4 tips to lower your risk when moving

Moving is a major expense, and it’s not in everyone’s budget. The same goes for hiring someone to pack and wrap your belongings. If you’ll be doing most of the grunt work during your move, you probably know that bending to lift boxes and furniture with your legs–not with your back–can save you a painful trip to the ER.

You’re also likely prepared to wear practical, comfortable shoes and breathable clothing to make the move easier. So when it comes to packing, you should make sure the contents of your boxes are just as prepared.

Whether you’re worried about saving your back or your grandmother’s tea set, there are several ways to lower your risk when moving. Here are four of our best tips to protect your belongings:

1. Pack valuables and delicate items in the right boxes

One of the biggest moving mistakes is packing items in the wrong boxes. You could wrap grandma’s plates in layers of bubble wrap before stacking them in a regular box, but the chance of an accident is still high. You could dump your clothes in a garbage bag, but the bag could tear during the move and let in dirt, water, or worse. Suits and dresses can easily wrinkle in a box.

Different-sized containers can protect your items and make it easier to identify what’s fragile during the move. Use a dishware box that separates plates and glasses with thick cardboard. Pack mirrors and paintings into a mirror box that hugs all the corners. Use a wardrobe box (the sturdy kind with the rod) to keep clothing clean and wrinkle-free.

2. Use more tape for heavy boxes

Many do-it-yourself packers tend to pack heavy boxes with books or equipment and only use one piece of tape to close the bottom flaps. Unfortunately, once there’s too much weight in the box, it isn’t enough, and you might find the bottom bursting open and dumping everything on the floor (and your toes). We don’t recommend being wasteful, so still be cautious to only use as much tape as you need to secure your boxes.

3. Don’t forget the packing paper

You might think, “but I have perfectly good newspaper lying around!” While you can go ahead and use newspaper for some items, you shouldn’t use it for fragile kitchen items, and here’s why: newsprint can rub off onto your dishes and other surfaces. While it typically washes off, it adds one more step to the unpacking process.

It’s worth investing in proper packing paper for your valuables, which you can recycle or reuse after the move. If you’re on a budget, you can still wrap kitchen appliances and hardy items with towels and blankets.

4. Plan ahead and stock up on supplies before the move
As we mentioned in Tip #1, using the right supplies can lower your risk of breaking items during a move. Prepare extra supplies in advance, because you don’t want to be stuck with last minute open boxes or unwrapped items on Moving Day Eve. Boxes, tape guns, TV boxes, mirror boxes, permanent markers, scissors, and protective packages (like dish kits and glass kits) help you move with care and protect your goods.

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