When you’re moving, you want to ensure that your belongings make the journey without damage. Especially if you’ve spent time carefully sorting, decluttering, and making decisions about the items that are most important to you - but even if you’re bringing everything - if you’re paying to move it or putting in the muscles yourself, you want to be confident all will reach the destination intact. Proper packing is key to avoiding damage and making the transition as smooth as possible. Here are ten essential tips to help you pack efficiently and protect your valuables during your move.
1. Use High-Quality Packing Materials
Invest in sturdy moving boxes, packing tape, bubble wrap, and packing paper. Flimsy boxes can collapse under pressure, leading to damaged items. Consider double-walled boxes for fragile or heavy objects.
2. Pack Heavy Items in Small Boxes
Packing heavy items like books, dishes, and tools in large boxes can make them difficult to carry and increase the risk of boxes breaking. Use smaller boxes to distribute the weight more evenly and prevent accidents.
3. Wrap Fragile Items Individually
To protect delicate items like glassware, dishes, and electronics, wrap each item separately using bubble wrap or packing paper. Layer extra padding at the bottom of the box and fill empty spaces with packing material to prevent movement.
4. Label Boxes Clearly
Use a marker to label each box with its contents and the room it belongs in. Mark boxes containing fragile items with “FRAGILE” and use arrows to indicate which side should face up to avoid mishandling.
5. Disassemble Large Furniture
Take apart furniture pieces such as bed frames, tables, and bookshelves to make them easier to move. Keep screws and small parts in labeled plastic bags and tape them to the furniture so they don’t get lost. If you’re hiring movers, they will often disassemble larger items such as beds. Anything disassembled by the movers should be reassembled by them at the other end.
6. Use Towels and Clothes as Padding
Maximize space by using soft household items like towels, blankets, and clothing to cushion fragile items. This reduces the need for extra packing materials and helps protect delicate belongings.
7. Secure Electronics and Cords Properly
Wrap electronics in anti-static bubble wrap and place them in their original boxes if possible. Keep cords organized by wrapping them neatly and labeling them so you can easily reconnect everything at your new home. You may want to consider making use of a “Set Up” box which contains things like hardware for furniture, remote controls, cords, brackets, etc.
8. Don’t Overpack Boxes
Overfilled boxes can burst open or be too heavy to carry safely. Fill boxes to a comfortable weight and reinforce the bottom with extra tape to prevent collapse.
9. Seal Liquids and Pack Them Separately
Avoid spills by tightly sealing bottles containing liquids such as cleaning supplies, shampoos, and cooking oils. Pack them in plastic bags or containers separate from other items in case of leakage. If you’re hiring movers, be sure to check with them about what they will transport and what they won’t. Many/most liquids are considered inadmissible due to the potential for widespread damage should something leak. Hot and cold extremes can affect liquids as well.
10. Keep Essentials in a Separate Box
Pack a separate box with essentials such as toiletries, a change of clothes, medications, important documents, and chargers. This will ensure that you have everything you need during the first day in your new home. Essentials should travel with you, not the movers. Irreplaceable items, sentimental items, jewelry, and important documents should travel with you, not the movers.
Wrapping Up
A final tip - if you're packing yourself be sure you're ready for the movers' arrival. Their job will be to carefully remove items from your home to the truck (and deliver to your new home). All packed items should be secured in appropriate and sturdy containers (not bags, baskets, or light totes), and all containers should be closed, sealed, and labelled.
By following these packing tips, you can minimize the risk of damage and ensure a smoother moving experience. Proper preparation will help you transition to your new space with confidence and peace of mind.
Comments