Packing Techniques - Packing Tips
Packing Techniques
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Packing
one room at a time is helpful but not always feasible. The most
important thing is to have each carton properly labeled with its
contents and its destination (e.g., kitchen, bathroom). You do not need
to be extremely specific here; a general description will
suffice. If you have many of the same types of item, you may want
to be specific. For example labeling boxes as textbooks, magazines,
children, fictions, cookbooks, etc. will make unpacking that much
easier, and will tell what room in the house that particular carton
belongs to.
- When
labeling boxes, avoid “Miscellaneous”. US Customs does not see this as
a valid description, and labeling of this type is more likely to cause
your shipment to be marked for inspection and delayed at the
destination port. US Customs has the right and authority to hold any
shipment for up to 30 days. Immediate clearance is a courtesy, not a
requirement. Appropriate and complete labeling may not prevent an
inspection, but it does make the Customs inspector more comfortable in
granting an immediate release.
- Once the packages are labeled, each piece needs to be numbered. The piece number and contents are transferred to a “Household Goods Contents”list
. This document accompanies the cargo from beginning until end, and it
is what US customs sees when the shipping documents are presented for
clearance. The inventory also serves as a packing list. If you turned
over 50 pieces to your mover, based on your packing list, when you
arrive at destination, you should receive the same 50 pieces. If any
piece is missing, you can identify the missing piece based on your
numbered inventory.
- Keep
the weight of your boxes reasonable. If possible, put heavy items in
small boxes to make them easier to carry. Mark heavy cartons as
“HEAVY”. This helps identify this piece as something that can be loaded
in the bottom of the stack.
- Don't
apply tape directly to any wood finishes. Removing the tape could ruin
the surface – permanently. Instead, use mover’s blankets or paper pad
to completely surround the piece, and then apply tape to the packing
material.
- Use
good boxes on fragile items and add plenty of cushioning. Make the
outside of the box as such with “Fragile” labeling.
- If
you are comfortable packing furniture items, be certain to cover
completely with cloth pads, paper mover’s pads, and/or stretch wrap.
This technique keeps furniture items from rubbing against one another
and marring. It also keeps your furniture clean from dirt found on the
trucks, trailers, and hands of your movers.
- If
you are uncomfortable with packing furniture and large items, call in a
mover for help. It makes no sense to ship a valuable item unpacked or
poorly packed, then have it arrive damaged or destroyed. On move day,
have all drawers, cabinets, etc. unpacked and available for your
packer. Furniture cannot be moved loaded with material. Attempting to
do so can severely weaken the furniture. Movers pack quickly and
thoroughly. Use post it notes to identify furniture, artwork, etc that
are being shipped. Secure all important documents (passport,
check books, leases, etc) that you may need immediately. Once packed,
it can be very difficult to retrieve important items from a stack of
boxes.
- Plan
well for your move. Packing is tedious work and often slow going. You
will need a good deal of time to properly pack for your move, so begin
early and keep a good supply of packing materials.
Packing Tips
- To
prevent small items from being lost or mistakenly thrown out with the
packing paper, wrap small items in brightly-colored tissue paper, or in
zip lock plastic bags before placing them in the box.
- On
the top and front of each carton, write a general description of the
contents and indicate the room from which it came (or which it will go
into in your new home). Use different colored markers for each box;
then, at your new house, hang colored paper of a corresponding color
outside the room where you want the color-coded boxes to be delivered.
- Use
only unprinted newsprint paper to wrap items. Regular newspapers are
messy as the ink may run and stain your possessions.
- Use
clean cartons designed for moving. Boxes obtained from grocery or
liquor stores are not always clean, and may not withstand the weight of
the items that you'll be putting in them. (Example: Diaper boxes are
made to withstand the weight of diapers, not your bookshelf items and
dishes. Also, their odd sizes tend to make loading more
difficult. If you choose to re-use boxes, use mask-out spray.
This product covers the original makings on Kraft boxes, leaving room
for your proper labeling.
- Unpack
breakables over the box you're taking them out of; that way, if you
happen to drop an item, it will land on some packing material, thereby
reducing its chance of breakage.
Some
common household items cannot be included in your shipment because they
are hazardous materials. Examples of these materials include flammables
such as paint, varnish and thinners, gasoline, kerosene and lamp oil,
bottled gas, aerosol cans, propane tanks, alcohol, ammunition and
explosives. Most hazardous items can be shipped, but the nature of the
material must be disclosed to the mover so they can label the box,
placard the trailer, and/or segregate hazard classes properly.
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