Are you making the transition from renter to homeowner? Avoid moving day headaches and prepare for the big day with these easy tips.
- Don’t use produce boxes. Bugs and larvae easily live in produce boxes – this could infect your new location and the belongings you store in the box.
- Use new moving boxes. Free boxes may have been structurally damaged by their original contents. Often, free boxes don’t have tops. This makes stacking very difficult – not to mention the box cannot be taped shut leaving belongings unsecured.
- All boxes need to be closed and sealed with packing tape. This makes it easier to stack and protect belongings.
- Use packing paper when wrapping precious items. Ink on newsprint can stain your breakables.
- Do not use duct tape! Instead, use packing tape. Duct tape doesn’t stick to corrugated cardboard boxes.
- Use boxes designed for the items you are packing – such as a dish pack for dishes or wardrobe box for clothing.
- Make a “survival closet” of things for the last cleanup before you move out – broom, dust cloth, dust pan, mop.
- Avoid mixing items from different rooms in the same box.
- Use only small boxes for books. They get very heavy, very fast.
- Never use newsprint to wrap fine china. The ink can rub off and stain.
- Always stack dishes upwards when packing.
- Pack important and sentimental documents separately to be easily accessible including: children’s health records, passports, family records, insurance information and photo albums.
- Never use duct tape – use packing tape. Duct tape doesn’t stick well to corrugated cardboard.
- Clearly label all boxes on top and side.
- As you take apart furniture and other items make sure to tape all parts to the main base.
- Try to pack all electronic equipment, like stereos in their original boxes. Otherwise use bubble wrap when packing these items.
- Start packing items you will not need ahead of time.
- Pack a box of essential items that you will need immediately after the move and make sure it’s the last thing added to the truck.
- Always pack and unpack breakables over a padded surface.
We know moving anything, anywhere involves a lot of things to think about. Use these packing tips to help your move become just a little less stressful.
