Packing Tips

Do a thorough walk through of your home: Determine how many moving boxes and packing supplies you’ll need. Open all your closets, cupboards and drawers, look under the stairs, under the beds, in the deep dark corners of the basement. Anything in the attic? Don’t forget about the garage and shed. We tend to accumulate a lot over time and forget about it. Underestimating just how much “stuff” we actually have is very common. If you’re not sure how many boxes you need check out our exclusive Perfect Pack Moving Kits or contact us at info@movingboxes.ca for more information.

Getting started: Start packing well in advance of move day. Gather all your moving supplies in one room. Pack one room at a time. Use your kitchen or dinning room table as a staging area. Cover the table with a blanket for protection. Packing while standing at table height will help ease back aches.

Rule of thumb:

• Heavy items should be packed in small boxes (1.5 cubic foot – 2 cubic foot boxes).
• Lighter bulky items should be packed in medium- large boxes (4 cubic foot – 5 cubic foot boxes).
• Everything in between should be packed in 2 cubic foot – 4 cubic foot boxes.
• The maximum weight per box should be no more than 50 lbs.

For your safety: Do not pack dangerous or flammable items such as propane tanks, gas, paint cans, oil, matches, bleach, household cleaning chemicals, or any other hazardous or corrosive liquids. You should not pack aerosol cans, including hair spray and oven cleaner, etc. If you move while temperatures are below freezing we do not recommend packing liquids of any sort including, wine & spirits. This will prevent unwanted leaks and container breakage due to freezing and expansion. If you must pack liquids pack them in plastic containers if there is a leak the spill will be better contained. Clearly label any box containing liquids “THIS SIDE UP”. If you have hired a moving company to handle your move be sure to check with them to see if they will move liquids, plants and food items. General packing: Assemble your boxes with Packing Tape at least 2-3 inches wide and a minimum of two layers preferably three. Wrap each item to be packed individually using generous amounts of Packing Paper. Each box should have a minimum 2 inch layer of Packing Paper at the bottom to cushion its contents. Do not over pack your boxes. Fill empty spaces with Packing Paper, the contents should be snug so as not to move during loading and transportation.

Breakables: All fragile and breakable items should be packed in China Boxes. These boxes have been specially designed for this purpose. They provide added strength and protection for your breakables. Plates and dishes should be packed on end in the vertical position. Never stack plates or china on top of one another; this will greatly increase the risk of breakage. Use lots of bubble wrap or packing paper around and in between each item. Labeling: Each box should be clearly labeled using a Black Marker. Note which room the box is going to in your new home. Label the top and the side of each box. Label all boxes containing breakables and pictures as “FRAGILE”and “THIS SIDE UP” to ensure special care is taken when they are moved.

Necessities box: Pack a special box containing your toiletries, cleaning supplies, a change of clothes, essential tools, children’s toys an alarm clock, remote controls, telephone… Load this box into the moving truck last, this way it’s first to come off when you arrive at your new home.

Don’t throw things away: Instead have a garage sale; you can earn a little extra cash. Better yet contact your local Red Cross, Canadian Diabetes Foundation, thrift store or Salvation Army and donate your unwanted household goods and clothing. It’ll make you feel good knowing that you’ve put your used items in the hands of someone in need.

If you have pets: Make arrangements with friends, family or neighbours to watch over you pets while you’re packing and moving

These Tips are courtesy of movingboxes.ca