Packing Mistakes Everyone Makes

Most people have moved several times in their lives, so there are mistakes everyone makes that they’ve mastered by now. Other movers haven’t recognized the mistakes, so they stumble through moves looking for clearly unmarked boxes. Please allow us to help with your next move with this list of common packing mistakes combined with their correct ways of packing.

1.Properly Taping a Box

We don’t have enough fingers and toes between us to count how many times moving clients have told us that when they taped a box and filled it, the innards still fell out the bottom of the box. Allow us to explain a little physics. When pressure is placed on the four corners of something, it will break.

Correct Way: Reinforce those corners as well as the middle, and nothing will fall out. Fold the smaller flaps in, and then fold the larger flaps in. Tape it, bringing the tape up a small way on the side of the box. Now do the same with the edge of the flap folding from the side of the box. Do the same with the other edge of the flap. Remember to bring the tape up a small way on the sides of the box.

Now come to the center of the bottom of the box flaps. Beginning a small way up the side of the box, pull the tape across the bottom flaps and continue a small way up the other side of the box. This cross-taping procedure will strengthen the bottom flaps of the box. Now you can pack!

 2. Properly Marking a Box

Another problem moving clients have is marking a box. Some folks only write on one side of the box what it contains. Others write contents on top of the box and that’s it. This causes a problem when it comes time to unpack. Boxes have to be unstacked or turned around four times to learn what’s in the box. Here’s how to do it right.

Correct way: Whether boxes or clear plastic totes, a black Magic Marker will be needed to label the boxes. Boxes should be labeled on top, bottom, and all four sides. When time comes to unpack, it will be plainly understood what’s in the boxes.

3.  Properly Packing a Box

Lots of movers jam a box up to the top flaps with something. Consequently, the box is heavy and takes two people to move. This wastes time and energy. You might need twice the number of packing boxes, but we can help with that, too.

Correct way: Boxes of books are the worst things to move. If you’d like to move them without breaking the mover’s backs, pack them in only two layers. This will fill the box perhaps half-way, and they won’t be so heavy someone gets a hernia moving them.

No one can remember every little thing about moving, so we hope this list of common moving mistakes helps. If you have any other packing problems, please contact us to learn more about it.