Tips to Pack Your House for a Move
Packing up your house for a move shows you just how much you actually own. You may find your staggering amount of possessions presents a packing challenge, so start the project early and with a careful strategy to keep everything in order and minimize moving damage. You'll need to stock up on the right tools, then follow through on all of the wrapping, taping, boxing, labeling and organizing. By following a few simple guidelines, you can make the process less frustrating. Does this Spark an idea?
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Carton Sizing
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Don't make the mistake of going to the moving supply company and buying 100 of the same size of box. Different things demand different packing cartons, and using the wrong kind can be a costly mistake. Books, for example, quickly add up in weight and must therefore be packed in smaller boxes. While you could fit 200 books in an over-sized carton, you could never lift it -- the bottom would drop out. Similarly, objects like mattresses, mirrors and flat-screen televisions should be packed in specially shaped cartons designed to protect them.
Fragile Items
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Fragile items like china, glassware, porcelain statues and lamps need to be carefully and methodically wrapped before you box them. Bubble wrap and clean newsprint are your two best tools for this process, so stock up on both -- while old newspapers will work, they may also leave ink smudges on everything, so buy clean newsprint, available from most packaging-product stores, for packing your dishes. Swaddle your breakables, bundle them together and fill out the box with additional crumpled newsprint or packing peanuts to minimize jostling.
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Labeling Tips
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Keep a broad-tipped permanent marker on hand throughout the packing process so that you can label boxes as you go. Label them as specifically as possible -- for example, instead of writing "Kitchen," write "Kitchen appliances" or "Kitchen glasses -- fragile." Label the tops and sides of your boxes so that you can identify the contents even when they're stacked. Label everything inside your boxes, as well -- for example, bundle your electronics cords and label them with a piece of masking tape so you can keep track of what cords belong to what appliances.
Move-In Kit
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Packing your house is a chore, but so is unpacking -- plan ahead by packing a move-in kit for everyone in your household. Include the items you will need immediately, like a change of clothes, a towel and a toothbrush. Other things to pack include toiletries, paper plates, a first-aid kit and anything else you may need in a pinch. Preparing a box like this saves you the time and stress of sorting through dozens of moving boxes in search of one or two items.
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References
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