Packing For The Movers

Packing For The Movers
By Kyle Thomas Haley

You’ve chosen a new home, selected a mover, and now comes the
task of packing for the move. There are 3 important things you
should remember that will save you a lot of time and frustration
later: 

• Collect all the materials (boxes, tape, paper) you’ll 
need to pack. 

• Don’t put packing off until the last minute. 

• Stay organized! 

Here’s a list of the materials you’ll need to pack efficiently:

• Paper for wrapping your items: 

Many people collect old newspapers and use them. Just remember
that the news ink never dries and will come off on your
belongings. If you want to avoid the need to wash everything
when you arrive, you can purchase packing paper from your mover.

• Boxes: 

You can collect boxes from your local supermarket and other
businesses. Select strong boxes in good condition and make sure
they have covers. Divided boxes like liquor boxes are great for
glasses and stemware. 

Your mover can also provide you with boxes especially made for
moving. However, these boxes are expensive and you may want to
purchase only those which are usually necessary like wardrobes
for hanging clothes, mattress cartons, and cartons for large
pictures, mirrors and table lamps. 

• Sealing Tape - Use plastic tape that’s 1½-2” wide 

• Magic Marker – to mark boxes for contents and special
instructions like “fragile”, “this side up”, etc. 

Now that you have all your materials, you’re ready to start
packing! Start as far ahead of time as you can. Waiting until
the last minute will create a nightmare you don’t want to
experience! If you begin early you can pack a few boxes a day
and have everything completed without stressing yourself
unnecessarily. 

It’s really important that you keep your packing organized; it
will save a lot of confusion later. It’s best to pack a room at
a time so that you can keep everything thing together that
belongs together. 

Start in areas containing articles that aren’t used frequently
such as your attic, basement, garage, etc. You can leave an
extra box to hold items that can’t be packed early. 

Packing Up the Kitchen 

The hardest room to pack is probably the kitchen so let’s
discuss that in detail. 

Remember when you’re packing fragile items to pad the bottom of
the box with several sheets of paper. Place the heaviest items
on the bottom of the box and the more delicate things on top. 

When you pack flatware like plates, saucers, etc., wrap each
item separately and then combine in groups of three. Rewrap that
group in more paper and seal with the plastic tape. Each group
will then be better protected. Stand them on end in the box. 

You can nest glasses and cups 3 or 4 together and separate with
small sheets of paper. It’s best to pack them in divided
containers if you have them. If the box isn’t full to the top,
stuff with additional paper. If you don’t have divided
containers, you can place them in other boxes where you have
empty space; just be sure to fit them in toward the top of the
box so they aren’t crushed. 

Don’t nest Goblets and stemware, wrap them individually. 

Try to keep small kitchen appliances like the toaster, crock
pot, etc., all together rather than mixing them with other
items. Wrap them individually with 2 or 3 sheets of paper and
wad up paper to fill any empty space. However, if you have a lot
of extra room you can add some pots and pans. 

You can nest pots, pans and large bowls in groups of 3 with a
couple sheets of paper between each of them. 

When you pack boxed foods such as cereal and rice, be sure to
seal the tops with plastic tape. (Remember to do this for salt
and pepper shakers also!) If your things are going be stored for
very long, you may want to discard these items to avoid rodents
or insects. 

You can pack filled canisters as long as they are individually
wrapped and the tops are sealed with plastic tape. 

Finally, here are some miscellaneous tips to remember: 

• Don’t pack anything that’s flammable, combustive or
explosive. This includes items like aerosol spray cans,
gasoline, and paint thinners. 

• Empty all drawers. 

• Pack heavy items like books and canned goods in smaller
boxes. 

• Pack bulky and lightweight items like toys, blankets, and
pillows in large boxes. 

• You don’t need to wrap toys, books and shoes individually. 

• Stand books and records on end. 

It isn’t as hard as it sounds, but it you don’t want to deal
with packing, your moving company will be happy to pack for you
~ of course, that service comes with a very hefty price tag! 

Happy Moving!

About the Author: Kyle Thomas Haley has been helping people
relocate on the Internet since 1999 with Apartment and
Relocation Websites: http://www.apartment-rental.net
http://www.relocation-guide.net/Moving/ Copyright 1999 – 2005
STANZEEKAY Inc. You have permission to publish this article free
of charge, as long as the bylines are included and none of the
links or content are removed or edited.

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Permanent Link:
http://www.isnare.com/?aid=24211&ca=Family+Concerns