Moving Tips

Use the right size boxes.

Put heavy items, like books and canned food, in small boxes; light items, like linens and pillows, in bigger ones. (Large boxes packed with heavy items are a common complaint of professional movers. They not only make the job harder but also have a bigger chance of breaking.)

Put heavier items on the bottoms of boxes, lighter items on top.

Don’t leave empty spaces in the boxes.

Fill in gaps with clothing, towels, or packing paper. Boxers need to be filled up to the top so they won’t be crushed if stacked.

Label each box with the room it’s destined for and a description of its contents on both the top of the box and again on one side of the box.

This way if the boxes are stacked, the movers will still be able to locate where the box needs to go.

Tape boxes well.

Use a couple of pieces of tape to close the bottom and top seams. Best is the criss cross method, one tape going the length of the box and the other coming across perpendicular to first tape.

If you’re moving expensive art, ask your mover about special crating.

Wrap the pictures in paper or bubble wrap and put them in a picture frame box, with a piece of cardboard between each framed piece for protection.

Bundle breakables.

As you pack your dishes, you can use bubble or packing paper around each one, then wrap bundles of five or six together with more paper. Pack dishes on their sides, and use plenty of bunched-up paper as padding above and below. Cups and bowls can be placed inside one another, with paper in between, and wrapped three or four in a bundle. Pack them all in double corrugated boxes.

Consider other items that will need special treatment.

TV’s should be in a TV box; the original if possible. If you don’t have the original box , you can purchase one, usually at a Uhaul place or Home Depot.