Packing Tips

• If you'll be doing some packing yourself, start packing several cartons each day a few weeks before your move. Be sure that the items you pack won't be needed before your move, of course. By pacing yourself, you'll be more organized and the job won't be so overwhelming.
• Pack on a room-by-room basis and do one area of the room at a time. It's best not to mix items from different rooms in one box.
• To prevent small items from being lost or mistakenly thrown out with the packing paper, wrap miniature knickknacks and other small items in brightly-color tissue paper before placing them in the box.
• On the top and front of each carton, write a general description of the contents and indicate the room from which it came (or to which it will go in your new home.)
• Use different colored dot stickers for each box; then, at your new house, hang a balloon of a corresponding color outside the room where you want the color-coded boxes to be delivered.
• Allow children to pack their favorite toys. This gives them a stronger sense of belonging and helps them feel that they're playing an instrumental part in the move.
• Use only unprinted newsprint paper to wrap items. Regular newspapers are messy and can soil your possessions.
• Use clean cartons designed for moving. Boxes obtained from grocery or liquor stores are not always clean, and they many not withstand the weight of the items you'll be putting in them. Also, their odd sizes tend to make loading more difficult.
• Hazardous materials &150; inflammables such as paint, varnish and thinners, gasoline, kerosene and oil, bottled gas, aerosol cans, nail polish and remover, ammunition and explosives, corrosives, and cleaning fluids and detergents &150; are some examples of common household items which can't be included in your shipment.
• Irreplaceable photos, financial papers and assets (bank checks, insurance policies, stock certificates, et.), legal documents (wills, passport, etc.), valuables (jewelry, coin and stamp collections, etc.), and medical and family history records should be personally transported by you during the move.
• Unpack breakables over the box you're taking them out of; that way, if you happen to drop an item, it will land on some packing material, thereby reducing its chance of breakage.

Packing of Computers and Other Electronics

The original carton and packing materials are always best for safeguarding any type of computer or home electronics equipment. However, it you're like most people and have long since thrown away the original packaging, you can wrap components (e.g., receiver, compact disc player, videocassette recorder) separately inside clean plastic garbage bags to protect them against dust and dirt, and then pad them with newsprint or bubble-wrap. For turntables, secure the tone arm, remove the needle and tighten the turntable screws.

Carefully pack the item in a sturdy carton that has been lined with newsprint or Styrofoam "peanuts." Securely seal the carton and mark the outside of the box to indicate that the item inside is "Extremely Fragile".

Likewise, your personal computer (PC) and printer require special attention. Disconnect wires attached to movable hardware such as a modem or mouse and "park" your PC by inserting a blank floppy disk into the disk drive. Detach paper holders/feeders from printers and wrap monitors and other hardware as you would other home electronics.

It's a good idea to "back up" all files on your hard drive by copying them onto a floppy disk or CD, and keep them in your possession enroute to your new residence.

Be sure not to pack disks or cassettes near magnets, such as those on your stereo speakers.

Upon arrival at your new home, let your PC "acclimate" itself to room temperature before plugging in.

Consult your PC user manual for any additional instructions relative to your particular equipment.