Moving doesn’t have to be a nightmare. With a little planning and the proper precautions, relocating can be relatively stress-free. These packing tips from Compass Self Storage will help you move your belongings to your new home or business with minimal damage and even less stress.
Gather the Proper Packing Supplies
Lining up the proper moving supplies is essential to keeping your move stress-free. From sturdy boxes to high-quality tape and bubble wrap, these supplies are among the most popular needed to prevent damage to your belongings while in transport and keep them organized. Additional moving supplies that can come in handy include:
- tape guns
- shrink wrap
- moving pads
- mattress and furniture covers
- moving kits for dishes and furniture
These items make moving faster and keep you from having to improvise during a period where you’re likely to have fewer household items on hand. Storage units also offer the ability to safeguard your belongings before, during, and after your move.
Disassemble Large Furniture when Possible
Whenever possible, take time to disassemble desks, beds, and wardrobes. Not only does this free up space to stack more boxes in your car or moving truck, but it also helps to prevent dents and dings when moving furniture and makes it easier to move. If you no longer have the instructions for the furniture you plan to break down, be sure to take pictures of each step to make reassembly easier.
Removing the legs from furniture like sofas and taping wardrobe drawers and doors can help you move furniture without worrying about a door flying open. Any small parts or screws that go with your furniture, should be taped to the furniture to ensure nothing gets lost or matching to the wrong thing.
If you can’t disassemble your furniture, you can always purchase furniture wrapping, condition the wood, or use protective covers to ensure that it stays free of scratches or dents. Finally, if you plan on placing appliances in storage units, putting them on wooden pallets allows proper airflow to prevent moisture from accumulating.
Packing Tips to Keep in Mind
Preventing damage to your items comes down to how you pack your belongings. While not an exhaustive guide, here are a few essential tips to keep in mind while packing:
- Wrap items like dishes and glassware with wrapping paper or bubble wrap and mark boxes containing breakables as ‘FRAGILE’ on all sides.
- Always place the heaviest items in the smallest boxes to prevent overpacking.
- If there are any gaps or open space in a box, fill them with newspaper or packing peanuts to prevent items from shifting in transit.
- Stack boxes of the same size together to prevent shifting.
- Curtains and clothes can go in wardrobe boxes to keep them free of wrinkles while linens and other light items can stay folded in dresser drawers—just remember to tape the drawers shut before moving them!
Prepare for Your Move with Compass
Planning ahead is the best way to ensure your move goes smoothly, and with Compass Self Storage you can find everything you need in one convenient place. Whether you need packing supplies, need to rent a moving truck, or need to reserve one of our clean, accessible storage units, Compass can help you to ensure your move will go off without a hitch. Find and rent your storage unit at a location near you today!
