How to Pack for Your Move Like a Professional
One of the most headache-ridden tasks for homeowners is moving from one house to another. Hiring professional movers like Reliable Delivery is one way to make certain that this task creates as few hassles as possible, but for those who would rather do it themselves, here are a few packing tips that could make boxing up your belongings a little less strenuous.
The most efficient way to pack a room starts with a good plan. When you’re ready to start, set up a table in the center of the room as a staging area. Place your boxes and packing materials near the table so they are easily accessible. Pick a starting point in the room (if there’s something you’re dreading, it might be a good idea to get it out of the way first) and begin packing in a clockwise direction. Packing a room is tedious, but when you’ve got a definite plan of action, your progress is sure to improve.
Another professional packing tip deals not with what you pack, but how you pack it. Always use moving grade boxes. These boxes are meant for transporting goods and going to provide the best protection for your items. Packing boxes is more of a science than some might think. In addition to putting heavier items at the bottom of the box and lighter, more delicate things on top, make sure that the boxes themselves are the right size. If you use a box that’s too big, you’ll either end up filling it so much that it’s too heavy to safely carry, or you’ll end up with a lot of empty space that will take up unnecessary space in the moving truck. It’s also a good idea to try to fit items closely together in the box to prevent them from shifting during the move.
Once you’ve got your boxes packed, it’s best to stack them 2,3, or 4 high depending on the size of the boxes. This makes it easiest for the movers to quickly transport them to the truck with dollies.
Reliable Delivery’s professional movers have tasks like packing fragile items down to a science, but if you’ve chosen to pack yourself you’ll want to proceed with caution. Long distance moves can be particularly hard on your breakables, so make sure you take every precaution to keep them secure.
Be sure to line your box with soft padding material—crumpled newspaper works well. When preparing individual items to go into the box, start by laying out a piece of bubble wrap or several sheets of clean newspaper. Place your item several inches below one corner and fold it over so the item is covered. Fold the item over so the backside is exposed. Wrap a side corner over, turn it over and wrap the other side corner over. Repeat this process until the item is adequately protected. If you’re wrapping dishes, you can stack four to five together, as long as there is bubble wrap between each dish.
Making sure that everything gets to its destination in one piece involves more than just careful wrapping and packing. Reliable Delivery is diligent in keeping accurate inventory records. This not only helps to keep track of all the items to be loaded, but it will help you when it’s time to unpack in your new home, as well. Label each box with not only a description of its contents, but what room it was originally taken from and what room it should be going to. When it’s time to set up your belongings in your new place, you’ll be sure of what’s in the box, and you’ll know where it is supposed to go, too!
Happy Packing!