friday is the worst day of the week for traffic and everything else. So go for another day when closing the legalities with your solicitor," says Patrick Oman of Oman Moving & Storage, Kildare, Cork and Belfast.

Most of Oman's work is corporate, moving numbers of employees internationally to and from Ireland, within a matrix of rates agreed with the employer. "Our service extends to a lot more than the move; we do home searches through Irish Relocation Services, and offer a turnkey package, which includes making sure all equipment works, providing a book of relevant information for the new arrivals, and stocking the fridge," he says.

Cronin's offer a versatile bunch of services. Top of the range is their "maid and white glove service" which - alongside all other packing and crating - provides a female employee to pack the woman's clothing, lingerie and underwear, clean and tidy the house when vans have left, unpack the woman's wardrobe at the other end, while assisting with delicate items like china and glassware. Its cost when moving a three to four-bedroom house within Dublin is €4,000.

A standard packing, transport and unpacking service, for the same property type costs between €1,200 to €2,500 depending on volume.

When Cronin supplies the material for customers to self-pack, remove contents from old home and unload in the new, the cost will average €750-€1,500. Its newest product, "Umove", a same day service with recyclable packing materials suitable for apartment removals, costs €400-€800.

One good reason for letting the removal firm take care of everything is that insurance covers goods in packing, transit and unloading (only if the removal company do the packing). "We can't cover boxes we have not packed or whose contents we don't know," says Derek Lahiffe of A to B Removals - the general rule in the business.

A removal firm should be fully bonded against damage or theft to your property when they do the packing. Firms usually take the contents valuation you offer, using your household insurance policy as a guide.

Most firms don't take responsibility for domestic pets, but Oman has no such reservations. "We moved a pet parrot last year and we're currently moving a herd of pedigree cattle from the UK to Ireland," says Patrick Oman.

Removing is a profession that takes the unexpected in its stride. While precious plants and vintage cars are all in a day's work, one firm recalls being asked to move the contents of a dungeon for exotic correction. We've all heard of people taking their light bulbs with them, but one household went further by requesting their front and rear lawn be rolled up and transported to the new address.

Tim Cronin once moved two people with their possessions for no extra charge. "They were relocating from Scotland to Ireland and asked could they hitch a lift on the truck. Our driver took pity on them, and it resulted in the most beautiful letter I've ever received," he says.

How to choose a reputable firm? Longevity is one good sign, but personal recommendation is probably the best. Ireland has no national trade body for removal companies.

Eligibility to join the National Association of Overseas Movers in Ireland (NAOMI) is open to international moving companies only, so non-membership has little relevance to the average domestic consumer.