Packing Tips

Our packing tips are steps that you should take to help insure the safety of your valuables..

* Before moving day

1. Make sure you have cleared out all unwanted items.

2. Get rid of all flammable materials, paint, or poison. Movers cannot move these items.

3. Empty fuel from mowers, clippers, trimmers and so on.

4. Clothes, make sure you take only those items that you use..

5. Start making up your change of address list.

6. Arrange to have mail forwarding with your Post Office.

7. Setup termination date for electricity/gas, telephone and other main suppliers.

8. Try to pack all electronic equipment in their original boxes. In the event that you don’t have the original

boxes, use a good strong box with plenty of cushioning.

9. Have area rugs cleaned and rolled up.

10. If you have children, make sure you take some toys or games to travel with to keep your children

entertained.

11. Round up personal documentation — marriage/birth certificates, driving licenses, Green Cards etc and

place it in a box that will travel with you.

12. Start running down freezer stocks.

13. Arrange your finances, close or transfer bank accounts, savings accounts and so on, if necessary.

Packing Materials

1. Use only strong, corrugated cartons with covers. We can supply you with specially made packing cartons

for everything from mattresses to clothing and mirrors. The added protection of mover-provided cartons

may avoid damage that results from the use of poor-quality packing materials.

2. Your alternative is to collect boxes discarded by your *grocery or liquor store. Save old newspapers for

use in packing, but remember that ink may rub off and stain clothing or other items.

*WARNING: Insect eggs and insects such as roaches can travel in food boxes. Keep this in mind when

getting boxes from food stores.

3. Here's a list of packing supplies that will come in handy:

4. Plastic bags and labels for easy identification.

5. Foam peanuts, Styrofoam pellets or "popcorn."

6. Tissue or craft paper for delicate packing jobs.

7. Corrugated paper rolls for figurines and fragile items.

8. Gummed tape (1 1/2 to 2 inches wide) and/or strong twine for sealing cartons.

9. Markers and labels for identifying contents of cartons.

10. Notebook and pencil for carton identification log.

11. Scissors and/or sharp knife.

* Packing Suggestions

1. Pack one room at a time. This will help you when it comes time to unpack.

2. Pack a couple of cartons a day, starting well ahead of the move.

3. LABEL - boxes on their sides with your name on them for easier recognition. Don’t forget to label those

extra fragile boxes "FRAGILE" and use arrows pointing to the top of the box. Please keep the box upright.

4. Mark all boxes, designating room and box number. If you choose to make a carton identification log to

show the number of boxes packed per room, and the total number of cartons packed. It's a good idea to

leave space in your log for a special comments section to note carton conditions or location of high value

goods. Notify your mover of any high value items.

5. Be sure to have plenty of "filling" material available.

6. Be sure that the bottoms of all cartons are well secured with tape so that it will hold the weight of the

contents.

7. Packing tape is superior to masking tape.

8. Pack heavier items toward the bottom of the box and lighter items toward the top. Try to keep a per-box

weight of 50 pounds or less; it makes moving a lot easier. A general rule to remember on carton size -- the

heavier the item, the smaller the carton.

9. REMEMBER packing is one of the most important but sometimes overlooked aspects of moving. The

quality and safety of your office or household move depends on the quality of the pack job. Again, using

proper materials and plenty of packing paper is the key!

* How to Pack Dishes

1. Select a medium-sized carton (or mover provided dish pack) and line the bottom of the carton with

crumpled packing paper.

2. With packing paper stacked neatly in place on a work table, center one plate on the paper.

3. Grasp a corner on several sheets of packing paper and pull the paper over the plate until sheets

completely cover the plate. Stack a second plate on and, moving clockwise, grasp a second corner and pull

sheets over the second plate.

4. Stack a third plate. Grasp remaining two corners, folding two sheets of each corner (one at a time) over

the plate.

5. Turn your wrapped stack of plates upside down onto your packing paper.

6. Re-wrap the entire bundle: start with one corner of packing paper and pull two sheets over the bundle,

cover bundle with next corner, then the third corner; and finally, the fourth.

7. Seal the bundle with packing tape.

8. Place the bundle of dishware in a medium-size box or dish pack so that the plates are standing on edge.

Use this process on all saucers, bread and butter dishes, and other dishware. When packing smaller dishes,

you may choose to stack in greater quantity.

* How to Pack Cups

1. With packing paper in place on the work table, position one cup six to eight inches from one of the

corners.

2. Now pull the near corner of the paper up and over the cup.

3. Nest a second cup directly on top, with handle to left (second cup should "nest" itself in packing paper

folded over the bottom cups).

4. Pull the two side corners up and over, one at a time, and tuck corners inside the top cup.

5. Hold the bottom and top cup in position and roll cups to the remaining corner. Fragile mixing bowls may

be rolled in the same manner.

6. Delicate cups, like china, should be wrapped one at a time. Antique glass or china should be stuffed with

crumpled tissue and wrapped one at a time.

* How to Pack Glasses and Stemware

1. Stuff glasses and stemware with crumpled tissue or packing paper before wrapping.

2. Lay on the corner of packing paper and roll it one or two full rotations (depending on size); pull sides of

packing paper up and over glass/stemware and continue rolling to the far corner. Corrugated paper rolls or

cellular boxes may be used for added protection.

