More than 50 million Americans move each year. While getting top-rated movers to handle the job for you can certainly ease your mind, especially with your fragile possessions, it’s important to make sure that you have indeed chosen well. It can help to know to check every step of the way that the movers that you’ve chosen are indeed doing their job well. Here’s how you judge the quality of the work that they do.
Packing your china
China and glass dishes will always be safe as long as they are packed to not knock or rub against one another. It doesn’t take bubblewrap to make sure that these delicate articles are moved safely — plenty of paper is all you need. It’s important to remember, though, that risk of breakage isn’t all you need to worry about. China that is directly wrapped in newspaper can discolor through contact with the ink. Plain packaging paper is a better idea.
Articles should be wrapped individually, and placed in corrugated boxes called dish packs that are made especially for the transport of such fragile items. It’s a good idea to put heavy items and light items in separate boxes. There should be layers of crumpled newspaper laid down and packed among each wrapped article. Every inch of unused space should be stuffed.
Framed pictures
While they may not look it, framed pictures tend to be more fragile than dishes made of glass or china. Framed pictures contain large expanses of thin glass that tend to be especially vulnerable. It’s important to ensure that framed pictures aren’t laid flat. Rather, they should be lined up standing in their boxes with plenty of crumpled newspaper padding the spaces between frames and under them.
Specialty items
Many people own beautiful, fragile specialty items — vases, mirrors and antiques. These items can be large, unwieldy and difficult to pack. It is important to find a cardboard box large enough, or to construct one with crating wood. The unit itself should be covered in several layers of bubble wrap, sandwiched between multiple layers of corrugated cardboard, wrapped in tape and crated. All free space in the crate or box should be heavily packed with straw or paper.
Strategically placed padding never helps
It can be tempting to attempt to pack fragile items in boxes with nothing more protecting them than wadded blankets or towels. According to Browning Moving & Storage in Florida, though, unless these items of padding cover all the unoccupied space available, though, they cannot help — not unless the towels and blankets are glued in place. It is the basic rule of thumb to follow when packing fragile items to move: there should never be room available to move.
Not even the best packing in the world can completely guarantee the safety of fragile items during transport. Buying plenty of insurance to cover them is essential. It’s important to remember, though, that when the moving company sells insurance, it only covers the articles tapped by the company. It doesn’t cover articles that you may pack. You could be covered, though, if you have homeowners insurance.
