When it comes to packing up a houseful of belongings to move or to store, personal styles range from throwing every non-breakable item into a garbage bag to laying tissue between each fold in a garment to prevent wrinkling. Somewhere between those extremes lies conventional packing wisdom, explained here for different rooms and difference types of possessions.
In the Kitchen
Dishes
Cushion breakable plates, bowls and cups with newspaper, bubble wrap or even dishtowels and rags. Put a layer at the bottom of the box, a layer between each dish (or wrap each dish individually), a layer between each tier of stacked dishes, and a layer on top of the box. Here are more tips:
- Pack plates and bowls on edge rather than on their bottoms so they are less likely to break.
- Nest bowls into each other. You can pack smaller items inside the bowls.
- Wrap cups individually, with an additional layer of paper around the handle. Pack them open-end down with the handles facing the inside of the box. Cups cannot bear much weight, so place them on top of other items.
Silverware
When packing actual silverware — the good stuff you have to polish before the holidays — wrap each piece individually with tissue to prevent scratches and then pack it into its container. Fill any space in the container with towels or paper to keep the silverware from shifting and then wrap the container itself to protect it.
Stainless steel eating utensils require no special handling.
Small Appliances
Clean small appliances and pack them either in their original packaging or in well-padded boxes.
Electrical Things
Lamps and Lampshades
Remove the light bulb and harp — the metal part the lampshade sits on — and wrap them separately in paper. Roll up the electrical cord and tape it so it doesn’t unroll.
Pack lampshades individually, with cushioning on the bottom of the box but not around the lampshade itself.
If there is enough cushioning and enough room in the box, you can pack multiple table lamps in one box (minus the lampshades). Never pack lamps so they extend above the top of the box.
Pack floor lamps in wardrobe boxes if they fit, or roll them in old blankets or rugs that you don't mind getting dirty.
Clocks, Radios and Stereos
Pack small electronic items in their original boxes, if possible. If the original packaging is long gone, wrap them in newspaper and place them in padded boxes.
Books, CDs and DVDs
Books are relatively simple to pack, because you don’t have to wrap them and can arrange them to fit a variety of box sizes.
Pack CDs, DVDs and LPs in well-padded boxes and label them “Fragile” so the movers handle them delicately.
Textiles
Linens
Blankets, towels, sheets, dishtowels, rags and the like are easy to pack. They are an ideal candidate for stuffing into heavy-duty plastic garbage bags — carefully labeled so no one mistakes them for trash — or you can pack them in a large box. You can even use them to line boxes of dishes, CDs, and other fragile items.
Clothing
As with linens, your options for packing clothing include from garbage bags to boxes. Some movers let you leave garments in dresser drawers, but ask first.
Securely fastened expensive garments such as suits and formal dresses to their hanger and hang them in a garment bag (or slip a garbage bag over them and poke a hole in the bottom to threat the hanger through). If you're storing them, use wardrobe cartons designed for clothing that shouldn’t be folded.
Drapes and Curtains
Either fold drapes and curtains like linens and pack in a large box, or hang them lengthwise on a hanger, pin them so they can’t slip off and place them into a wardrobe carton
Ask your Realtor whether you are allowed to take curtain rods or whether they convey to the new owners of the house. If you can take them, tape several together.
Rugs
If you plan to have the rug cleaned upon arrival at your new destination, you can pack it flat in the moving van. If you’ve just had it cleaned, leave it rolled up and place it either in the van or in the trunk of your own vehicle. Or if your move is local, send it to the cleaner the week before your move and have it delivered to your new house.
Yard Furniture
Fold up lawn chairs and wrapped them together with tape or twine. Disassemble larger piece such as swing sets and tables. Place nuts and bolts in a bag taped securely to the piece or place them in a clearly labeled box.
Tools
Disassemble larger tools and organize the components for packing. Wrap smaller tools in paper and pack them in small boxes. Always remove fuel from gas-powered tools before moving!
Copyright 2009, Sears Brands, LLC. All Rights Reserved.