Moves for Seniors Blog

Packing a box may sound easy, but can be quite difficult if not done correctly. Whether you are preparing for a senior move or shipping an item, using the proper materials, filling the box to the correct level and wrapping items inside will make a significant difference in how the items survive the move.

Photo Credit | Deposit Photos | @ klsbear

You can feel confident that your items have a better chance of arriving in one piece if your boxes are packed correctly.

Start the packing process by grouping similar items. This means all of your wine glasses, everyday glasses and mugs should be grouped together and all of your pots and pans. This will allow you to decipher what needs to be wrapped, protected and boxed.

Wrap all fragile items as well as those that may be damaged by water. Towels are a cheap way to wrap items, as well as old newspapers and paper towels. Use plastic bags to wrap items that cannot get wet such as books, photo albums and artwork. Once the items are wrapped, use tape to keep the wrapping in place. You may also use bubble wrap for added protection.

Make sure all small spaces are filled. This does not mean to fill with items, but rather packing peanuts or bubble wrap so that there is not space for items to shift during the move. Make sure to use the correct type of bubble wrap and packing peanuts for the items you have packed. If you rather not purchase bubble wrap or packing peanuts, use items from around the house, such as clothing, wash cloths, etc.

*If your boxes are not full, you take the chance of the box collapsing and the corners crushing when other boxes are placed on top.

Boxes should be around 30 pounds. As stated above, boxes should be full, not heavy. If a box is too heavy the box is likely to give way resulting in your items falling out of the box and becoming damaged.

Use a decent amount of packing tape when securing a box closed. Tape your moving boxes along the top, the bottom and the sides – including the seams. A sufficient amount of tap will reinforce the box and keep it from splitting open.

And lastly, label all sides of the box. Put your name, address and a brief description of what is inside the box on all side of the box. No matter where the movers look at the box they will know who it belongs to and the description will help the movers determine where to place the box in order to keep items from breaking.

Better yet, let our senior moving services experts pack the boxes for you. Give us a call at (800) 227-0515 or contact your Specialty Move Coordinator today!