Moving 101: Packing Your Valuables
Moving can certainly be a lot of work, and it's even tougher when the things you're moving are delicate or fragile. Many belongings have sentimental value that far exceeds their price tag, and even with great insurance coverage there can be reasons to worry when you move. We all have things we could not bear to lose, items like photo albums from before the days of digital photography. There are things in our life that no amount of insurance money could replace!
Every type of belonging carries its own set of challenges when it comes to moving: some are too heavy to comfortably pack, some are breakable, some are oddly shaped, the list goes on. Everyone's situation is different, but through our decades of experience as a longstanding St. Catharines moving company, we have some general advice that works for any move.
Our Best Tips for Packing Valuable Belongings:
Don't Overpack Boxes
It can be tempting to pack more into a box than you should, especially when you're finishing up a room. The fewer boxes you have to carry the less stressful the move is, right? However, it's a lot easier to move twenty carefully-packed and balanced boxes than it is to move fifteen that are in constant danger of bursting.
Don't Strain Yourself
You've likely heard that you should lift with your legs and not your back. Unfortunately, that's only the first rule of lifting boxes. There's plenty of other guidelines that need to be followed for the greatest chance of avoiding injury to yourself and your belongings. Lifting and carrying heavy boxes is the most physically demanding part of a move, and if you're going to do it yourself it's important to work slowly and carefully.
Item Stacking and Weight Distribution
Packing is a game of Tetris, trying to get as many objects into as few boxes as possible. However, the boxes are likely to end up stacked on top of each other at some point, either in the moving truck or as they're loaded or unloaded. Because some of your items are bound to be heavier than others, it's worth taking a few extra seconds when stacking boxes to ensure that your bowling ball collection isn't going to rest on your fine china. Clearly and prominently marking a box as fragile when packing your valuables is the best safeguard.
Packing Fragile Items
On the subject of fine china, packing and moving anything fragile can be a nightmare. If you're determined to do it yourself, make sure to watch a tutorial video and wrap them up optimally. All glasses and mugs should be individually wrapped in paper, while plates and bowls can be bundled in small sets. Pack the heaviest items in the bottom of the box, but ensure that no box becomes too heavy. For any multi-part items or those with lids, such as teapots, make sure to wrap them together tightly and then pack additional paper around them. Breakable objects are generally pretty light, so you do have leeway in packing them into a box. It's always better to be safe than sorry, though. Don't overload light boxes either.
Business Items
When you're moving a business, everything takes on an additional layer of importance. Whether it's a long distance move across Canada or just down the block, the nature of a move can be stressful when you're trying to keep track of thousands of important documents. Moving a business requires close attention to detail and strong record-keeping, ensuring that everything you pack arrives exactly when and where it should.
Expert Help
If the thought of following all these moving guidelines (and more) is giving you a headache and you just want to get everything safely moved for a fair rate, Bird's Moving and Storage can help.
We're family owned and have been in business for nearly 90 years serving St. Catharines and the Niagara Peninsula. Hiring Bird's Moving and Storage is an investment in the safe transport of your most valuable belongings, whether you're moving 3 kilometres or 3,000. We'd love to talk about your moving situation and provide an estimate; don't hesitate to contact us today.