Packing Supplies & Labeling
- Keep the following supplies handy for packing:
- Moving Boxes
- Marking pens
- Bubble wrap
- Newspaper and tissue
- Heavy duty packing tape
- Scissors
- Tape measure
- Purchase extra-strong boxes for packing dishes, wardrobe and other special items.
- Pack audio-video equipment in their original boxes. Label cables and tighten transit screws. If removing screws, tape them to the objects they are removed from.
- Avoid loading more than 50 pounds into one box.
- Label each box and indicate the following:
- (a) Which room it should go in
- (b) Whether it is fragile
- (c) If it should be loaded last so it will be unloaded first.
- Cushion contents with packing material such as bubble wrap, newspaper or tissue. Save room by using towels and blankets to wrap fragile items.
- Pack books tightly on end in small boxes. If musty smelling, sprinkle talcum powder between the pages and wrap the book before packing. Leave stored for a couple of months to eliminate the smell.
- Have rugs and draperies cleaned before moving and leave them in wrappings for the move.
- Pack medicines in a leak proof container.
- Pack a separate box for your valuables to carry with you.
- Check with your local U.S. Department of Agriculture for regulations regarding moving plants from one state to another. Many states have restrictions on certain plants to prevent importing bugs or pests that can destroy valuable cash crops.
How to Pack Boxes
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- Plan ahead to obtain the necessary cartons – We can sell you any cartons you might need in addition to other packing material such as paper and tape. You might save a substantial amount of money, however, by obtaining cartons from other sources such as friends who have recently moved and/or stores. Starting to collect cartons a month or two prior to your move will probably make it possible to obtain enough cartons.
- Select the proper size and type of carton – Heavy items such as books, record albums, canned food, etc. should be put in smaller cartons. Some items such as large pictures, mirrors, glass tops and shelves, clocks and mattresses may require special cartons which we can provide.
- When moving locally, some items don’t require packing – When you are moving locally some items do not necessarily need to be packed. Items such as mirrors, large pictures and mattresses can usually be transported safely for short distances without packing. Generally, these items should be packed for long distance move and for shipments moving into storage. Lamps and lampshades should always be packed.
- Pack one room at a time – Packing can appear to be an insurmountable task when viewed from the perspective of the entire house. Packing one room at a time (and staying with that room until it is fully packed) has the effect of dividing the overall task into several smaller and more manageable tasks. This approach also makes it possible to set realistic goals, i.e. pack the dining room today, the kitchen tomorrow, etc.
- Tape the bottom of the boxes – Taping the bottom of cartons before filling them prevents the contents from spilling out the bottom during the move.
- Heavy item on the bottom – Light items on top – In each carton the heavier items should be placed at the bottom and the lighter items on top to prevent damage.
- Use a lot of paper – All breakable items should be wrapped individually in paper. Paper should be used to cushion the bottom, sides and top of cartons.
- Place breakables correctly in box – Plates should be stacked vertically as if in a dish drain; glasses and stemware should be placed in an upright position; again, use plenty of paper on all fragile and breakable items.
- Pack boxes correctly – Fill all cartons to the top without overfilling. Cartons with items sticking over the top cannot be properly closed or stacked; cartons that are under filled tend to crush when stacked. Always make sure each carton is filled totally to the top before closing. A small space at the top can be filled with paper, a towel, a blanket or other similar items.
- Close carton and seal shut with tape – Cartons should be closed-top and sealed with tape to prevent damage and make stacking easier.
- Label each box – Use a felt pen to clearly label each carton as to its general contents and the room it is to be placed in at destination. Label on the side of each carton rather than on the top so that cartons in stacks can be identified. If a carton is packed in a manner that requires it to be always kept in an upright position, draw arrows on each side indicating which end must always be kept up. Any cartons containing particularly fragile items should be labeled as such.
- Stack cartons – Time will be saved on your move if you arrange cartons in stacks of similar sized cartons four to five feet high. This enables the cartons to be easily dollied from the house to the truck.
