Packing furniture for a cross country move

Packing furniture for a cross country move is quite a challenging task. There are so many things to think about. The length of the move doesn’t help, either. You can never be certain what can happen when moving long distance, so you always need to be prepared. Florida cross country movers can be of great help for this – they might have some good material, as well as tips for you. However, if you want to do the packing yourself, then there are certain things you need to know. In this article, we go over the main ideas you need to keep in mind when packing your items for a long distance move.

Make a thorough plan

The first thing you need to do is to think carefully about your items. Decide what you want to take with you, and what you will leave behind. Think carefully about the big pieces of furniture. Sometimes, it is much cheaper to buy a new piece of furniture than to take it on a cross-country trip.

If, however, you decide to take your furniture with you, think about whether you need to take it apart. Usually, this is the best way to transport big, clunky items like beds, tables, and cabinets. Otherwise, they will take more space, and just be awkward to place in the truck. Another smart idea during this time is to take photos while disassembling the furniture. You will have to reassemble it later, so these will be a useful guide at that time.

Then, once you know where everything will go, you can start planning for the packing material. You will need good, tough boxes when packing furniture for a cross country move. Also, you might want to get some padding, wrapping paper, high-quality masking tape, as well as some markers.

Think about safety when packing furniture for a cross country move

One of the most important things you can do when packing furniture for a cross country move is to keep it safe. The best way to do this is with blankets or furniture pads. There are moving blankets you can get, but old ones can work as well. Wrap your items in them to protect them from bumps along the road. Make sure you cover all the pieces of the item. For bigger items, don’t be afraid to use multiple blankets. When packing oddly shaped items, you will need to get creative. However, don’t forget to secure everything. For example, you want to wrap the legs of the table in blankets as well as the eating surface.

Plastic wrap can also be your great friend when you want a cheap way to move your stuff across the country. All you need to do is start from one edge of the item, and wrap it all around. This way, you will secure the covers of the item. The blankets and pads will stay firmly in place. However, this is not the only thing a plastic wrap provides. Your items will also stay clean during their long-distance travel.

Finally, you can use pieces of cardboard to secure the corners of your items, as well as the glass pieces. You can place it along the edges and bend it on the corners, then secure it with masking tape.

Securing fragile items

Once you have dealt with your clunky, big items, it’s time to think about small items and how to pack them for long distance move. One of your best friends here will be the bubble wrap – you want to use it as often as you can! It not only insulates the items from vibrations but protects them from scratches. Because of this, you can use bubble wrap on bigger items too – like wooden surfaces.

When it comes to glass, you need to be extra careful. You want to put masking tape directly on it, in a shape of an X or an asterisk. This will help with the vibrations that often break the glass. It also protects the glass if you accidentally drop it during the move. After that, grab two pieces of cardboard or styrofoam and place them on each side of the glass. These are there to protect the glass from direct hits, which can sometimes happen when items bounce around in the truck.

Loading the moving truck

Another important step in packing furniture for a cross country move is loading them into the truck. Now, if you are using professional services, like long distance movers South Carolina, then they will do this for you. However, if you rented a truck and need to pack it yourself, here’s what you need to keep in mind.

• Think about where the weight is going. You do not want to place all the heavy items on one side of the truck – this will make it hard for you to drive. Instead, distribute the weight of your items evenly. A rule of the thumb says that the lighter boxes should go in the middle with the heavy ones on the side. This makes unloading and moving around the truck easier.
• Then, think of how you can use one item to protect the other. For example, even though you have already secured your paintings and mirrors, you can still place them between two mattresses for added safety. If you don’t have mattresses, you can do it with sofa pillows or similar items. Using techniques like these will have you save on space and packing material.
• Finally, think about how you are putting your items. Be very mindful of the vertical space in the truck – you can stack items up. For example, couches and sofas will take a lot of floor space if you just place them in the truck. However, you can always tilt them to the side and store them vertically. Thinking outside of the box when packing furniture for a cross country move will make the job easier for you, and make your items more secure.