Everything in your home needs to be packed for a move. Packing is hard work, so don’t leave this until the week before your move. Begin with items you don’t need for daily living and purge as you go.
Dishes, glassware, pots and pans, and china
We recommend that you pack these items in reinforced cartons. Don’t overpack a carton; it will be too heavy to lift and may break open during the move. The rule of thumb is 40 pounds maximum.
Knick knacks
Pack these items in a sturdy carton or a sturdy bin.
Lampshades
Lampshades are delicate items. Pack them in reinforced cartons with tissue or packing paper. The shades can be nested inside each other.
Lamp bases
The lamp bases should be packed in a carton with lots of packing paper and cushioning.
Pictures, prints, and mirrors
For extra protection, pack in mirror cartons, which you can purchase from your mover or a big box company.
Glass shelves and tabletops
Glass shelves and tabletops should also be packed in mirror cartons or wrapped in paper, then bubble wrapped for extra protection.
Clothing in dressers
Clothing can be left in the dresser drawers because the mover will wrap quilted moving blankets around the dresser and then put straps around the moving blanket. This will keep the drawers secure in the dresser.
Clothing hanging in closets
Hanging clothes and coats can be packed in cartons or bins. Alternatively, you can purchase a wardrobe carton from your mover to hang the clothes inside the carton.
Boots and shoes
Pack shoes and boots in cartons or bins.
Books
As books are heavy, they should be packed in small, reinforced cartons.
Tools
Tools are also very heavy. You can leave them in the toolboxes or pack them in small, reinforced cartons.
Curtains
Pack curtains in a box or bin, or hang them in a wardrobe carton.
Brooms, mops, or garden tools
Bundle them together and wrap tape around the bundle to make loading and keeping them all together easier.
Other packing tips for moving
Bins – make sure the lids are closed correctly. Additionally, wrap some packing tape around the bin to ensure the top stays on during the move.
Try to Do a Room at a Time – If possible, do not mix the contents of various rooms in the same box. This will make the unpacking more difficult. Label each carton with the room it will be going into and a general description of the contents.
Items that Cannot Go on the Moving Van, like aerosols, caustic drain cleaners, or flammables, cannot be shipped on a moving van for safety reasons. Ask for a copy of the mover’s Dangerous goods brochure and review the list of non-admissible items before your move.
Items of a personal or irreplaceable nature – pack these items in your luggage. Examples include jewellery, deeds to property, stock certificates, photo albums, and coin collections.
For more information on packing for a move or a free move estimate, contact Premiere Van Lines toll-free at 1-877-671-6683.