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Long Distance Moves: Keep Breakables Whole

Do you still have the champagne glasses you used to toast at your wedding? What about a collection of your kids’ handmade holiday ornaments? Everyone wants to keep around items that remind them of the happiest times in their lives; that’s a natural inclination. Unfortunately, most of those pieces of memorabilia are, more often than not, unusually shaped and breakable. So, how do you pack those physical pieces of memory to ensure they survive when you’re moving across the country? At Primetime Movers, we are Memphis’ long distance moving experts, which means we have years of experience packing and moving irreplaceable items across the country. If you’re packing everything for long distance moving, try these tips:

Find The Right Materials

When it comes to packing your breakables, you probably already know you can’t simply rely on the box to do all the protective work. You will need bubble wrap, packing paper, spare cardboard, scissors, packing tape, and a few permanent markers. We suggest using actual made-for-packing materials rather than those old sheets and towels because of the additional protective buffer they provide over thin cloth.

Don’t Scrimp On Space

We see it often – so many people prioritize the box count over more careful packing. The downfall to this is, often, you end up with boxes of books you can’t lift because they’re packed too full and your breakables get crammed into too-small spaces, which causes chips, dents, and cracks. Instead, don’t worry about keeping the box count small. Packing your breakables with excess padding will help ensure they make it to the new house in one piece.

Label Well

If you’ve read our previous blogs, you probably know we’re big fans of organization. As you pack things up, it’s helpful to note the room that box belongs in so things can be sorted appropriately for unpacking. When it comes to packing those fragile items, take a note from the cartoons – mark the boxes “fragile” or “breakable” largely and visibly so it’s easy to know which ones are especially delicate.

Packing Services

Pad, Layer, Wrap

Things like plates and bowls are made to stack; however, even those stackable items need some extra padding before they go in the boxes. Crumple packing paper in the bottom of boxes and add another layer on top once you’ve filled the box. Pliable cardboard can be cut down and layered between plates and bowls to help prevent chipping and breaking.

For glasses, take that packing paper and crumple it to fill the empty space in the glass then wrap each of them separately so they can’t clink against each other and break. Things that are less uniformly shaped will need extra padding, so be sure you’re packaging it to protect any parts that jut out. Those unusually shaped items are often best packed with bubble wrap and layers of crumpled paper around it.

If you’re moving across country, keep your breakables safe with the tips above. If you’re unsure of your packing prowess, leave it to the professionals. The team at Primetime Movers offers packing and moving services customizable to your needs. Call us today to schedule!