Preparation
Box Packing Tips
- 1 Kitchen: Wrap each dish and glass in newsprint and put them in a box labeled fragile. Put something soft underneath glassware/plates like dish towels or oven mitts.
- 2 Wrap loose items like cooking utensils and silverware in paper before boxing them. Its a lot easier to unpack that way.
- 3 Go around the house and gather soft stuff. Use towels and blankets from the linen closet and throw pillows for cushioning in a fragile box.
- 4 Make a few boxes specifically for things you need to have right away. Label them open first and your movers will know to make them accessible for you at the unload. (coffee maker, laptop, medication, dog leash, phone chargers
- 5 fill boxes all the way to the top to prevent them from being crushed.
- 6 When disconnecting electronics I try to keep as many cables attached as I can, to make it easier to put back together.
- 7 Have a room or section in the house set aside to stage packed boxes. This keeps the rest of the house clear, so you have room to work.
- 8 The goal really is to get everything in a box that will fit in a box. When your crew sees how much work you have done to make the move easier for them, they will be motivated to get moving. That was always my experience as a mover. When I walked in and the job was neat and organized, I knew my job was going to be "easy" and I got excited. You set em up and we'll knock em down. This is a team effort!
How to Prepare
"Failure to prepare, is preparing to fail"
-Ben Franklin
TVS, PICTURES AND LAMPS must be in a box in order to be protected under our insurance policy. 8 out of 10 people do not do this and things are fine. I want you to be aware that coverage stops without the box.
- 1 Hanging clothes Pull a drawstring trash bag up around and a hand full of hangers, tie the drawstrings at the hooks and you have a garment bag we can take to the truck and hang up in the new place.
- 2 Post-it Notes Very helpful for the movers. Use different colors to separate items that are staying/going or for different destinations.
- 3 Trashbags: As a mover I love trash bags. They are not very glamorous but they are easy to pack and it's very useful to have some soft tossable, malleable items on hand when packing the moving van.
- 4 Labels Labels Labels: The key to a successful move is a good labeling strategy. Clarity is the name of the game
- 5 Boxes I buy mine at Lowes. They have handles and are a lot cheaper than other places. Label them for their destination, and seal them with tape top and bottom.
- 6 Pack a suitcase for all the things you will need to have immediately available, and take it with you.
- 7 Hiring junk removal services before the move is cheaper than paying us to move it, then paying someone to haul it away. I've hired them, and it is money well spent.
- 8 Disconnect and box electronics. If you do not have a box for your TV (most do not) we will wrap it in a moving blanket and strap it in. In 10 years I have probably seen 5 or 6 malfunction after moving. That's 5 or 6 out of ~ 12,000.
- 9 Put everything that will fit in a box, in a box, even smaller boxes.
Watch our video about packing and preparation. packing >>>>
Please Do
We can make moving a positive experience
- 1 Feel free to ask questions during the move. Your crew chief is your liaison and wants to make the process stress-free for you. I have found the most stressful part of having people work in your house is wondering what they are doing and or wondering if there is something you should be doing. It's ok to ask.
- 2 Have everything that will fit in a box, in a box, especially lamps.
- 3 Make sure the boxes have lids and are sealed top and bottom with tape.
- 4 Empty the drawers of larger furniture. The extra weight can damage the piece, or the movers. A lot of moving companies will tell you the opposite, but my policy is made with my employees well being in mind.
- 5 Vacuum and dust before the move, Ah-choo!
- 6 Separate what is staying and going as much as possible, use labels or post- its to differentiate.
- 7 Make yourself available at the unload. We will need your guidance to get everything where it belongs
- 8 Put heavy items in small boxes. Please no Rubbermaid bins full of magazines and medical texts.
- 9 It's nice to have some water available and maybe even some snacks. You don't have to, but small gestures like that are always appreciated. This can be thirsty work.
Pretty nice pack job!
Please Don't
Our goal is a safe, efficient move, for everyone involved.
- 1 Please don't Block the path. We must have a clear walkway. If someone is carrying a heavy piece of furniture and they step in a pile of toys or who- knows-what, that's a real hazard. They could fall and injure theirself, not to mention the furniture.
- 2 Please don't Allow pets and children to roam the work area unsupervised Same reason as above. Small children and pets should be out of the work area at all times.
- 3 Please don't Get into the moving truck, unless you are wearing a moxie movers T-shirt.
- 4 Please don't let this happen
This level of preparation makes the move more difficult, dangerous and expensive than it needs to be. I don't put these on here for the purpose of ridiculing anyone, they are here only as an example of what I would consider to be an unsafe working environment.