Packing your items for moving is an art unto itself, and there are many things to consider that can affect the safety and efficiency of your move. In the flurry of activity that goes on in the days leading up to the move, it is way too tempting to simply stuff everything into boxes and garbage bags. However, there are many reasons why you should take the time to pack up everything properly. For one thing, you will have everything that you need when you get to your new home. Packing everything up securely when you move will also save you the cost of having to replace everything later on. Here are a few tips on keeping your items safe when you move.
Use your drawers as secure storage containers
Your drawers can actually serve as safe and effective storage containers. While you probably wouldn’t want to store fragile or breakable items in there, blankets, linen, and even pillows and stuffed toys can be stored safely in drawers. However, you should make sure not to pack too many heavy items in there. If the contents add too much to the weight of the entire bureau, it might be better to pack them up separately in their own boxes.
Have plenty of bubble wrap and other packing materials handy
You simply can’t have too much bubble wrap, so make sure that you get more than you think you need. Stock up on Styrofoam pellets and old newspapers too while you are at it. Crumpled up newspaper can be good padding material to fill up the spaces between larger items, but don’t rely on them as your sole padding material. For maximum safety, make sure to wrap larger and bulkier items in plenty of bubble wrap.
Box everything up
Garbage boxes are very useful…for garbage. For packing up your stuff for moving, they are simply too flimsy and there is a good chance that a bag could tear and spill your things out on the pavement. If you are serious about keeping all your stuff safe during a move, forget about the garbage bags and pack everything up properly in boxes.
Use twist ties
Twist ties and sandwich bags can be amazingly useful for moving. If you have a bunch of wires for your home entertainment system or computer, bundling them up with twist ties is a great way to keep everything together. Don’t tape up your wires as an alternative. It might seem easier to just tape them up while you are packing but the hassle of trying to remove the tape and the adhesive gunk that it leaves makes them a less than ideal solution.
Pack up small items in sandwich bags
During a move, there are countless small items that can easily be lost or misplaced, including drawer keys, nuts and bolts, spare batteries, and the like. You should have a few heavy-duty sandwich bags handy for such items, and they can be used to hold perishable food items on the day of the move as well.