- Basics of Home to Pack
- How to Pack Like a Pro
- How to Pack Specific Items
- What NOT to Pack
- Box Estimate Guide
-
Start now! Don’t
wait until the last minute to pack. It will take you 10-20 hours to
pack the average apartment; 20-40 hours for the average house.
- Have packing tape
and a permanent marker on hand to seal and label each box. Use plenty
of tape. When labeling, write on the tape and not on the box.
Note the contents of the box and which room it should be placed in at
your new home.
- The heavier the
item, the smaller the box. Don’t overpack.
- Always pack heavy
items on the bottom and lighter items on the top.
- Heavy items and
breakables do not mix. Box them separately.
- Make good use
of packing paper. When packing glass, use a sheet to wrap each breakable
item, then stuff paper between each breakable item in the box. Always
line the bottom of breakables boxes with a layer of crumpled packing
paper. Do the same before you seal the box. This provides the essential
cushioning within the box while it is loaded and transported.
- A properly packed
box will not rattle. Nothing inside the box can move. As you pack, fill
in any voids within the box with crumpled packing paper.
- Towels and linens
can function like packing paper.
- Clothing may be
left in drawers. Breakables, loose items, or valuables must be removed.
- Disconnect all
electronic equipment. Pack them in their original boxes if possible.
- Pack an “Essentials Box” for things you’ll need right away at your new home. See that this box is loaded last on the truck so you’ll have it immediately upon the unload.
Choosing the Right Box:
Here are the boxes you’ll use and what to put inside them:Small/1.5
This is the book carton. Books should not be packed in any other box. Lay your books flat, filling in the gaps with upright, hard bound books. The Small box is also ideal for records, CD’s, canned goods and other small, heavy itemsMedium/3.0 cubic feet
Non-fragile and moderately heavy items like pots, pans, games, small appliances, knick knacks.Large/4.5 or 6.0 cubic feet
Use a large box for lightweight and bulky items like pillows, blankets and lampshadesDish Pack/5.2 cubic feet
These are extra thick cartons. Remember, glass is heavy and the box could soon become too heavy to lift. Pack the bottom half with heavy dishes; then fill the box with plastic ware.Wardrobe Carton
Clothes hang as if in a closet from this carton’s metal bar. Fill the bottom of this big box with other closet articles like shoes, sporting equipment, etc.Mirror Pack/Picture Box
Use two or more of these boxes to build a box for your pictures or mirrors. Thoroughly protect your picture or mirror first by wrapping it securely. Fit the cardboard to your wrapped item and fasten with plenty of tape. Pad the inside corners of your fitted box with crumpled packing paper. Items of similar size may be packaged together.Tape
Use professional tape. Three strips secure the bottom of any box, two or three seal the top. Beyond the box flaps, allow four inches of tape to extend down the side of the box. Tape should be used generously.Packing Paper
Professional packers use blank newsprint for cushioning. You can get this directly from Help-U-Move. Do not use newspaper. News ink smudges and leaves a very stubborn stain.
Plates, Saucers & Flat China
Wrap each piece in a sheet of paper, then bundle three or four together. Stand the bundles on end in the carton, so each piece rests on its edge. The bottom layer should be composed of large, heavy items. Now pack a layer of crumpled paper on which to place your next layer of dishes.Bowls
Bowls and other odd shaped items should make up the second layer. Each must be individually wrapped and bundled, then stood on edge or upside down.Cups & Glasses
Cups and glasses make the top layer of your box. Individually wrapped, they should rest rim down in the box.Glassware & Crystal
These are always top layer items. Do not bundle. Precious items may be first packed into a smaller box, engulfed in crumpled paper, then inserted into the larger box.Clothing
Hang closet clothes in a wardrobe box. Folded clothes may remain in dresser drawers, or may be packed in a medium box.Hats
Hat boxes may be packed into a larger box. Otherwise, stuff hats with crumpled paper and pack them alone or with other hats in the smallest box possible.Lamps
Lamp bases are wrapped, cushioned and packed in a Dish Pack. Lampshades are individually wrapped in a carton of suitable size. Use packing paper inside and around the shade.Flowers
Loosely cushion dried flowers with paper and place them upright in a box of appropriate height. Live flowers and plants are best transported by you, in your car.Stereos
Wrap and cushion components and small electronics, then pack them in a Medium or Large carton. Large console stereos and televisions are not packed but padded by the moving crew and loaded as furniture.Mirrors, Marble & Glass Tops, Pictures
Use Mirror Packs for these items. Pad them well and insert them into a fitted box. Smaller items in this category should be padded similarly, but packed into a Dish Pack carton, stood on end.Food
Pack boxed dry food into medium cartons. Jars or canned goods belong in a small box. Do not pack perishable or frozen food.
- Paint, thinners, oils, varnishes
- Ammunition and firearms
- Bottled gas, propane
- Lamp oil
- All flammables, explosives and corrosives
- Motor fuel or motor oil
- Nail polish remover
- Bleach
- Sterno
- Aerosol cans
- Matches
Estimate of Boxes Needed Bedrooms in House54321StudioSmall Box30252015107Medium Box211512853Large Box12108653Dis Pack Box443211Wardrobe Box1086422