No-Nonsense Packing Tips for Moving and Storage

At some point in your life, you're going to have to either move, put your stuff in storage or both. In fact, last year California was the number one state in the country for local moves and nearly forty million people total moved somewhere within the U. S. When your time to move comes, how you pack up your belongings will make a big difference in how well they survive the trip. While it might seem like an added pain to an already lengthy and labor intensive process, taking the time and effort to pack up your things properly will ensure everything stays safe and all in one piece until you're ready to use it again. If you're even so much as tempted to just toss something into a box and forget about it, just imagine how that item is going to look damaged or broken. The good news is that keeping a few simple things in mind, proper packing really isn't any more of a hassle than doing it haphazardly. In fact, once you go to unpack, you'll be glad you followed these no-nonsense packing tips.

• Pick the right place. If you'll be storing your stuff for any length of time, you'll want to be sure to choose the right storage facilities. Believe it or not, the storage facility you choose can make a big impact on your move and on how well your belongings weather their time in storage. For instance,

StorCal provides all the packing materials you need on-site. StorCal also provides a free truck and driver at move-in, in addition to free dollies and push carts.

• Do not use used boxes. It can be tempting to use discarded boxes from local markets. However, there is often food residue that can ruin your belongings as well as draw insects and other pests. Instead, use clean, corrugated boxes that are designed for moving. These boxes are stronger and come in sizes large enough to allow for adequate padding for delicate items.
• Cushion your contents. Speaking of delicate items, make sure to wrap each item separately. Do NOT use newspaper. The ink from the newspaper rubs off quite readily and can easily stain the items you're wrapping. A great alternative is newsprint, which is the same type of paper but without any ink on it. When packing delicate items together, leave enough room between items, and between the top and edges of the box to allow additional cushioning material on all sides.
• Use strong tape. Professional packing tape in clear or brown is your best bet for securely closing your boxes. The tape should be at least two to three inches wide and should be applied to both the top and bottom of the boxes. Do not use masking or cellophane tape as it's not strong enough to do the job.
• Label, label, label. There's nothing like staring at a storage unit full of boxes and having no idea what is in any of them. Use a sharpie and write what room of the house or apartment the contents of the box came from. Bonus tip: don't mix items from different rooms of the house together. This makes labeling and unpacking more difficult than it needs to be. Don't forget to label fragile items, as well.
• Don't get heavy. When packing heavy items such as books, use smaller boxes to help avoid making the boxes extremely heavy. Bonus tip: Pack books on their sides to avoid damaging the spine and pack hardcover books pages to spine. Otherwise, they may become damaged if they are packed all facing the same way, due to the spine being slightly wider than the rest of the book.

About the Author: Thomas M. Bird is a moving specialist and contributing writer who enjoys helping people pack and store their belongings properly.

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