Packing is hard and tips are always welcomed. Everyone has heard about the packing dos, but packing don’ts are just as important, and not following those guidelines could end up adding time and money to your move.
We’ve been moving families for over 20 years. Olympia Moving & Storage provides full packing services, but many of our clients also pack themselves. We see our self-pack clients make the same mistakes over and over again. Below are the most common packing don’ts we see our clients disregard. These packing don’ts are moving time-savers and prevent moving damage, whether you’re moving yourself or working with a moving company.
Local Moving Packing Don’ts:
- Don’t pack books in medium or large boxes, you’ll over-pack and boxes could break during the move, or worse, you could pack a box too heavy to move. Always pack books, CDs, and files in small 1.5 cu.ft. boxes.
- Don’t forget to disassemble your lamps and lampshades and pack them in appropriate boxes, 6.1 cu.ft. boxes are best. Lamps and lampshades cannot be wrapped, they must move in a box or risk damage.
- Don’t pack your fragile items or books into plastic totes. This does not securely protect fragiles from damage and will over pack the tote, making it too heavy to lift. Wrap fragile items and pack them into 1.5 cu.ft. boxes, or pack fragile dishware into 5.1 cu.ft. dishpack boxes. Those boxes have thicker walls for better protection.
Interstate Moving Packing Don’ts:
- Packing artwork and mirrors can be scary, but it’s important to remember that bubble wrap isn’t enough to protect them. Artwork and mirrors must be packed in mirror or artwork boxes to avoid damage.
- Vases and plant pots must be boxed and cannot be placed freely in your moving vehicle or they will get damaged and may cause other items to get damaged as well.
- Don’t transport your items in trash bags. Your belongings aren’t garbage and while this seems like an easy packing cheat, your bags will rip in transit. Bags are also cumbersome and can’t be stacked to utilize space in a moving vehicle.
- Floor lamps must be dismantled and packed in a tall lamp box.
General Moving Packing Don’ts:
- Moving filing cabinets can be daunting.
Large filing cabinets (3-5 drawers) must be emptied completely or they will be too heavy to carry.
Small cabinets (2 drawers) can remain full but emptying them will be appreciated by your movers or helpful friends. - Dressers are best to be emptied at least halfway and should only contain clothing and linen
- Fragile items, books, and jewelry cannot be transported in drawers of furniture items. They may damage the furniture piece, make it too heavy, or run the risk of getting lost or damaged if not packed properly.
- All containers must have tops to ensure items are not susceptible to damage or displacement. This will also ensure that all boxes and items can be stacked inside the moving vehicle.
- All boxes should be filledas best as possible to ensure safe transport and loading. If the space is not used items are more likely to shift and get damaged during transit, and boxes could collapse while they are stacked in the moving truck.
Our general rule of thumb is that everything that fits in a box, should go in a box!
Have other packing questions?
Call us today at 800.222.4744 or click here to request a free, no obligation moving estimate and start planning your move.
If you’re still intimated by packing, no problem! Request an pricing for full or fragile packing services as part of your estimate with Olympia Moving & Storage.
You might also be interested in:
- Free Printable Moving Box Labels
- The Right Way to Pack for Your Move
- 6 Essential Tips for Packing Fragile Items
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