Packing and unpacking accounts for most of the labor and stress of a move. Organizing your belongings, fitting them into boxes and keeping all the details situated can take a great deal of work. Often, people who are moving assume they can ‘stuff their stuff’ in boxes that they have accumulated over time, or have collected from generous friends. However, those methods tend to add more work to the move. There are some moving boxes to avoid, in order to pack successfully.
In order to make the packing and moving process easier, avoid these three mistakes when purchasing moving boxes:
1. Your friend’s leftover boxes.
These boxes can be worn out, dented or already marked up. Whoever used the boxes may have weakened the integrity of the box. Using low-quality used boxes, may increase your chance of items being damaged during the move. There is nothing wrong with re-using a used box as the price is probably free and as long as the integrity of the box is still valid, you should have no issues and you are also helping the environment. Just make sure your used boxes still have life in them. If some of your used boxes are past that point, break them down and use them as a floor mat to avoid tracking mud in, or recycle them at your local recycling center.
2. A large box stuffed with heavy items.
If a box is filled with heavy items, such as books or electronics, make sure the box is small and manageable to lift. If you fill a large box to the brim with your heavy belongings, there is a chance the box could rip through the bottom. It is recommended that your heavy items go into small boxes, and lighter items into bigger boxes. Most importantly, make sure the box is filled to the top. It reduces wasted space and adds strength to the carton by having it full.
3. Selecting the wrong type of moving boxes.
There are a number of different types of moving boxes: a book carton (smaller for heavier items) a dish barrel (heavy duty for fragile items), medium cartons, large cartons, mirrors, mattress cartons, wardrobe cartons, and more. In order to truly move organized and safely, you will need all of the different sized cartons. Using only medium and large cartons are not going to handle all of your family’s belongings. Learn more about selecting the correct type of moving boxes for your move.
For more help with your move, contact us!