Packing, Moving, & Storage Tips

• Appliances: Tape all appliance doors shut when moving. Wedge doors open in storage. Secure all movable parts with paper or wedge. Wrap a paper pad around each item for protection. Freezer, refrigerator, washer and dryer make excellent packing cartons for bedding, towels and clothing. Always clean your stove before moving and give utility companies a few days notice to disconnect appliances.
• Beds: Lash bed rails together with rope or plastic tape. As you take beds apart, mark all pieces so you know which goes with which headboard, etc. Place covers on mattresses to keep them clean during moving and storage.
• Books: Books get heavy in bunches. Pack them in small cartons, holding weight to under 30 pounds for easy lifting. Line all book cartons with plastic and fill empty spaces with packing paper. (Garbage bags make good liners).
• Boxes: Go easy on your back. Hold weight of all packaging cartons under 30 pounds. With marking pen, list contents of each carton on side. For load sizing, multiply length x width x height of each carton if that information is not already on the carton.
• Chairs: Protect all chair legs by wrapping them in packing paper. Leave slipcovers on upholstered chairs and cover them with plastic chair covers.
• Clothing: Clothing that ordinarily hangs in a closet should be packed in a wardrobe box.
• Dishes: Take your time when packing dishes. Wrap each one with packing tissue and cushion them in the carton with crumpled packing paper. Keep dish pack cartons under 30 pounds for easy handling and safe riding.
• Glasses: Pack glasses carefully. Wrap each one with crumpled packing paper like dishes.
• Lamps: Pack lamp shades in individual boxes with plenty of paper for padding. Lamp bases ride securely in bureau drawers, freezers and washing machines. For safety, pad them well with towels and blankets.
• Mirrors: Wrap your mirrors in paper pads, place in mirror pack and identify them with your marker pen so you won't accidentally bang or bump them. Plan to send them on edge. Never store a mirror flat.
• Paintings: Wrap paintings in paper pads and mirror pack same as mirrors. Mark them fragile and store them on edge, never flat.
• Warning: DO NOT STORE COMBUSTIBLES OR PERISHABLES such as old paint, cleaning fluids, gasoline, etc. Make certain all fuel is drained or burned out of gasoline powered equipment. Throw away anything that could possibly cause fire. Do not store food in open containers or any item which could attract rodents or pests. Why risk your possessions just to keep a few cents' worth of leftovers?

General Storage

• Begin packing a couple of days before you move. Careful packing pays by preventing breakage and loss of small and fragile items. And moving time is a great time to weed out old, unwanted or unneeded possessions. They only take up storage space.
• Get plenty of sturdy corrugated cartons, packing paper, sealing tape and a magic marker type pen.
• A box for everything and everything in a box is the best protection of your goods. Use uniform sizes of boxes and stack them shoulder high to maximize your total storage space.
• Prepare your unit by placing plastic on the floor under your goods. Be sure the plastic laps up over the walls a few inches on every side.
• Leave a small air space between the goods stored and the locker walls.
• Protect your mattresses, sofas, and chairs with specially designed plastic covers.
• Cover the entire load with a light plastic cover.
• Use a good quality lock on your storage unit door. Cheap locks rust.
• Insure your goods while in storage. Ask the manager about self storage insurance at reasonable rates.
• Keep a detailed list and pictures of all items in storage.