Moving is a stressful experience all around, but it’s especially nerve-wracking if you own expensive electronics. If these items got damaged during the move, you could lose hundreds or even thousands of dollars from repair fees.
These eight tips will help you protect fragile devices during the move and ensure that your precious belongings stay safe.
1. Use the Original Packaging
The packaging materials at your disposal will largely determine the safety of your electronics. It’s best to use the original packages for each device because they already have storage compartments with the device’s specific shape. Plus, you know the package is effective because it kept the device safe during its original delivery.
If you threw away the original package, your next best options are double-corrugated dish pack boxes. They might not be perfect for your electronics, but they’re still designed to carry fragile items and will serve you much better than flimsy cardboard or styrofoam boxes. You can also put many small devices in the same box, which saves lots of precious space.
2. Fill Up Empty Space
Your goal for each box is to full up as much empty space as possible. Everything must be tightly packed together so it doesn’t shift and break during transport. Fill up the cracks and crevices with packing paper, bubble wrap and air pillows. If your electronics can’t move, then they won’t bounce around and knock into other items.
There are also some eco-friendly alternatives to fill up the empty space in each box if sustainability is a priority. Instead of going through plastic or styrofoam filler materials, you can use biodegradable packing peanuts and recycled air pillows. Finding small ways to reduce the waste from your move will make the clean-up easier for you and the environment.
3. Don’t Overpack Boxes
Although you’re supposed to fill up empty space, you must be careful not to overpack each box. Even the strongest corrugated cardboard boxes have a weight limit. It’s simply not worth the risk to test the strength of your boxes when they have fragile devices inside. Play on the safe side and keep the weight under 50 pounds.
Another reason you shouldn’t overpack moving boxes is because they make the loading and unloading process more strenuous. Employees with the moving company are more likely to drop heavy boxes and damage the contents inside. Keep the boxes at a manageable weight to reduce the risk of a mishap.
4. Select the Safest Route
Finally, you need to determine the safest route to your new address. Avoiding poorly paved streets will allow you to focus on traffic patterns instead of dodging potholes, while avoiding busy high-risk intersections will reduce the risk of an accident. If you don’t feel comfortable with a certain road, trust your instincts and take another route.
Even if the drive takes 15 minutes longer, it’s worth the extra time if your electronics survive the trip unharmed. All of your other belongings will benefit from the safer trip too. Fewer items will shift around and the unloading phase will be easier.
5. Stabilize the Base of Each Box
Stabilizing the base is the final touch to make each box as secure as possible. Don’t skimp out on the packing tape. Add multiple strips of tape around the box’s weak points — especially on the bottom so the box can support more weight without collapsing. It might take you a little longer to disassemble the boxes, but protecting your electronics is the top priority.
Double-check to make sure you’re using heavy-duty packing tape for your most fragile items. The movers will see which boxes have special tape and know to handle them with greater care.
6. Choose a Sturdy Moving Trailer
When researching moving companies, pay attention to the different types of moving trailers they offer. One of the safest options for transporting fragile cargo is an enclosed trailer because of the shelter it provides compared to open-style designs.
7. Label Everything
Labeling boxes is one of the best ways to stay organized during the moving process. You can keep tabs on every item and ensure that nothing important gets misplaced. Labeling also protects fragile items because the movers will know which boxes to handle more carefully. When they see a box that reads “PC” or “gaming console”, they’re going to be extra cautious.
8. Put the Heaviest Items at the Bottom
The initial loading phase will play a huge role in the safety of your electronics. You need to put the heaviest items at the bottom and stack lighter items on top. This basic loading technique evenly distributes the weight throughout the trailer and eliminates the possibility that the heaviest boxes will crush other items.
Take Care of Your Precious Devices
Electronics are serious investments in this day and age. Cell phones, laptops, PCs, cameras and gaming consoles are among many people’s most prized possessions. These tips will help you take care of your precious devices from start to finish. Take as many precautions as you can to ensure that everything makes it from point A to point B without any damage.
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