10 Steps You Should Take to Ensure Items are Packed Safely When Moving
Moving to another place can be a challenging task. It requires a lot of physical effort to carry out the entire process. One of the main concerns of many people when moving is the safety of their belongings. It is not a pleasant experience to get the items have been broken or lost along the way. So, what are the steps you should take to ensure your belongings are packed safely and securely during a move?
1. Have a plan and make a checklist
When preparing to move to another location, have a plan. Know what and what not to pack. Avoid waiting for the truck to arrive and put all your belongings there – even the ones you don’t need. When you know you are moving, sit down and have a checklist of what you need to carry. This will prevent hauling your belongings anyhow on to the truck which can damage them.
2. Use appropriate packaging
Always use professional boxes in packing your belongings when moving. Most people will pick an old carton box lying around to package items. This is not a clever idea because the box may fall apart or may not be able to withstand the weight of your belongings.
Your items may suddenly fall when you least expect and get damaged. A reliable approach is to use packing boxes from a moving company. It is safer and gives you a reduced risk of failure. Always ensure you put items in packing that matches their shape. If it’s a rectangular item, picking a similar box is the best way to go. This will prevent forcing items into packing that they don’t suit and reduce chance of breaking.
3. Wrapping
Wrap some of the things before packing them into moving boxes to minimize any risks of damage. If you are moving during rainy weather, consider covering the boxes with polythene. This is highly important for spongy items like sofas or those made of wooden materials. They will absorb water which can damage them by causing shrinking.
4. No Overloading Boxes
Do not be tempted to put everything into a one container thinking they will fit. Trying to force everything into one box is putting your belongings at elevated risk of breaking. Get enough boxes and distribute the items evenly in the containers to prevent them from breaking one another.
5. Padding and Cushioning
Always ensure your items are well padded to avoid breakage during moving. Even if they don’t break, things like furniture can be scratched which can affect their appearance. Old newspapers or magazines can be used for this purpose.
Wrap the hollow items on the outside and stuff newspapers inside to help in maintaining the structure of the item. After arranging the items in a box, stuff cloth or papers between them to fill up space they have left. This will prevent shifting around when on the move. This is especially important for glassware items which can easily break if they hit each other.
6. Proper Stacking
When stacking the packing boxes, arrange them according to what they contain. Let the heavier ones be at the bottom of the lightweight ones. If the top boxes have breakable items, do not place them too high from the ground. They could easily fall over leading to damage.
7. Labeling Packaging
Make sure you label your boxes accordingly to alert anyone who will be helping you in the process. Labeling ensures the moving boxes are handled with the care they deserve according to the items they hold. Special preference will be given to the ones labeled as fragile to ensure they won’t be easily spoilt or lost during the moving process.
8. Keep Valuables and Fragile Items Separate
Put essential stuff like jewelry that will be heartbreaking to lose in a bag, or you can leave them to your family members or neighbors. These things should not get out of your sight. You could and should keep them in your car. The same applies to belongings that are highly fragile. Do not mix them with other items. This way you will know that your items are well handled and will be your accountability.
For the valuables, if you have access to a safe, you can lock the items in the safe and make sure it is close to you every time. You can also ask the moving company to provide you with locked containers that usually operate with a key to put your valuables like artwork and other valuables.
9. Hire Help
Some people prefer hiring an independent company right from the beginning because they make it faster and smoother. You can avoid all these costs by asking your friends and family members to help you. Hired movers know how to handle and arrange your things with care therefore you will not expect to get any breakages.
They know how to pack and transport special items such as heavier items and furniture with care. Many companies provide better services and easy moving experience. Therefore, your goods will reach your destination as you wanted. Hiring the professional movers will save you the stress of worrying about the safety of your things; just make sure you hire the right one, and try sticking with a carrier over a broker.
10. Keep harmful items separately
Never mix harmful items like paints, bleach among others in one place with other items. They should be kept apart to prevent the occurrence of irreversible damages. For example, the paint can spill on your furniture or any other thing and cause permanent stains. You don’t want to interfere with the appearance of your beautiful item? Right? Worst scenario can be where these harmful items can react resulting in a fire outbreak which can consume all your other things. To avoid all that, always keep such items apart during packaging for relocation.
Moving is a stressful task which can be more stressful if your items get damaged or lost along the way. Nothing is more annoying than opening a box to find your valuables smashed inside or missing. The above tips can help you safely and securely pack your items when moving to your new location.