Packing Dos and Don’ts
Life is busy and when you are planning for a move, it can get downright overwhelming.
The movers at Déménagement Total have all the tricks when it comes to easily packing up your things, making moving a simple process, instead of an overcomplicated one.
Packing Tips from Our Expert Movers
Take it from us, packing is not just throwing things in a few boxes and calling it a day.
The expert packers and movers at Déménagement Total have undergone extensive training in the different methods and techniques of properly packing items so they do not get damaged through the process of moving.
We would like to share some of our packing tips and moving hacks with you!
Here is a list of the do’s and don’ts of packing directly from our expert movers.
Do: Declutter and pack light.
- Go room by room to sort through your things.
- Decide which items you can part with.
- Get rid of clothing, books, toys, etc. by giving them to a donation center
- Sell some of your items that are worth money. Do this online or at a garage sale.
- If you have items that are broken, damaged or have no use, take them to the dump or recycle center.
- Use items like suitcases, laundry baskets and hampers and other storage bins to pack up your items. This will save you money on packing materials.
Do: Buy the best quality packing material you can afford.
- Packing materials like boxes, paper, bubble wrap, plastic wrap, packing peanuts and tape can be expensive. So use sparingly.
- Cheap boxes rip easily and can damage your valuable items.
- Buy study boxes, the best you can afford as this will be cheaper than replacing broken items put in flimsy boxes that are likely to break apart during the move.
- If you can’t afford boxes, consider borrowing them. Packing Tips: Ask on social media, as you’d be surprised how many people are looking to get rid of packing materials.
Do: Put Your Towels, linens and other soft items to good use.
- Using linens to wrap fragile items is a great idea to help protect them during the move.
- Use hand towels to fill empty spaces in boxes to prevent items from shifting while being transported.
- Mix up items in your boxes to help distribute the weight. Packing tips: pack some books, knick-knacks, and other smaller items in a box, then put some sweaters around them to help add some padding around the items so they don’t bump into each other or move around on the moving truck.
Do: Use the correct sized box.
- Boxes come in various sizes, so one of our packing tips is to choose carefully.
- Small boxes should be used to pack heavier items so it’ll be easier to carry or move. Pack dishes, pots and pans, books, tools, small appliances like a stand-mixers or blender, canned foods, sheet sets, vases, knick-knacks, etc.
- Medium boxes can be used to pack an assortment of heavy and lighter items. Our packing tips include items like pots, pans, trays, games, shoes, lines, towels, small appliances like espresso machines, coffee maker, toasters, stereo and tv components and large lampshades.
- Large boxes should be used for lighter things, so it’s easier to carry and transport. Things like pillows, duvets, bedsheets and other bedding, blankets, towels, table clothes, bulky winter clothes like jackets, sweaters, coats, scarves, toques, etc.
Don’t: Pack boxes over 50 lbs.
One of our top packing tips is to never pack a box over 50 lbs. This is for two reasons:
- the box can rip while being moved and there’s a high chance they can become damaged.
- this is heavy enough that it will be difficult for our movers to pick up safely. There’s a higher chance of injury when carrying a load over 50 lbs.
Don’t: Pack household cleaners or flammable materials
One of our biggest moving hacks…don’t pack anything that can be dangerous. You do not want your moving truck blowing up because you packed a jerry can of fuel and matches.
Do NOT pack the following things:
- Cleaning solutions like bleach or ammonia
- Matches
- Lighter fluid
- Acid
- Gasoline
- Paint and paint thinner
- Car batteries and other batteries
- Aerosols
- Pool chemicals
Do: Use packing paper and bubble wrap to protect breakable items.
- Bubble wrap is specially made to help protect fragile and delicate items. One of our moving hacks is to use this material on the most breakable things, like expensive wine or champagne glasses, and porcelain tea cups.
- Paper is also a good protector of things like everyday glassware and coffee mugs. Packing tips: You can even layer paper between plates and dishes.
Do: Label each box with the room it belongs in and a list of what’s inside
- One of our favourite moving hacks is to encourage customers to colour coordinate and label every box.
- Assign a different coloured marker to each room. (Example: Master bedroom is green, kid’s bedroom is purple, kitchen is orange…etc.) Packings Tips: Use permanent, waterproof markers- in the case it rains or the box becomes wet somehow. Also, write in clear, legible printing so everyone can read the box easily.
- Label boxes with a description of the room, and a number. You may have 10 boxes from your bedroom. The label will say (bedroom 1, bedroom 2, bedroom 3…etc).
- You may also like to keep a master list of the main things inside each box in case you need to get access to something.
Don’t: Leave packing to the last minute.
- One of our most important packing tips is to never leave packing to the last minute. This spells disaster. Frantically packing your items can pretty much guarantee things will get damaged. Throwing things into a box haphazardly will not end well.
- Do whatever you can to be as organized as possible when it comes to packing. Even if you are making a last minute move, packing should be done in a way that makes sense and following our packing tips will help you do just that!
Don’t: Underpack boxes.
- Leaving extra space in a box pretty much guarantees that things will shift and move around during transport.
- If a box is too heavy and there is still space in the box, consider moving the items to a smaller box, or fill the box with things like linens and towels to fill the empty space.
Don’t: Try to move large furniture as one piece.
- Trying to lift a large piece of furniture can be extremely challenging, so see if you can disassemble it first. Many pieces of furniture can be taken apart.
- Make sure to keep all screws, nuts and bolts in a ziplock bag and label it too.
- Wrap the individual pieces with blankets, moving pads and plastic wrap to keep it safe.
- For large items that can’t be taken apart, consider wrapping with blankets too so they don’t get damaged.
- Leave a fitted sheet on your mattress to keep it covered if you don’t have a mattress protector.
Effectively Pack for Your Move
Hopefully our packing tips and moving hacks helped you learn some new strategies to effectively pack for your move.
If you are ready to get started, give Déménagement Total a call or get a FREE estimate. We’d love to help with your move!
