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4 Common Moving Box Packing Mistakes and What to Do Instead

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September 2, 2021

Couple Holding a Box — Court Beloit, WI — Christofferson Moving & Storage

If you plan to move soon, then you are likely getting ready to fill boxes with household items that you plan to move to your new location. While packing household items in boxes is a relatively simple process, you can make mistakes during the process that can damage the contents of your boxes.

Read on to learn about four common moving box packing mistakes and what you should do instead.

1. Protecting Fragile Items With Newspaper

Many people confuse newsprint with printed newspapers. Newsprint is a type of inexpensive paper made from wood pulp that is often used to create newspapers but that is not yet covered in any print or ink. Newspapers, on the other hand, are covered in print and the ink used to create the print.

While newsprint is a great packing material that can help protect your fragile household items from damage during transport, you should avoid using newspaper as a packing material. Newspaper ink can transfer onto items you wrap with the paper, potentially staining them.

2. Overlooking Packing Materials Around the House

Many people fill up moving up boxes with towels, washcloths, sheets, and blankets alone instead of using these items as packing materials to protect their fragile items. Many of these items can protect fragile household items from damage just as well as store-bought packing materials and moving blankets.

You can also reduce the number of boxes that you need to transport when you use these alternative packing materials to protect delicate items in their moving boxes instead of packing these items in their own boxes.

To use household towels to protect your fragile items in their moving boxes, simply wrap the towels around the delicate items and, if needed, hold the towels in place with tape. Cover furniture in household blankets just as you would cover them in moving blankets before they are loaded into a moving truck to protect these large items from damage.

3. Using Bubble Wrap the Wrong Way

Bubble wrap is a great packing material that can help keep fragile items from breaking when being moved from one location to another inside of your moving boxes. However, when used improperly, this packing material can damage some household items.

Bubble wrap can leave impressions or marks on glass and artwork that can be difficult to impossible to remove. In addition, wooden items should never be wrapped directly in any plastic packing material, including bubble wrap, because the condensation that becomes trapped between the plastic and wood can damage it.

To prevent both of these problems, fully cover glass and wooden items, as well as expensive artwork, in newsprint or other breathable materials before you wrap them in a layer of bubble wrap.

4. Not Choosing Packing Tape Wisely

Another common mistake made when packing moving boxes is securing the boxes with flimsy packing tape or tape that shouldn’t be used for securing moving boxes at all. When boxes are not secured with quality packing tape, they can break open during the moving process and the contents can become damaged.

Some common household tapes, such as duct tape and masking tape, should never be used to secure moving boxes. These tapes often do not stick to cardboard well and are not strong enough to hold boxes shut securely.

Also, do not make the mistake of securing your moving boxes with shipping tape due to the belief that shipping and packing tape are made alike. Shipping tape is typically much thinner and more lightweight than packing tape, which makes it a less-than-ideal tape option for securing moving boxes.

Always secure boxes with tape labeled as packing tape or storage tape, which is another term used to describe the same type of tape. Look for a tape with at least 20 pounds of tensile strength, and choose a tape that is over 3 mm in thickness when securing boxes that contain heavy items.

Be sure to avoid these four common packing mistakes when preparing for a move. Contact the full-service moving experts at Christofferson Moving & Storage for all of your moving needs today, including high-quality packing materials.

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