You would be surprised at how many people actually pack
their items the wrong way when they are moving. Packing items the incorrect way
can cause damages and make items a lot harder to move. This is why I have composed
a list of packing tips that will help you to properly package certain items in
your home. If you have questions about packing certain items that aren’t on
this list, just give us a call and we will be glad to talk to you.
Washing Machines and
Dryers – Most people don’t know that they should have their washer and
dryer serviced the day prior to their move. The washer needs to be drained of
excess water so that it is not as heavy to lift and move. Also, the inside of
your washing machine has a drum that needs to be secured prior to moving. If it’s
not properly secured, then the drum can actually get damaged and the spin cycle
on the machine may no longer work. We have a tip for those of you who cannot
afford to pay a moving company to service your appliances. Completely drain the
hoses in the washer and fill the drum with a large comforter to keep it in
place if you are moving it yourself.
As for the dryer, it depends if it is electric or a gas
dryer. As always with gas, we highly recommend only using a professional to
disconnect it. A hint for electric dryers is to check the cord prongs and be sure
that the plug will actually work in your new home. If it can’t, there is a way
to simply change the cord to the machine rather than having to buy a new dryer
for the new home. We can have a company come out to do this for you at a reasonable
cost if you are not a handy man.
Books – Most
people don’t realize that books seem lightweight, but when you put them all
into a box, they can get extremely heavy. We recommend packing blankets,
pillows, linens and lightweight items into larger boxes and packing books into
smaller cartons. This will make them easier to carry and you won’t break your
back.
Refrigerators –
Some refrigerators have ice makers which should properly be disconnected prior
to moving. The water line needs to be drained and capped off so that you do not
experience a terrible leak and possible property damage later on. We can help
you to have your refrigerator disconnected and drained at a really decent cost
or you can hire a professional yourself. Also, a great idea to keep your
refrigerator smelling nice and clean while it’s being moved is to take a coffee
filter, fill it with coffee and tie it off. When you place it into the fridge,
it will help to eliminate foul smells and keep the air inside the fridge from
getting stale while it is being moved. And never forget that you cannot lay a refrigerator
down while in transit. All refrigerators must be moved standing upright.
Fine China and
Breakables – It’s already scary enough to have to move your fine china and
breakable items. Starting with plates, a great idea is to buy paper plates to
put in between the plates prior to wrapping them. This gives the plates just
another layer of protection. Always remember to pack glass items as tight as
possible so there isn't shifting in the boxes that can cause damage. If you
have really breakable vases or glassware, you may even want to look at getting
some micro foam to wrap those items in. Micro foam works very well and can save
you a lot of money by protecting your rare and valuable glassware.
Grandfather Clocks –
We have talked about this before, but why not bring it up again in case you
missed it?! A long time ago in our industry, we used to require that all
Grandfather Clocks were crated. While this is still true if you are moving across
the country, it may not pertain to you if you are moving down the road. With
new technology and new carton options, we now have Grandfather Clock boxes that
work very well at protecting your grandfather clock during the move. You don’t
have to pay additional money to crate your clock. We still recommend that you
have the pendulums removed and packed separately than the clock. We also
recommend micro foam wrapping on the glass edges if your clock has them.
Jewelry and Coin
Collections – When it comes to your expensive jewelry, we always recommend
that you move it yourself. A lot of jewelry is priceless and sentimental and
yours is probably no exception. If you do have to pack it, I recommend that you
pack it into a lock box where the keys are only available to you. Same with coin
collections or any other type of collectible item that you do not want to get
lost.
Packing your Kitchen –
There are a lot of items in your kitchen that you may not have the original
cartons for. Cartons come in many shapes and sizes, but we always recommend
that you use dish packs. Dish packs are double cardboard boxes that work really
well for kitchen items and they can hold a really good amount of items in them.
They are strong and durable and really make packing your kitchen easy. As
always, we recommend that you use white packing paper instead of newspaper as
it can leave ink marks on your dishes and they will have to be rewashed again
at destination. Always keep your knives in a plastic container so they do not
puncture a box and hurt anyone during the moving process.
Guns and Ammunition –
While most people choose to move their own guns and, we do offer to move them
as long as certain information is obtained prior to packing or moving them. Unfortunately, we cannot move
ammunition. Most gun owners have cases for their guns, but if you do not and
you would like to know how to properly package them for transport, you can feel
free to give us a call. Packing guns vastly depends on the type, make and model
of the firearm to better understand the needs of that particular item.
Artwork and Mirrors –
It’s something that a lot of people don’t consider until the last minute, but
moving mirrors (especially large mirrors) and artwork (especially high value
artwork) should always be considered in your move and pre-planned. We recommend
using mirror cartons for artwork and glass and these nifty cartons fit almost
any size. They offer extra double cardboard protection as well as protecting
the corners of your mirrors. If you have a really large mirror and you are
moving across the country or across the state, we may recommend crating it
depending on the value and size. Mirror cartons can save you a lot of money on
crating.
High Value Items and
Electronics – Did you get one of those giant flat screen TV’s recently?
They look great mounted on your wall! Did you keep the original carton that it
came in? Most people don’t. So if you need to pack one of these, then ask us
about our TV cartons! These really make moving your flat screen easy. We also
have cartons for other electronics, DVD players, speakers and much more. We recommend
using anti static bubble wrap and/or shrink wrap when you are prepping these types
of items to be moved. Static is not good for electronics and can possibly cause
damage.
Lawnmowers – Moving Companies can move
lawnmowers of any shape or size. We actually just recommend that you take the
gasoline and oil out of them so they do not leak fluid or combust. Once that is
done, they are basically prepared to be moved. Of course, if you have a grass
catcher, you may want to empty it first.
BBQ Grills – Most
people own them and when you are in a mad rush to start packing your house; BBQ
grills are often left in the dark until it’s too late. You will want to clean
out your grill and make arrangements for transport of the propane tank. Most
Moving Companies will not transport
the propane.
Printers – Did you
know that if you forget to remove the toner out of your printer that it can
ruin the internal components of the machine? Be sure to remove the toner before
you move your printer.
Leather Couches and
Chairs – Did you know that because leather is made out of hide that it
actually breathes? That being said, you shouldn’t wrap your leather furniture
in shrink wrap without padding it first. If your moving company does not put
pads around your leather items, stop them immediately. Your leather can sweat
under the plastic and the moisture can ruin your beautiful leather furniture.
Parts Box – One of
the most useful ideas to utilize when you are packing your home is a parts box.
This box should be clearly marked so it can be easily identified. In this box
you should put your TV remotes, cables, phone cords, parts to bookshelves,
cabinets, etc… This way all of your parts are all in one place for an easier
assembly at a later time.
Clothing – This may
sound crazy, but you can save money on wardrobe boxes by gathering the clothes and
using trash bags to tie the hung clothes together at the top of the hangers.
Otherwise, wardrobe cartons can definitely be provided for easy moving.
Mattresses –
Protect your mattress! We have either mattress boxes or mattress bags. These
really help to keep your mattress clean while you are moving.
There are many additional useful ideas and tips on our
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