Packing For A Long-Distance Move: Four Helpful Tips

Packing for any move can be a complicated process, but there are extra precautions you'll need to take when packing for a long-distance move. Use this guide to ensure your items arrive safely at the proper location so you can get settled into your new home quickly and efficiently.

Label Your Boxes

For a local move, you may decide to label your boxes by room or person living in your household. For a long-distance move, you'll need to add more information to each box. Moving companies try to be as efficient as possible with their long hauls, which sometimes means that your items may be in the same truck as another family's boxes. For this reason, you should label each box with your name and your new address. Your moving company may have pre-printed labels you can use for this purpose, or you can print them on your home computer.

Don't Leave Empty Space In Boxes

Boxes can get jostled during the move, which can cause damage to your items if they aren't properly packed away. If you have boxes that are not filled to the top, use newspaper, tissue paper, or packing peanuts to fill the empty space. Remember that you shouldn't over-fill your boxes, particularly with heavy items, as the boxes may rip or tear. Instead, fill the boxes to a reasonable weight and use packing materials to take up any excess room in the boxes.

Box Up Everything You Can

Mattresses, televisions, and furnishings can become damaged during a long move if not properly protected. Try to box as many items as possible to prevent damage. You can purchase specialty moving boxes for mattresses and box springs to prevent tears and cuts to the surface, and there are also boxes available for flat-screen televisions. If you have furniture that can be disassembled, take the items apart and put the pieces in boxes instead of simply wrapping them in moving blankets or shrink wrap.

Avoid Shipping Liquids

No matter how well you pack away cleaning supplies and toiletries, liquid containers can begin to leak during the move. Dispose of old cleaning solutions properly, and consider bringing perfumes, lotions, and other personal care products with you when you travel to your new home instead. Some of these items also have fragrances that can attract pests, so it's a good idea to keep them out of your moving boxes for the long-distance move.

Your long-distance moving company can help you to determine how to package certain items, and some movers also offer packing services that take some of the guesswork out of preparing for a long-distance move.

For more information, contact local professionals or visit sites like http://www.palmierimoversandstorage.com/.