Keep These Professional Packing Tips & Tricks in Mind
As you pack, be sure to keep these helpful tips in mind:
Buy Boxes in a Range of Sizes
The biggest mistake amateur packers make is buying several large boxes to pack all their possessions. This rookie mistake makes sense. After all, it may seem efficient to load up as much as possible in each box, to save yourself time and money on packing supplies. However, the problem is that once you load these up with books or other weighty objects, they may be too heavy to lift, or the bottom may fall out if the tape doesn’t hold. To protect your back and prevent damage to your things, always put heavy items in small boxes and reserve the larger boxes for linens, clothing, and pillows.
Fill in the Gaps
You also want to balance your boxes as much as you can. Do not allow for any loose spaces to shift and unbalance the load. Pack the heavier items on the bottom to keep a pendulum effect. You don’t want large items shifting and falling into corners where they will knock off the balance. By marking the heavier boxes with a symbol, you will know to load them first and to place them near the front of the moving truck.
Always Label!
If you keep your boxes organized based on rooms and living spaces, you will avoid a lot of confusion. Label the outside of the box with the contents and a description of where it belongs in your new residence. If you keep a numbered list of boxes with a list of each one’s contents, you can prevent the old misplaced box phenomenon that sends your boxes to the Bermuda Triangle.
Be Cautious When Packing Art
When you are shipping priceless art or your personal favorites, you need to ship it in more durable wooden crate frames. Never wrap oil paintings with ordinary paper. Consult with an art gallery for a special paper material called Glassine. Glassine is both waterproof and grease-resistant. You will want to use masking tape to mark any glass enclosed frames with an “X” to hold it together in the event of shattering. Adding foam board to sandwich the paintings and layers of bubble wrap will help absorb any jostling or impact before you stack them in a crate.
Use Special Care with Electronics
Be careful when packing TV sets, especially plasma screens. The vibrations can ruin them if you lay them flat, so you must carry them vertically to their new homes. Preferably, you will want to use the original packaging. If that is not available, you should double box them with plenty of padding to be safe.
Following these tips will help ensure your belongings make it to your new home unscathed. For a better chance of your things surviving the move, enlist the assistance of Chicago’s best movers and packers. For free quotes on moving and packing services from top moving companies in the city, call Cheap Chicago Movers today!