When getting all of your items ready for the move, it is very important that you pack things properly. Indeed, every type of item requires its own method of packing. While putting your clothes into cardboard boxes is pretty simple, any heavy, electronic, and fragile items require more attention.
Before you begin packing these items, though, make sure you have all of the appropriate packing materials. These should include:
- Cardboard boxes of various sizes
- Bubble wrap
- Packing paper like unprinted newsprint
- Packing peanuts
- Packing tape
- Permanent markers for labeling
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Heavy Items
Once you have all of these materials handy, you can begin sorting your items and packing them up. Perhaps the most common heavy items that people have are books. While a single book doesn’t weigh that much, your whole collection can be pretty heavy. To properly pack your books, you should use smaller boxes; if you pack them in a large box, it might be too heavy to carry. When placing books in the box, put them in vertically, perpendicular to the bottom, rather than laying them flat. |
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Photo by lusi, sxc.hu
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| TIP: When packing your books or any other large item, remember to reinforce the bottom of the box with extra tape. |
For your heavy kitchen appliances, such as toaster ovens or mixers, you will want to cover these items with bubble wrap. Then, you should place each item in a box and surround it with plenty of Styrofoam peanuts. This is done to protect the item from any jostling during transport.
Though you can’t always put your larger items, such as sofas, tables, dressers, and other furniture items into boxes, there are still ways to protect them during the move. You will first want to remove any detachable parts, such as the sofa or table legs, and wrap these up. You should then wrap the bulky items in moving blankets or pieces of cardboard to protect them from scratches.
Electronics
As electronics are expensive and easily damaged, they need extra care when packing. The best way to do this is to put them in the boxes they came in along with the original packaging. If these materials are unavailable, you can use any sturdy cardboard box. Be sure that your goods are packaged with plenty of cushioning – whether it is newsprint, packing peanuts, or static-free bubble wrap.
Before packing, make sure you uninstall and unplug your electronics properly, and remove any CDs or DVDs. You will also want to remove any cords and pack them up separately. Remember to clearly label the contents of the box so you and your movers know not to place other boxes on top of them.
Fragile Items
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Photo by bjearwicke, sxc.hu |
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The most common fragile items are usually glassware and china. These items should be wrapped with paper individually and then placed into cardboard boxes. Just like your books, you will want to put your plates into the box vertically. You can then use crumpled up paper to stuff into any holes or gaps, which will help support and cushion your fragile items. Again, make sure you clearly label any boxes containing fragile objects and ensure that nothing is placed on top of them in the moving truck.
Your mirrors and artwork will require even more attention and care. They should be covered in acid-free tissue paper and then bubble wrapped.
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You can then carefully place them in cardboard boxes. If you have a particularly large mirror or piece of art, you may need to use telescoping boxes, which fit over each other to accommodate the size of your item.
Though packing anything up for a move can be a hassle, the above items are trickier to pack than others. By having the right supplies and knowing how to pack these objects in advance, you can properly pack these objects.
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