People moving out of Vancouver (or another Canadian city) who may be considering doing their own packing should be aware how important proper packing is to a successful move. Badly packed belongings are an invitation for breakage or damage. Below are a 5 serious packing mistakes made by amateurs rather than professional packers who work for companies like Premiere Van Lines who are skilled in the art of packing. 

Bad packing containers- there was a time when people moving went to their local grocery store and stocked up on free cartons. Professional packers know how critical it is to use the right carton for any specific job. People who are planning to do their own packing should seriously consider buying packing materials from their moving company. This is especially important for breakable or fragile contents. Moving companies use proper China cartons for this type of item. China cartons are triple walled heavy duty corrugated cartons that can withstand being stacked. Artwork, or mirrors are packed in telescopic mirror cartons that can be adjusted to the specific size of these valuable items. Movers use different size cartons for different types of goods. When getting estimates a person should ask their moving consultant to quote for full packing including the quantity of each type of carton so you will know exactly what you need to purchase from your mover. Generally, movers use 2 cube, 4 cube, 5 cube, 6 cube cartons. Heavy items like books or small tools should be packed in the smallest carton to control the weight.

Other packing materials- in addition to purchasing the proper cartons from your mover like Premiere Van Lines you can also purchase clean packing paper, bubble wrap and good quality packing tape. 

Marking contents and destination location- another mistake made by amateur packers is not marking the intents of each carton on the outside and identifying the room the carton should be placed in at the new location. This greatly makes unpacking easier.
Not filling carton to top with extra crushed paper – when you move, cartons are generally stacked on the truck. It is important to fill the top of cartons up with extra crushed packing paper. This will help to reduce rush in when they are stacked thus reducing the chance that contents will be damaged. 
Not obtaining professional packing tips in advance- Like any skilled job, professional packers know which techniques work best. Make sure you ask your moving company to provide you with one of their “packing guides” that will tell you some of the tricks of the trade.

For more information about packing for a move contact Premiere Van Lines’ Vancouver office at 604 530-2221 or call us at 1-877-671-6683.