Each and every day, an estimated 130,000 Americans move into a new home (U.S. Census Bureau) and many of them are moving their possessions themselves. Here are some tips to move like a pro some common items:
- China: Use clean paper to wrap each piece individually then bundle the China into groups of three and wrap those bundles with another layer of paper. Stand the bundled pieces upright and then put them in a box that has been lined with crumpled paper.
- Stemware: Use clean paper that has been crumpled to stuff the inside of the glasses and then also wrap each glass with paper. Use special tiered boxes called dishpaks to pack away stemware, stem-up.
- Electronics: Before packing, take pictures with your phone of the back of your electronics to make reconnecting in your new home much easier. It’s best to pack each electronic item in its original packaging but if that’s not possible, place them in a box that has been lined with packing material with extra padding on top of the item as well. Mark the outside of the box as “fragile.”
- Books: Put them inside of a box laying flat, alternating the open side of the book and the spine. Put a piece of paper in between each book to prevent damage or sticking. It’s best to place books in small boxes to avoid boxes being too heavy.
- Figurines: Wrap each of these in bubble wrap and then encase them with clean paper.
- Mirrors: To move like a pro, these should be packed away in thin boxes after being wrapped in clean paper. The boxes should be labeled as fragile and should always be stood upright versus flat along with glass and pictures.
- Clothes and shoes: Pack clothes on their hangers and place them in wardrobe boxes and pack shoes away in their original boxes if possible. If you don’t have the shoe boxes, wrap each shoe in clean paper for protection before packing away.