Packing Tips for Your Springtime Move
Springtime is an excellent time for buying a home at the Lake of the Ozarks. If you are planning to move to a new home in the Eldon, Missouri area, your real estate experts have compiled this list of packing tips to help make your move go more smoothly.
Use Bubble Wrap Correctly
When packing your fragile or breakable items, make sure you are using bubble wrap correctly. That’s right, many people use bubble wrap to keep their items from breaking in a move, but not everyone uses it in the correct fashion, which can contribute to items breaking no matter how well you may think they are protected. When wrapping items in bubble wrap, the bubbles should face toward the item you are wrapping, not away from it. The bubbles are there to protect the item by cushioning it and holding it in place as it bounces back and forth in the process of moving. For this to occur, the bubbles need to be touching the item to keep it safe.
Pack Dishes to Ensure They Remain Intact
Even if you layer your dishes correctly using bubble wrap as mentioned above, if you pack them incorrectly, you still risk your dishes becoming damaged or broken in the move. Oftentimes people stack their dishes in the moving box – this is not recommended at all as this puts all the weight and pressure on the bottom dishes, which contributes to them breaking. Instead, stack dishes on their sides, with the bubble wrap or another protective layer in between. Dishes are actually the most strong on their edges, so stack side-by-side for the best distribution of weight and the best chance of arriving with all dishes intact.
Take Extra Time Packing Electronic Items
Before disassembling and unplugging your electronic items, such as televisions and gaming systems, take photos of all the cords and where they are attached. This way, when you are setting your systems back up again, you will be able to immediately know where each cord should be plugged in. After unplugging your electronic devices, bundle the cords together and label them according to which device or system they belong to. This idea also applies to remote controls. Make sure to tape all remotes to the matching electronic device or put them in the same box, as well as label them according to where they belong in case of any unpacking mix-ups. Taking this extra time before packing your electronic devices will make unpacking and assembling them much easier once you are in your new home.
Also, keep in mind the position in which you are packing your electronic devices. Flat screen televisions are meant to hold their weight standing upright, so if they are packed in a flat or horizontal position, there will not be enough support for the television screen during the move. This could cause cracking of the television or screen distortion. Pack your flat screen televisions standing upright, preferably between larger items and surrounded by a barrier such as thick foam. If you still have the original box and foam the television came in, disassemble the television and use the original box. This will help ensure the safety of your T.V. on the trip to your new home.
Be Careful How You Pack your Books
Everyone has probably made this moving mistake at one time or another – because you want to know where all your books are when you get to your new home, you take them off the bookshelf one by one and arrange them strategically in the same box. This is going to cause major headaches (and backaches, ouch!) later. Instead of all in one box, books should be mixed in with other items. Consider organizing your books by genre, author, or series, and placing them in different boxes that way. Pack these categories of books with lighter items such as sheets, bedding, stuffed animals, or throw pillows that will be in the same room at your new house as your books. Do not pack your books in the same boxes as liquids such as cleaning supplies or toiletries, as you do not want to damage your books or risk spilling the liquids that are in the container.
Be Specific About Labeling and Use Moving Containers You Already Own
Label your boxes (the more detailed, the better). Consider labeling the boxes by the items inside, and also by the room they will belong in at your new home. This will be helpful when you are moving, as you will know which room to set the unopened boxes in right away. If there are extra items (books, for example) in the box, make sure you include that on the label. This may seem tedious, but unpacking will be so much easier! Also, use tubs and luggage that you already own as a means to pack items. You can use masking tape to label these items just as you have labeled your boxes – the tape will come off easily, and you will have taken advantage of the moving containers you already own. This will save boxes, save time taping and un-taping boxes, and save room – why pack your suitcases empty if you can pack them full of your winter clothes!
Don’t Forget to Leave a Few Items Out
It is easy to get caught up in packing and moving, only to forget about a few necessities you may need right away at your new home. Make sure to leave out light cleaning supplies, especially paper towels, so that you can clean up your home before you move all your stuff in. Bringing that left-over packing tape is always a good idea, just in case a box decides to rip open. Have a box cutter or two to make unpacking boxes go more quickly. Pack an overnight bag for each family member so that looking for a toothbrush or a favorite teddy bear to sleep with does not cause a meltdown. This allows for more time to unpack clothing, as well as bedroom and bathroom items. You will probably want a shower after moving so make sure to have a towel for each person and some shower stuff items set aside. Remember, unpacking usually takes longer than expected, so that small travel bag could be a life-saver for one of your family members. Keeping out items such as extra lightbulbs, small lamps, batteries, and a reliable flashlight is always a good idea. Don’t forget to set aside toilet paper for immediate use in your new home.
While moving to a new home can be a very exciting time for you and your family, packing and moving your belongings can often become stressful. If you are interested in buying a home in Eldon, MO, we'd love to help you find the perfect place, and we hope that these packing tips will help ease the stress of your possible move. Give Devine & Associates a call today! We can help show you around available properties, finding the ideal place for you and your family to move.
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