Moving to another place can be a nightmare. Especially if you have big pieces of furniture and a lot of different items that accumulated during the years. Another side of the coin is unpacking on arrival. You can lose days in order to find the specific item. So, once you have rented moving boxes and started planning out which items will go where, carefully consider the tips below to make the most of your move.
Table of Contents
Avoid using clear tape
Get out and find some colored packing tape. You should choose this kind of tape for at least two reasons. First one is to see if someone was opening the box during moving. You don’t want to lose your stuff. The other reason is highly practical. You can work on a system and know which box contains particular items.
Work on numbering the boxes
If you have enough time you can create the index list of all your stuff and that way you’ll be sure if everything lived through moving. In case you’re tight on time, just basic numbering will do the trick. Make sure to hold on to your list so nobody can see it and take advantage of your situation. You can never be completely relaxed with some movers.
Cheap stuff on top
This is a very beneficial tip for protecting your valuables. If you haven’t made another system, you can just put the valuables at the bottom of the boxes and cover it with cheap stuff. This way, you’ll make it impossible to know where are the pricey items. It’s going to look like you don’t have them at all.
Use some old newspaper
If you have a chance and time, go ahead and pack every single item of value into a piece of old magazine or newspaper. Try to avoid bubble wrap since it’s not eco-friendly, and besides that, it’s not working as well as paper. By wrapping everything you’ll decrease the chance of breaking fragile valuables.
Play mysterious about content of the box
If someone asks you about the content in every single box, you may think they’re doing that out of precaution. Don’t get fooled now. Their job is to move your stuff with care regardless of content. Keep your valuable grandma’s china for yourself. If asked what’s in there, just say: ’Some dishes’. Of course, most of the movers are honest working people, but a little bit of discretion is healthy.
Think about shipping most valuable stuff
Everything should be ok and will be most of the times. But you don’t have to risk with your most valuable items. Instead of packing those in regular carton boxes, you may rent moving boxes just in case. If you decide to ship valuables, make sure to work out some insurance, and minimize your potential loss. Yes, moving is going to cost you more than a few bucks.
Be aware of the packing price
The average cost of packing will be around 10% of the value of the products. So, if you have a lot of valuable stuff and you want to be sure they come at the right place in one piece, you’re going to put some extra cash to make it happen. Mentioned percentage may look too pricey, but you’ll work it out somehow.
Add layers and lose dead space
For the most valuable items, you may consider packing them in an extra layer of paper. This method will be very helpful and you’ll have a better chance to avoid scratching the item’s surface or even breaking it during the shipping. Another great strategy is to pack valuables tight. Make sure to avoid dead space. This way, all that stuff won’t have enough room to move, and that’s a winning situation. You want it still and protected.
Take some photos
Pull out your phone and make photos of your packages before and after the shipping. You are doing this to get yourself the proof in case of tampering with the boxes. Just make sure the sealing is visible in both photos, so you could compare it successfully and make a point if something went wrong.
You are almost there
The usual practice of movers is to stack your boxes making a big pile. If you don’t trust them enough, make special attention how they drop the boxes and which boxes are on top. It is easy to hide tampering with this kind of unloading. If you are too busy with other stuff, you may assign this task to a kid or another member of the family.
Hopefully, everything went according to the plan and you’ve moved without difficulties. If not, the tips mentioned above will be enough to prove your point and demand replacement of your valuables. Go ahead, start packing and have a safe moving day!
