MOVING TIPS
GET READY TO GO!

For a secure box, you should tape the seam on the bottom, and run a piece of tape perpendicular to that seam. Pad the bottom and sides of the box with paper. Depending on what you’re packing, you should wrap each item with paper. When you’ve filled the box to capacity, tape it shut and label it with its contents. Be sure that you label the sides of the box, not the top of the box.

Pack similar items together. It’s best that boxes are filled to the brim to keep them from collapsing. After you’ve filled a box, label it with what it contains and an arrow indicating which side is up. And of course, if it’s fragile, write that on the box as well.

Plates are less likely to break if they’re standing on edge inside the box. You also need to wrap each plate in paper and include plenty of stuffing on the bottoms, sides and in the corners of the box. Put so much stuffing inside the box that the plates don’t have any room to shift around at all.

Label them by the room and with a general description of the contents it contains. The label should be on the sides of the box, not on the top of the box.

Don’t wait until the week before you move to start packing your things. There are some items you can pack a couple of months before a move. For example, pack up out-of-season clothes, holiday decorations, china, stemware, and books.

Pack small items in large boxes and large items in small boxes. Books are the only exception. If you fill a big box with a bunch of small books, the weight is going to add up and the box is going to be too heavy to carry. Also, pack heavier items at the bottom of the box and lighter items toward the top of the box.