Packing Tips from LaPorte Moving
Basic Packing Tips
Get everything together – assemble the equipment, various size cartons, cushioning newspaper, white newsprint, tissue paper, sealing tape, scissors and a felt marker. Some home packers prefer the kitchen as a convenient place to work. Some prefer the dining room area, covering the dining room table with a blanket for protection and using a card table to hold the items to be packed. It can work like an assembly line. Pack as much as you can in one room before going to the next. If you have plenty of time and want to pack over a number of days, set up a work area in a spare room for packing. You can make the decision as to which way is better for you. Organization is the key. We suggest you begin by packing the out of season items. Next, the little used equipment, and last, the things that will be used until the very last minute – soap, towels, toilet articles, facial tissue, etc. This last box can also be filled with things you will need immediately upon arrival at your new residence -instant coffee, instant cream, sugar, soup , crackers, can opener, kettle , a small pan, paper plates and cups, plastic spoons, paper towel, first-aid kit, hammer, screw driver, light bulb, fuses, scotch tape and a few other necessities. Place like items within a carton and keep all part or pairs of things together. Put curtain rod hardware, screws and bolts, and other small parts in a plastic bag and tape or tie it to the article. Packed cartons when filled should be easy to carry and not exceed fifty pounds in weight. Tops of cartons should close flat. Remember to double tape the top and bottom of all your cartons.
Ask About LaPorte Systems Cost Effective Mobile Mini Pack Service
A LaPorte Systems mobile mini pack service representative will be there not only to pack your good china and breakables, but also to answer all your questions well in advance.
Specific Packing Tips
China – For these fragile items, you should use dish packs or sturdy, medium cartons with 3-4 inches of crumpled newspaper in the bottom of the carton for additional cushioning. Everyday plates can be wrapped in stacks of four, however, the more delicate the plates, the smaller the stack. Place one plate in the corner of your stack of white, unprinted newspaper and using 1-2 layers of paper, pull the corner up and over the top plate. Fold the side corners of the paper into the middle and than place another plate on top. Repeat the process until you have four plates in a stack, individually protected by layers of paper. Finish the process by rolling the stack away from you to the far corner until the bundle is completely wrapped and protected. Then place the bundle into the carton ON EDGE. Never place plates flat in a carton. Plates can form the bottom tier or layer of the carton, followed by bowls in the next layer and finally by cups, glassware and goblets and other light, fragile items. Separate each layer in the carton with a cushion of newspaper and ensure that each wrapped piece is snug in its layer to prevent movement. Empty spaces can be filled with crushed newspaper and the top of the carton should be marked “Fragile” and “This Side Up”.
Glassware– Again a sturdy carton and a generous amount of crushed newspaper as cushioning is necessary for additional protection. The top layer of your dishpack is perfect for glassware and cups. Glasses are wrapped like cups and nested in sets of three or four, using your own discretion. Start by placing the glass diagonally on your sheet of white newsprint and wrap from corner to corner. Stop midway and fold the two remaining corners of the newsprint to the bottom and the rim of the glass covering it completely. You can then nest an additional glass and complete wrapping by rolling it to the far corner. Stemware and goblets are more fragile and should be wrapped individually. Fill the goblet with crumpled tissue and then roll the goblet in the same manner as the glasses. Glass pitchers and cases are also wrapped in this method. Large items go into the bottom of the dishpack.
Clothing/Drapes– LaPorte Systems use a special dust proof wardrobe carton with a metal bar for hanging clothes such as inconvenience of pressing them later. Ask your LaPorte Systems Consultant for this time saving container. If you wish, clothing can be folded and placed in a suitcase or a large carton. Dresser drawers can also be utilized for some clothing although all other items should be removed from the dresser drawers and packed in cartons. The contents of the dresser drawers should not be heavy.
Food– Try to use as much food as possible before moving. Seal open boxed foods such as cereals, powdered foods, etc. Cover holes of shaker-type containers and seal with tape. Put small containers of condiments and spices together in a small box before packing them into a larger carton. Cannister contents can be left in cannisters with tight fitting lids although they should be individually wrapped with white newsprint and sealed with tape to prevent spillage and to protect the finish.
Liquids– It it is necessary to pack a liquid, the lid should be fastened securely, taped completely, and the entire container placed inside a plastic bag with a tight closure.
Small Appliances– They should be wrapped in several layers of newsprint. Remember to drain water from any appliance that has a reservoir, for example steam irons, vapourisers, humidifiers, dental appliances, coffee makers. Always pack cords and accessories with the appropriate appliance to avoid confusion during unpacking. If the appliance has a fixed cord, put a layer of paper between the cord and the appliance to prevent scratches.
Lamps– Separate lamp parts and wrap base and harp separately. Wrap shade in clean sheets of paper, pack in carton on a layer of crumpled paper. Do not pack anything else in the carton.
We want to encourage you to use the professional packing service offered by LaPorte Systems, at least for your fragile items and treasured possessions, but if you do decide to pack everything yourself remember your possessions deserve the same care you would give them in your home. That is why we encourage you to order LaPorte Systems specially designed packing materials for your move.
Packing your china requires special attention. For these fragile items, you should use dish packs or sturdy, medium cartons with 3-4 inches of crumpled newspaper in the bottom of the carton for additional cushioning. Everyday plates can be wrapped in stacks of four, however, the more delicate the plates, the smaller the stack.
Plates can form the bottom tier or layer of the carton, followed by bowls in the next layer and finally by cups, glassware and goblets and other light, fragile items. Separate each layer in the carton with a cushion of newspaper and ensure that each wrapped piece is snug in its layer to prevent movement. Empty spaces can be filled with crushed newspaper and the top of the carton should be marked “Fragile” and “This Side Up”.
So you have decided that it is time to move. You realized that you have outgrown your home and decided you want to start a fresh, new life in a new home.
A downsizing move is most common later in life, usually for seniors and retirees, and it happens for many different reasons. Often, older adults find themselves in large, empty homes after their children have grown up and moved out on their own. It is difficult to move on from the family home, but for practical reasons it is often a good idea to move to a smaller home.