Packing tips
Good packing protects your belongings and speeds up the move. Boxes that are poorly closed, too heavy or unlabelled are what cost time — and therefore money — on moving day.
1The right supplies
- Use new or good-condition moving boxes in two or three uniform sizes: they stack perfectly in the truck and don't crush. Grocery boxes are irregular and often flimsy.
- Small boxes (1.5 cu ft) for books, cans, tools; medium (3 cu ft) for kitchen and miscellaneous; large (4.5 cu ft) only for light things: bedding, pillows, lampshades.
- Get 2-inch packing tape (not regular adhesive tape), white newsprint or kraft paper, bubble wrap for fragile items, and thick black markers.
- Wardrobe boxes let you transfer clothes straight on their hangers: 5 minutes per closet instead of an hour of folding.
- Plastic bins are great for heavy items and the garage; avoid garbage bags for clothes — they slip, tear and don't stack.
2The technique
- Tape the bottom in an "H" (one strip down the centre, one along each edge). A box that opens from the bottom is the number one cause of breakage.
- Heavy at the bottom, light on top, and fill the gaps with crumpled paper. A box should not rattle when shaken.
- Wrap plates one by one and pack them vertically like in a dishwasher — never flat. Glasses and mugs are wrapped individually and placed upright.
- Frames and mirrors go in mirror boxes or between two pieces of cardboard, with an "X" of tape across the glass to hold shards in case of impact.
- Electronics go back in their original box if you have it; otherwise bubble wrap and a medium box. Photograph the connections and put cables in a labelled bag.
- Liquids (cleaning products, oil, alcohol) are packed separately, caps sealed with tape, in a plastic bin — never with textiles or documents.
3Labelling
- Write on two adjacent sides of every box (not the top, which disappears once stacked): the DESTINATION room and a summary of the contents.
- Add "FRAGILE" and "THIS SIDE UP" with arrows when needed. Our movers load these boxes last in the truck, so they come out first.
- A colour code per room (tape or stickers) lets the crew drop boxes in the right place without asking you every time.
- Mark "OPEN FIRST" on the essential kitchen box and the bathroom box. Numbering boxes and keeping a list on your phone helps confirm nothing is missing.
4What we prefer to pack ourselves
- TVs over 50 inches, valuable paintings, fragile lamps, large mirrors: ask for our partial packing service — we bring the materials and coverage follows.
- Mattresses go in a plastic cover (provided on request): they stay clean and handle better on stairs.
- Furniture is protected in the truck with padded blankets and straps — that's included. You don't need to wrap it, only empty it.
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