7 Elements of the Perfect Boxing, Wrapping, and Packing Job

When you’re about to move to a new home, you probably have a whole house full of belongings, and the task of packing everything up can seem somewhat overwhelming. Fortunately, there are many ways to make the job easier and to ensure that your precious, fragile items will not tragically end up broken when you unpack at your new home. Here are seven tips to keep in mind when you’re boxing, wrapping, and packing items for your move.

1. Use labels.

It always pays to stay organized when dealing with a large number of items. Organize similar types of things so that they are shipped in the same box together. This way, they can be treated with the right kind of packaging to protect them. When the box is labeled, you will be able to place it in the best spot in the truck, where it will be less likely to jostle around or be crushed by heavier items. You also want the first items that you want to unpack to be closest to the rear door of the truck.

Labeling your boxes will help you stay organized throughout the moving process.

2. Consider downsizing.

If you’ve lived at your current residence for years, some unimportant things are likely lying around. You just haven’t gotten around to tossing them out yet. The first step in preparing to pack is to get rid of everything that is not going to reside with you in your new home.

3. Create an inventory.

After you label and number every box, create an inventory document that lists each of these boxes and a description of what kind of items each one contains. This way, you can be assured that you didn’t leave anything behind or that nothing got misplaced during the move.

4. Towels and clothes can make excellent packing material.

If you have a lot of towels and some old clothes that you don’t wear anymore, these are great support and cushion for some of the medium-sized items that you will place in your boxes. Towels and clothing will keep things firmly in place and provide some shock-absorption when the truck is moving around on various types of road surfaces.

Towels and blankets are great additions to your covering materials.

5. Use colored tape and tissue paper.

Some of the tiniest items can easily get lost in a packing job. One way to make sure they don’t get overlooked is to wrap them in their stand-out color of tissue paper with a piece of colored tape on the outside. This way, small items won’t end up getting tossed out with excess wrapping material and such.

6. Ship books.

If you have a lot of books, it can be cheaper to box these up and ship them via USPS rather than loading them on the truck. Professional movers usually charge by the pound, and the USPS rate is often cheaper. It also helps decrease the overall complexity and size of the moving task.

7. Some things should get the VIP treatment.

For the most valuable items and electronic devices, you might want to reserve a passenger seat in your vehicle or make a special trip in your car to transport them. For example, it might give you some peace of mind knowing that your high-end computer system is in the passenger seat of your vehicle rather than being toted around in a box by someone other than yourself.