Canadians
are on the move. Home equity has been rising for the last several years, and
many homeowners are taking the opportunity to move up. Others, with children
now grown and house prices so strong, have decided to capitalize on the boom:
taking their real estate gains and downsizing into a more manageable property.
There’s no question that Canadians are packing up and moving out in record
numbers.
Following
are some tips from professional movers on how to pack:
1.
Assemble
your supplies at least one month in advance. At a minimum, you’ll need several
sizes of clean, close-able cardboard boxes, packing tape, permanent markers,
bubble wrap, newspaper and/or tissue paper. You may also need special boxes for
mattresses, artwork or mirrors, and table lamps. Buy a wardrobe box from your
mover to transport the contents of your closets. Start packing as early as you
can.
2.
Room
by room. Stay organized by packing one room at a time. Label each box clearly
with the room and a description of the contents – e.g. “Girl’s Bedroom – toy
shelf contents”. Keep the boxes in the room, if possible. It’s helpful, when
packing is complete for that room, to number the boxes (e.g. “Box 1 of 5). At
the other end, you’ll know if a box is missing or misplaced from that room.
Keep a list of numbered boxes and their contents.
3.
Heavy
items in small boxes; light items in large boxes. If you have a lot of books or
an old collection of vinyl records, you’ll know how heavy they can be. If
you’re moderately fit, you should be able to lift any box you pack.. Double-box any
fragile items, and add plenty of cushioning. Finally,
when labeling the box, add a “Fragile” note, so the movers can treat it
accordingly.
4.
Don’t
bother emptying your dresser or desk drawers. Do ensure that any items are
secured. Remove any items which might cause problems in the case of freezing or
spilling.
5.
Set
up a station for packing dishes. Use a medium-sized carton and line the bottom
with packing popcorn or crumpled paper. Try packing plates or soup bowls in
threes: on a stack of packing paper, set the first plate. Pull up corners of
your paper and pull up to cover plate completely. Set a second plate on the
stack and repeat. When you finish the third plate, ensure that the bundle is
completely covered, seal it with tape and place carefully in the box.
6.
Dealing
with delicate items. Lamps and lampshades should be removed and packed
carefully. Wrap the harp and finial fittings separately and keep them in the
box with the shade. You may want to tape them to the side of the box so they
don’t get lost in a sea of crumpled paper.
7.
Call
in a specialist for the trickiest jobs. If you’re moving an heirloom
grandfather clock, for example, it should be prepared by a professional. With
smaller clocks, you may be able to remove and/or secure the pendulum yourself.
Unsecured, the clock can be badly damaged.
8.
Computers
and electronics need special care. We all know we’re supposed to keep the
original cartons. This is the reason why. Nothing will protect the equipment
better than the custom-designed box it was originally shipped in. If you
haven’t saved them, then you’ll need to improvise with strong corrugated boxes.
Place a protective layer on the bottom of the box; crumpled newspaper is
usually fine. Wrap an old blanket, towel or bubble wrap around the item and
place it in the box. Stuff additional padding around the item.
9.
Packing
as little food as possible and pack it carefully. It would be ideal if you
didn’t need to move a scrap of food. But realistically, you’ll probably want to
pack the contents of your spice cabinet, other staples, and perhaps a pantry of
canned goods. Again, keep the weight of the boxes reasonable, with no more than
24 – 30 cans in a box. Secure lids of spice jars and wrap carefully in packing
paper. Frozen food is the trickiest of all. Get advice from your mover. Some
will transport carefully packed frozen food for a short move. Others will allow
a fully stocked, fully frozen freezer to be moved with the food inside – generally
only for a certain distance. In general, perishable food items like eggs and
produce should not be moved.
10.
What
NOT to pack: valuable papers, jewellery and cash
should always stay with you. The movers don’t want the responsibility and you
don’t want the worry. And don’t pack your appliances. In general, you only need
to ensure that they are empty, clean, dry and unplugged. The movers will take
care of the rest.
As
the move day approaches, and rooms are packed, begin stacking the boxes as
closely as possible to the spot where movers will park the truck.
While
proper packing sounds like a lot of work, it’s an important safeguard for your
precious possessions.
This feature is part of an ongoing
series of articles on the home buying experience, and is brought to you by Nitesh Kumar of Mortgage Intelligence.