Tips to Ensure that Your Moving Experience Goes SMOOTHLY

What Not to Pack and What to Do with Not to Pack Items It is dangerous and illegal to pack and move flammable and hazardous materials. Call your local recycling pickup provider, fire station, or the nearest Environmental Protection Agency office to learn how to properly dispose of flammable and hazardous materials before you move. Make a note in your notebook of the depot address, phone number, and hours of operation if you have to make a trip to dispose of these materials yourself. Set a date about a week before your move day and mark it on your calendar.

Confirm arrangements for move day with the moving company, moving truck rental company, and moving equipment rental company.

Confirm arrangements for move day with any help you have hired, friends, or family members.
Confirm arrangements for move day with sitters for the children and pets.

Confirm reservations for travel and accommodation.

Dispose of any corrosives, explosives, flammable liquids, flammable solids, gases, and poisons.
Dismantle all your furniture items, such as entertainment centers, bookcases, desks, shelving units, and bed frames, before the day of your move.

Remove pictures, wrap, package, and box.

Defrost, clean, and dry out your refrigerator and freezer 24 hours before the day of your move.

Assemble the necessary papers and documents you will need to carry with you on move day. These items should be carried in your wallet or placed in your MOVE BOX.

• Make certain you are present at all times to supervise the move. 
• Complete any last-minute cleaning. 
• Turn down the thermostat on the furnace. 
• Make certain all interior water taps are turned off. 
• Check the outdoor taps to make certain they are turned off. 
• Take a final reading on the gas, water, and electricity meters. 
• Check to make certain the telephone service has been disconnected. 
• Check the basement, attic, storage shed, and each room for missed items. 
• Check all closets, drawers, cupboards, and crawl spaces. 
• Make certain all of the windows are closed and locked. 
• Turn off all the lights. Leave all keys on the counter or with the real estate agent. Leave the garage door openers on the counter. 
• Leave operating manuals for the underground sprinkler and security system on the counter. 
• Empty the garbage. 
• Close and lock all of the doors.

• Plan your storage space. 
• Place those items that you may need to access often in the front. 
• Allow for walkways. 
• Make up an inventory of your items and keep them in a safe place at home or in a safe deposit box. 
• Place your storage items on 2 X 4 boards or on pallets to guard against dampness. Any concrete floor may become cold and damp. 
• CAUTION! Do not store anything COMBUSTIBLE (i.e., paint thinner, gasoline, solvents, paint, etc.) 
• Use uniform-size boxes for easy stacking. 
• Be sure your boxes are strong enough to hold 24–30 pounds. (It is best not to put too much in each box.) 
• List the contents of boxes on all four sides; number the boxes and seal them with tape. 
• Stack lighter boxes on top of heavier boxes. 
• Dishes and glasses should be wrapped in paper and packed in sturdy boxes. Stack them on top. 
• Pictures and mirrors should be wrapped in cardboard, marked “FRAGILE,” and stacked on the end. 
• Furniture with drawers can be utilized as storage places for pictures, china, silverware, small items, etc. Wrap them in tablecloths, towels, or blankets to prevent breakage. 
• Larger appliances make excellent “packaging cases” for blankets, towels, tablecloths, and clothes. 
• Shovels, hoses, rakes, and hoses can be stored together in empty trash cans. 
• Stack extra cans inside each other. 
• Tables with removable legs should be broken down to save space. 
• Sofas and love seats can be stored on end to save floor space. Always place a protective cover under the items. Cushions may be wrapped in plastic and placed on top. 
• Cover stuffed furniture with cardboard or blankets to protect against dust. 
• If you stand mattresses on their side, prop them up so they stand straight. They may tend to bend out of shape and become lumpy. 
• Prepare your space by placing a protective cover on the floor under your goods. 
• Do not place heavy or sharp objects on top of upholstered furniture. 
• Use a good quality lock on your door. 
• To prevent bug infestation and rodents, no food or food items should be stored. (If absolutely necessary, food staples should be sealed in plastic zip locks within another bag) 
• Place TV and other electronics in the rear of your unit.