How to save cash and your back when packing...
Ok, you’ve probably thought of this already, but one of the best ways to save money when you are moving is to use your own moving boxes and moving containers and pack them yourself. This is the most time consuming task and most moving companies charge by the hour!
You can make life easy by starting to pack weeks in advance. You can start with things like linen, the shoes and clothing that you don’t wear (but can’t bare to throw away) and books that you've already read. If you still intend to hire a mover, leave the difficult items such as pianos and pool table for them. Another great advantage of packing you own items into moving boxes is that you can make sure you valuables don’t ‘go missing’ or break ‘accidently’.
Some places where you can get moving boxes online are listed below.
As mentioned before, you’ll have to start collecting packing boxes for your items if you are not going to get the from the rental truck company. It’s usually best to get the boxes well in advance of your moving date. Call around at your local supermarkets, or discount outlets (who will usually have an abundance of card board boxes which making perfect moving boxes). Some people will even put aside moving boxes for you which you can pick up a later date. Of course, you can buy moving boxes as well (which is sometimes a good idea if you have a lot of fragile items). Custom designed moving boxes are usually a lot more durable and will stack better then different sized boxes you may have picked up from the local grocery store.
When you do get around to packing, remember that the heavier and item is, the smaller the packing box you should use (especially if you’ve got your own moving boxes). I’ve seen people load large boxes up with books, only to see them almost break their spine in half trying to lift them. Overloaded boxes will usually explode like a bout of unwanted diarrhea.
Always try and keep you boxes under 40 pounds. The most important thing to remember is to bend you knees and keep your back straight! Spinal injuries are not fun, especially if you are moving to a new town or city. Remember the easier it is to carry the boxes, the faster you will load it up and unload it from your vehicle when moving – even if it means more trips.
As I mentioned just before, I wouldn’t trust a moving company to pack my valuables. I’ve had a box with about 200 CDS go missing during one moving trip. The fact that it went missing was never resolved and I couldn’t do a thing. It was my word against the moving company. If you do have priceless items, such as heirlooms, or computers with sensitive data, or even photos you don’t want to lose… don’t let a moving company pack them. Even if you do have insurance, it’s not worth the hassle and the insurable value will never come any where near the actual value of such items.
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