3. Place glasses and stemware toward the top of your box. Heavier items (dishware, etc) should be placed

toward the bottom of the box.

Delicate glassware and stemware should be placed in an upright position, not on its side. Special boxes with

dividers for Individual placement and layers may be used also.

Remember use crumpled packing paper in between each layer to assure a snug fit wherever there's a gap. All

boxes with "fragile" items should be clearly marked..

Specialized Packing Tips

The list of individual household items is endless. Most can be packed by following our packing Tips. Here are

some additional packing tips for major items. Please feel free to contact us at 1-800-755-2325 if you have

any specific questions pertaining to your move. We are here to help!

Bureau/Dressers or Chest of Drawers-- Don't overload. Too heavy a load can put stress on the piece of

furniture or be difficult for the movers. Your regular clothing may be left in their drawers. Antique dressers,

large double or triple dressers are best moved empty, especially if they are subject to a flight of stairs.

Canned Goods and Other Non-Frozen Food -- Pack upright with no more than 20-30 cans per carton.

Wrap glass containers and boxed foods individually and pack in small cartons.

Frozen Foods /Plants/Clocks–All food must be emptied out of the refrigerator and freezer because of

their delicate and perishable nature of these items we are prohibited from accepting these items. Clocks

should have the pendulum secured. Grandfather clocks should be prepared for moving by expert servicemen.

* Drapes and Curtains -- Hang drapes over crossbars in wardrobe cartons, or pack folded in clean cartons.

Remove curtains from rods, fold and pack in cartons or bureau drawers.



* Flammables and Combustibles -- Flammable liquids and aerosol cans must not be packed. Changes in

temperature and pressure can cause them to leak, or even explode. For your own protection, you should

know that if you pack these items and they cause damage to your shipment or others, you, not your mover,

may be held liable.


* Lamps and Lampshades -- Remove bulbs, harps and shades. Roll up cord. Pack lamps with bedding or

wrap separately and place upright in clean, tissue-lined carton. Larger lamps can be blanket –wrapped by our

company. Wrap harp and finial (decorative knob) with packing paper and tape to inside wall of carton that

contains shade. Wrap shades in tissue, not newspaper. Place upright in large, tissue lined cartons. All

Shades must be properly boxed as they are extremely vulnerable to damage. (No insurance will be provided

on the shades that aren’t properly boxed.)



* Medicines -- Carry your own prescription drugs with you in your car for easy access. Other medicines

used for general purposes should be sealed down tight and placed in a small box labeled “medicines ”seal

caps with masking tape.

* Mirrors, Paintings and Pictures – For items of “extra ordinary value” Please advise the driver/men of

these pieces upon the original walk thru. Large wall or dresser mirrors will be taken down by the movers and

placed in special cartons. For added safety, place tape diagonally across mirror to protect better against

damage.



* Personal Computers and Electronics-- Pack valuable electronic equipment in original cartons when

available. Otherwise, use strong, corrugated cartons and place protective padding on the bottom of the

carton. Wrap an old blanket or protective pad around the item and place it in its carton. Place additional

padding between the carton and the computer or video recorder. Wrap cords separately, label to identify

usage and place in a plastic bag away from delicate surfaces. Non-detachable cords should also be wrapped.

Place cords between the padded computer or video recorder and the carton. Be sure your personal computer

is "parked" and ready for transport.



* Silverware -- Wrap each piece in cloth or low sulphur content paper to prevent tarnishing. Use an old

blanket or moving pad as a wrap to prevent scratching the silverware chest.



* Tools -- Drain fuel from power tools (do not ship Flammables under any circumstances). Pack tools in

small, strong cartons. Wrap separately if valuable.



* Waterbed Mattresses -- Drain all water from the waterbed and, grasping internal baffle systems with

external vinyl, fold mattress 20 inches at a time. Adjust folds to avoid making creases across individual

baffles. Consult your owner's manual for special instructions concerning the care and transportation of your

mattress. Do not place your mattress in a carton with sharp or pointed objects.



* Cars and Motorcycles -- Cars and motorcycles shipped on the moving van should be drained nearly

empty of fuel. Motorcycle batteries should be disconnected. Automobile antifreeze should be ample to

protect against severe cold in winter.




* Barbecue Grills and Propane Tanks -- Wrap grates and briquettes separately in a newspaper (or place

all briquettes into a grocery bag) and place parts in carton. Pad carton with paper to reduce movement of

contents. Propane tanks must be drained before the move. Consult your local gas grill distributor for the

safest method.

The Dreaded Garage

Please make sure all loose items are boxed and ready to go. Ever wonder what to do with the plastic garbage

cans that have been outdated? Put your gardening equipment or hoses in them, or maybe even play or

sports equipment that’s kicking around the house. Be creative!

Remember PACKING is one of the most important but sometimes overlooked aspects of moving. The quality

and safety of your office or household move depends on the quality of the pack job. Again, using proper

materials and plenty of packing paper is the key! A "How to Pack Booklet" is available upon request at no

charge. This booklet explains the actual "how to" process of packing fragile china or breakables.

We are a full service moving company, so don’t hesitate to ask us about our full service packing.

Last but not least, don’t stress out! We’re here to take the headache out of moving by providing you with

the most professional job possible. To obtain a quote, please fill our quick quote form and we will e-mail

you back an approximate price. We hope to serve you for your upcoming move.