What will I need to move my household?

We have collaberated with several movers to compile a list of what boxes and moving supplies are needed to move the average home based on the number of bedrooms it has. Click here to get an estimate of what you might need to move your household.

Storage Tips

Appliances:
Appliances should be cleaned and dried thoroughly before storage. A refrigerator or freezer should be stored with its door slightly ajar to help prevent mildew. For safety reasons, store a refrigerator or freezer with its doors facing a wall with very little space to prevent small children from accidentally locking themselves inside. Smaller appliances, items and/or boxes can be stored inside the larger appliances.

Books and Documents:
Store books flat to protect their spines. Use pallets or skids to store book boxes to prevent moisture leaks. Use paper packing to fill empty spaces in the boxes. Do not store fragile items in boxes with books. Documents, however, should be stored in individual folders or files and stored flat. When packing books, use smaller boxes for lighter loads.

Dishes and Glassware:
A layer of paper packing, should be used on the bottom and at the top of boxes containing glassware. All glass items should be individually wrapped, preferably with bubble-wrap. Wrapped drinking glasses or extremely fragile stemware should be placed near the top of the box. Marking the box "FRAGILE" will improve your chances of those items being safely transported and stored.

Holiday Decorations:
Save original containers and wrap delicate decorations in paper padding, bubblewrap, or newspaper. Wrapping strings of lights around a piece of sturdy cardboard will save you a lot of grief next year. Place all decorations in a box lined with paper padding.

Children's Toys:
Use large boxes for bulky and lightweight toys, (i.e., stuffed animals). Small piece toy sets should be stored in individual boxes, and then stored within larger boxes.

Tools:
Metal tools should be cleaned and wiped with a rag containing a few drops of machine oil to retard rust. Long-handled tools such as rakes, shovels and hoes should be clean, lightly oiled and tied in bundles or stored on the walls.

Bicycles and other metal items:
Wipe all surfaces clean and dry, then using a cloth containing a few drops of machine oil, wipe down the object again. An alternative to machine oil is to lightly spray WD40 and then wiping down the excess.

Linens and things:
Clothes, curtains, and drapes, should be stored on hangers inside wardrobe boxes. If not there, then carefully folded and stored in dresser drawers or cedar chests, along with your bedding and linens. Cedar bits and mothballs are among the most popular methods for warding off pests. Naturally, all of these items should be cleaned before being stored.

Furniture:
Use a pallet, cardboard mat, or plastic sheet on the floor and stand sofas on end. Mattresses stored in mattress boxes are easily stored and transported. Disassemble as much furniture as possible and wrap legs in paper. Turn tables upside down on padding and use the space inside for storing other small items. Stack chairs when possible. Lastly, use a light cotton dust cover over all furniture.

Lamps:
Wrap lamp bases in padding and store delicate lamp shades separately. Use pillowcases or small blankets, instead of newspaper to wrap shades or other items that could be damaged by ink. As with your dishes and glassware, mark the box "FRAGILE."

Grown-up Toys:
Albums (if you still own them) should be stored in their corresponding jackets and stored on their edges to prevent warping. The tone arm and turntable on a phonograph should be secured to prevent damage. CDs should be stored on their edges in a small size box and labeled accordingly. All computer equipment and electronics should be stored in their own boxes and kept dry and cool. The "heads" on a computer should be "locked" before transporting.

Mirrors, Windows and Screens:
Store on their edges. Use specially made mirror boxes for mirrors or wrap them in heavily with blankets before storing.