Want to learn how to keep your fragile items safe during your move? Read on…
We’ve all experienced the dismay of opening a box only to find that some or all of your valuables have been broken. While sometimes a crack in the china is the result of a box being dropped or poorly handled, more often than not, damage is the result of improperly packing your fragile goods for transport. Moving your valuables safely is a top priority and the good thing is it’s not as hard as it sounds! With professional advice from the expert movers at Houston Moving Stars, you’ll be ready to make your move damage-free!
Common mistakes
Placing on bottom – Valuables tend to be little heavier than some other items and often end up on the bottom of our customer-packed trucks. This is a big mistake since the weight of items on top may be end up crushing the valuable down below.
Boxes aren’t fully filled – You don’t want any extra space in your box! If there’s a bunch of empty space in your box then the items inside will have more room to bang around and break. You should use a smaller box in this instance or if that isn’t an option, make sure to use plenty of packing material to keep everything inside the box stationary during Houston Moving Stars transport.
Incorrect tape – This one is really easy to fix. Only use packing tape for boxes during your move. Clear packing tape is specifically designed to hold box bottoms together. Don’t use duck tape, masking tape, painter’s tape or scotch tape – they won’t hold up, especially for heavier boxes.
Insecure drawers, doors, shelves, etc. – Oftentimes, the extra job of taping doors, shelves and drawers shut/stationary seems like an extra chore, but it’s worth doing. Not only will it make handling the piece of furniture easier, it will prevent your valuable furniture from opening or shifting during Houston Moving Stars truck travel.
No packing on bottom – A lot of Houston packers remember to individually wrap their items and pack on bubble wrap to fill the box but forget to pad the bottom. This area of the box is where most damage occurs and should have the thicket padding! Even when you place the box and ground carefully, many items get broken this way.
Folded Box Bottoms – We all know the box edge-folding trick and it saves taping, which can be annoying. Trust us, use tape for the bottom of your box instead of folding it. We’ve seen too many folded box bottoms burst open when the contents are heavy. Packing tape will keep your box closed far better.
Houston Moving Stars Packing Tips
Bubble wrap – If your items are toward the lighter side, use bubble wrap as a cost effective way to pad your items from each other. At Houston Moving Stars, we provide all packing materials in our FULL SERVICE moves.
Styrofoam heavy – Styrofoam is ideal for heavier items that require padding, Styrofoam is less compressible than most packaging materials and can handle more pressure than bubble wrap, newspaper or packing peanuts.
Corrugated dividers, dish boxes – If you’re moving glasses or dishes, consider buying specially designed boxes for these items. They’re a little more expensive but feature dividers that make packing a protecting these items a lot easier. You might save a bit on extra packing filler, too.
Wrap each item separately – Although it may be tempting to wrap plates all together, take the time to wrap each one separately. Movement during the move may cause these items to scratch or break.
Label fragile – During the hectic Houston moving day, it will be hard to remember where you put all your fragile boxes. If a box is fragile, Label It! This will help you know where to place it in the moving truck and to take a little more care while unloading it.
Place securely within moving truck – Make sure to place your fragile boxes close to the top of your box configuration to avoid being crushed by heavier items.
And there you are, tips to keeping your valuable scratch, bend and break-free for your next Houston move. Of course, if you want to save yourself the headache, opt for our FULL SERVICE Houston Moving Stars package and we’ll make sure your items arrive in perfect condition, guaranteed! Call our moving professionals today [phone number] to reserve your moving day or for a free estimate on your move at industry leading prices.
