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1. You can
save a lot of money if you do the bulk of the packing on
your own. Limit yourself to non-fragile items such as
books, linens, clothing and shoes; and replaceable items
such as plates, dishes (not fine china or expensive
silverware), and small kitchen appliances. These items
will be cheaper to replace in case of damage as opposed
to hiring workers for the extra labor. Leave the
furniture, mattresses, and heavy appliances to be packed
by the mover.
2. The
heavier the item, the smaller the box it should occupy.
Don't toss everything into one huge box. It will make
the hauling much more difficult. A good rule of thumb is
if you can't lift the box easily, it's too heavy! Keep
the weight of the box under 50lbs and remember to always
lift with your knees, not your back.
3. You
should never let the movers pack your jewelry, family
heirlooms, or other priceless items. Should they be lost
or damaged, the insurable value will not come anywhere
near the value you would place on them. Such items
include jewelry, sports memorabilia, photo albums, and
various hobby collections. Pack these items yourself and
take them with you, either in the car or as carry-on
luggage if size allows.
4. Get the
proper boxes for your items the right sizes and
strengths. Have enough wardrobe boxes, as they'll save
you ironing time later. You can pack t-shirts and jeans
in suitcases and regular boxes but you don't want to
pack your fine clothing such as suits or dresses in the
same place. Save space by tossing in shoes at the bottom
of the wardrobe box, but be reasonable.
5. Don't
let the box become too heavy or susceptible to fallout
from the bottom. Purchase the padded dish boxes with
dividers to protect your fine china. For your
replaceable and non-fragile items, save money by using
the free boxes that you can obtain from supermarkets and
wrapping the items in old newspaper.
Packing
Tips:
1. Pack
like with like. Don't pack delicate items in a box with
items that could damage them.
2. Grandma's antique tea set and Junior's computer don't
really go that well together.
3. Cover
any sharp edges of your larger items (table corners
etc.) so that they do not damage other items.( A rag
with a rubber band or some sort of elastic works well
for this.)
4. Wrap
items in clean paper. Use newspaper for cushioning only,
because
Newspaper ink can damage your delicate items (like
china).
5. Place
crushed paper or other Styrofoam �peanuts� in the bottom
of cartons for cushioning.
6. Keep the
heaviest items on the bottom and the lighter items on
top, both in individual boxes and in general. No matter
how strong your coffee table is, chances are it won't
hold the weight of your big screen TV.
7. Seal
cartons tightly with tape whenever possible.
8. Develop
a system to catalog the boxes. You might give each box a
number and keep a list of the items in that box in a
notebook. Or even do something as simple as write the
actual room each box will have to go in. Once those
boxes are sealed, if the boxes are unmarked, your memory
will inevitably fail you. Why leave it to chance?
9. Use this
system to let your movers know which box needs to go in
which room upon arrival.
10. Wind
electrical cords, fastening them so they do not dangle.
Many errant electrical chords have caused the demise of
a beloved lamp or computer.
11. Empty
out your drawers completely, especially of items that
could cause damage when in contact with other
possessions.
12. Fill in
empty spaces between your heavy and light layers with
crushed paper or other cushioning.
13. For very
small and fragile items, pack a small box inside a
larger box with paper or other cushioning in between the
boxes.
14. Try hard
not to separate items that belong together. Any pairs or
sets of items should go together and any screws, nuts or
bolts that will be used to reassemble a larger item
should be placed with an item, clearly labeled and well
sealed.
15. Fill
your boxes completely but try to limit their weight to
50 lb. Use cushioning to achieve this.
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