Moving house can be quite the adventure. However, it’s no
fun arriving, only to discover your favourite crystal vase has smashed during
transport, or your wedding dress has been crushed by placing heavy items atop
its box.
With the right packing materials, you can ensure that all
your personal belongings are as safe as possible. This means wrapping things
carefully in bubble wrap or paper and ensuring that nothing super fragile is
left unprotected.
Of course, the types of materials you select are also important.
They should be of good quality and stand up to some knocking about as it can be
rough driving over the roads to your new home.
Understanding Which Packing Materials to Use
Depending on what you plan to pack, you’ll need different
types of packing materials. It’s not as simple as putting everything in a box
and leaving, though some items may be packed this way. You’ll want to have the
right materials to keep your personal heirlooms safe and secure during the
move.
Here is a quick overview of what you should consider having
on hand.
Boxes
One of the most obvious packing material
you’ll need is the common cardboard box. This
is where you’ll place all your belongings and send them off to your new home.
Look for sturdy boxes made from corrugated cardboard. If you are packing heavy
items, you should look for double-walled boxes that will hold up much better to
the extra weight.
Tape
You’ll need shipping tape, the wide plastic tape that is so
commonly used to shut up boxes. This is a very useful part of your packing
supplies, because you’ll use it to seal everything shut. As each box is filled,
you’ll want to tape it shut to ensure nothing falls out while the movers are
moving boxes around.
It’s also a good idea to have some masking or painter’s tape
on hand, as this may be useful in labelling items. It can also be used to
attach foam or protection to furniture, as well, without marking it.
Bubble Wrap
Bubble wrap comes in all different sizes of bubbles. The
large ones are usually used for bigger items, such as furniture, while smaller
bubbles work well for mugs, cups, and dishes. If you use bubble wrap, be sure
the majority of the bubbles are inflated and then wrap your fragile items in it,
taping well. Be sure to fold over the ends and tape those, too, so the item
doesn’t slip out of its protective pocket.
For larger items, you can either wrap them completely in
bubble wrap and tape it, or you can simply cover certain areas, such as corners,
before moving the piece of furniture or object.
Newspaper or Packing
Paper
If you prefer to opt for something that doesn’t involve
plastic for your more fragile belongings, you can use newspaper or packing
paper to protect them. Newspaper may be scrunched up and stuffed inside cups or
glasses, while other items may be wrapped in several layers of paper to keep
them safe. You can also use crumpled balls of paper to add extra security
within a box. Finally, the boxes are all filled up and closed.
Scissors
Of course, scissors will come in handy when you are cutting
up the packing materials. There should be a sharp pair of scissors in every
packing station. You never know when you might need to cut something or trim
your tape.
Markers
It’s important to make sure each box is labelled. This will
help you find everything once you’ve moved and are ready to unpack. It’s quite
awful to spend a night in your new home, sleeping on a plain mattress because
you can’t find your linens.
It’s up to you how to label. Some people include everything
on the side of the box that is contained within. This can be time consuming,
but you’ll know exactly what you are opening up. Alternatively, you can simply
label with the room name or even a quick idea of what’s inside, such as, ‘Decor
items’ or ‘Cooking’.
Labels or Dot
Stickers
For fast labelling, you can use actual labels that you’ve
printed out with room names, or you can opt for coloured dot stickers. Just
assign each room a colour and then use the dots on the boxes to indicate which
room each one goes to.
If you are having everything taken in by the movers, you’ll
want to let them know what your dot system is, so put a dot sticker in the
corresponding colour on each room’s door so they know where to leave the boxes.
With these basics, you’ll be able to pack everything up
neatly and safely. The next step is getting it all unpacked in your new home,
but the labelling and colour codes can help immensely with this.
Packers and Movers: The Alternative to Packing
When it comes to home
removals
, hiring a company that will not only move things, but also
pack them, can be a very good idea. After all, it’s a lot of work to pack all
your belongings and if you’re fine with other people touching your things, you
can allow them to do the hard work.
Depending on the company, you may find that they offer just
basic packing, or they can go all the way to unpacking the majority of your
items before you move into your new home. This can be a real bonus, as you’ll
be able to move in and start cooking immediately, with all your kitchen items
unpacked. Not every company offers this premium service, however, and it will
cost you more.
There are a few advantages to having a removal company
handle the packing for you.
They’re
professionals:
The most obvious reason is that these people have been
packing and moving items for years in most cases. They know the best way to
secure your personal belongings and how to pack it all properly.
They are efficient:
It can be tough to pack everything up yourself, because you will find yourself
stopping to look over items as you go through everything. Movers will simply
arrive in your home with the sole purpose of packing and moving you. They do
this efficiently and quickly.
They can protect
furniture:
If you have large pieces of furniture, rest assured that the
removal company packers will wrap it securely and ensure it’s protected against
the hazards of travelling.
With the experience that movers have, they can quickly get
your home packed away in boxes and tucked into a removals van to move to your
new home. It eliminates all the stress for you and often, all you need to do is
pack up whatever you don’t want the movers to handle.
How to Choose From Local Removal Companies
First, you’ll want to look at their reputation. Often, you
can find online reviews and information about a company on social media. This
will give you a good idea of how reliable the company is. Check on Yell.com and
Facebook to see what others have to say about the company, before you choose
it.
It’s also important to look at what sort of services are
offered. If you only need someone to drive the van, you can hire just about any
company. However, if you wish to have a company pack for you or provide other
services, you should check this ahead of time. There’s not much use in arguing
later on when you discover the company refuses to move certain items, etc.
You will want to trust the company and this usually means
you will need to talk to them first. You can often get a feel for a business
simply by chatting with them for a short while. You may ask for their
suggestions on making your move a smooth one, as well.
Moving is never a completely smooth process, but with the
right removal company, you will find it much less stressful. If you’re quite
serious about removing the stress, why not let the removal company help you out
by doing the packing for you?
Interested in moving to a new home? Contact
Rose Removals
today to learn how we can help make the removal
process an easy one for you.
