Packing Services & Tips

Packing is a very important part of any move.  It ensures your goods arrive without damage at your destination.  

Long Distance Moves usually require professional packing services. Please ask us for a quote.  Our Professional Packing Services are very reasonably priced.  We can also Unpack your goods at your destination if you wish.

You should be aware that Insurance Companies may not cover your goods if they were not professionally packed.  Please ask us about this when we’re at your home providing an estimate.  If you are not concerned about damage to your goods, and have decided to do your own Packing and Unpacking you will benefit from following these professional Packing procedures:

Preparing to pack

1. The first thing to do is put together a list of all items to be packed.
2. Then you need the right wrapping paper. Please don’t use newspapers because the ink will stain your goods.  We sell plain Packing Paper at very reasonable prices.
3. You can gather used boxes if they’re clean and dry.  Avoid used food boxes because they may contain hidden bugs.  Of course it’s best to use new boxes because they won’t have been strained, bent or contain moisture.  New boxes will close securely and provide the strength you expect.  We also sell new packing boxes at very reasonable prices.
4. It’s best to pack rugs last so they can be unloaded and placed down first before furniture and other items are placed on top.
5. All fragile items should be packed in boxes with plenty of crumpled paper or bubble wrap between them
6. Please disconnect the electrical cords for all appliances, tie them up, and tape them to the appliance so they aren’t in the way when being moved.
7. Make sure you don’t have any loose items in a box.  Always stuff empty space with blankets, pillows, bubble wrap, or crumpled wrapping paper.
8. If your boxes are all the same size your goods will take up less space in the truck and we can charge you less.
9. Long handled tools and garden equipment should be taped together.
10. Removable shelves should be removed from bookcases.
11. Clothes can stay in dresser drawers.  We’ll wrap the furniture to make sure the drawers don’t come open in transit.
12. All lamps need to be packed in appropriate boxes. First remove the shade from the base, and then pack them both separately. Light bulbs should be removed and packed separately as well.
13. For Long Distance Moves please remove pedals from bicycles and tape or tie them to the bicycle.
14. Mattresses and Box Springs should be packed in Mattress Bags to prevent soiling.

Packing the following items is prohibited by law:

1. Corrosives: for example – household cleaners, acids, liquid plumber, and car or boat batteries.
2. Explosives: for example – ammunition, bullets, flares, fireworks and detonators.
3. Flammable Liquids: for example – gas, lighter fluid, paint, paint thinner, glue, kerosene, acetone, alcohol and lamp oils.
4. Flammable Solids: for example – matches and fuel tablets.
5. Gases: for example – pressured or liquefied, propane tanks, oxygen, helium, household fuel, aerosol cans, hair spray, paint cleaner and butane lighters.
6. Liquids: wine, beer and alcohol.
7. Oxidizers: for example – bleach, disinfectants, organic peroxides, fertilizers, pool chemicals and chlorine in any form.
8. Poisons: for example – pesticides, herbicides, fumigants and photographic chemicals.
9. Any other item that might be susceptible to combustion, like oily rags and charcoal.

Organizing your boxes and goods

Your “Open Me First” box will include:

1. Basic tools such as flashlights, pocket knife, hammer, screwdrivers, nails, masking tape, tape measure, and light bulbs.
2. Bathroom essentials such as hand towel, soap, toilet paper, shampoo, and shower curtains.
3. Kitchen goodies such as paper towels, coffeemaker and filters, paper plates and cups, plastic utensils, dish detergent, a sponge, pet foods, dishes, and trash bags.
4. Remote controls, phone, answering machine.
5. Carry your currency, jewelry and valuable documents with you. Movers will not take responsibility for these articles of “extraordinary value”.
6. All the screws, nuts and bolts and other pieces needed to put your furniture back together. Place each set of screws in a small bag with a label indicating which piece of furniture it was from. Some companies may suggest taping the bag to the furniture. The problem with this is that the tape may come loose and you’ll lose your pieces or the tape is too strong and you peel off the finish on your furniture.

As you pack

1. Make a Master List of Goods and record the contents of each box.  It’s good to number each box.
2. Pack room-by-room.
3. Pack heavy items at the bottom of the boxes.
4. Pack all your boxes full, so it can hold the weight of another box on top of it.
5. Place all packed boxes on the main floor for easy pick up.
6. CDs, records, dishes, or any disks should stand vertically.
7. When you are packing dishes, cups or any breakables, remember to place a layer of crumpled paper at the bottom of the box and between each layer. Try to keep the weight of the box under 45 lbs. The heavier the item is, the smaller the box.
8. Take all knobs and screws off dressers, China cabinets and put in your OPEN ME FIRST box.
9. Mark “Do Not Load” on anything you don’t want the movers to take and set them aside in a corner of a room or a designated area.  Please let us know that these items will not be loaded.

If you have any questions concerning packing please contact Jay at Pioneer Moving 250 573 6085.

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