Guest Post: Proper Packing Practices From The Experts At Pro Move

Protecting Personal Property During Your Move

“Oh my word, you’re moving?! Amazing, let me help!”, says everyone! No, sadly this is not the case. Moving is a physically and mentally demanding process that commands our attention to detail, and requires a large block of time. Okay, maybe we decide to go the “fill-a-case-of-black-garbage-bags-bulging-stretched-full-of-our-disorganized-everything” route. That’s certainly more sensitive to our precious time, but we like our stuff, and want to make sure it arrives in the same condition that it’s currently in, right? Plus, no one wants to sort a bag full of sweaters, sconces, socks, and saucers. The more organized the packing, the quicker the unpacking will be. Ever a critical maneuver in planning our move; consulting an established, full-service moving company can guide us in making our move easier. This holds true whether we’re in Chicago proper, or rural farmland.

We’re no longer limited too old grapefruit boxes from the grocery store. Today, we have a multitude of packing options for every room in the house.

Kitchen. This can be the most challenging room to pack in the whole house. We’re looking at packing a combination of non-perishables, fragile dishware, cookware, and heavy counter-top appliances. “So, we’ll just stuff all of these things into an XL box, right?” No, I’m afraid not. Fortunately, we have access to item-specific boxing that will help us sort through kitchen items, and expedite the packing process. After items are wrapped in packing paper, we’ll use “dish pack” boxes that have sturdy compartmentalized cardboard inserts to keep dishware from crashing together. This way, each dinner plate and cereal saucer will remain insulated and intact, and our bulky electric mixers can comingle in a large, separate box.

Living room. We start by wrapping our cherry wood pie-safe and bureau in moving blankets, and heavy packing tape. We move on to wrapping the couches and club chairs in layers of shrink wrap, to protect from scuffs and scrapes. With these larger items taken care of, we can tackle the more delicate items of the living room: framed pictures and television sets. For these, we’ll rely on “picture/mirror boxes”, which are thick gauge, slender boxes with large labels. We’ll load each framed picture or mirror into its own box, making it much easier to pack, move, and stack.

If you hire the right mover, they’ll specialize in “art & antique moves”. High-end movers will likely have experience moving galleries of artwork and fragile antiques. This process requires extra planning and trust in professionals that have a strong track record in this sector.

Question… so, where do we get a piano-moving box? There may not exist a more difficult to move residential item than the piano. Its size and weight may make it something you’re unable to move on our own. Yeah, yeah, but where do I get a piano box?! The piano box is the experienced moving company.

Bedroom. Wardrobe boxes are our friends. They cost a pinch more than a standard large moving box, but with the included “hangar bar”, this option becomes invaluable for packing. With the wardrobe box, we’re swiftly transferring our clothing from the closet rack, directly onto the inserted bar. Clothes remain on hangars, and are easily re-hung in the new closet. 

Lastly, labels. Labeling each box is integral to preserving our sanity during the unpacking. We’ve seen there are an assortment of options in packing materials to make our move easier, just don’t forget to mark a destination room on each box!