When packing and moving your household, keep in mind these tips, widely agreed upon by professionals in the moving and shipping industry:
* Pack cartons snugly, using blank newsprint to fill in gaps. Fill them up, because half-full boxes tend to crush when stacked.
* Limit box weight to 50 pounds each. You don't want the bottom to fall out, and keep in mind who has to lift the things. Tape boxes securely with packing tape, not masking tape.
* Pack books and recordings on end in small cartons. Valuable books should be wrapped in paper or tissue first.
* Nest lampshades separately in lightly crumpled paper.
* Mark boxes once they're packed, both with the contents and the room the box belongs in.
* Prepare an "open first" box with a change of clothes, lamp, a few dishes, towels, soap, toilet paper and other essentials. Load this box into the vehicle last so it's handy at your new place.
* Use "natural" containers, e.g. leave clothing in bureaus and dressers. Remove heavy items.
* Mirrors, pictures, glasses should be packed in flat cartons. Small pictures can be wrapped and packed on edge in medium cartons.
* When loading the vehicle, begin with the heaviest items: major appliances, furniture.
* If using a large truck, stack cartons by weight, from heaviest to lightest, floor to ceiling. Keep fragile items toward the top and secure them with rope.
* If you're hiring movers, there are some things you still should move yourself: cash, securities, jewelry, furs, firearms, personal papers, collectibles and family heirlooms.
Featured
-
DNC in Denver
Complete coverage of the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
-
The Crevasse
A five-part series that examines one tragic day on Mount Rainier.
-
Deadly denial
Sick nuclear workers applied for government compensation but most haven't seen a dime.
-
Final Salute
The Rocky followed Maj. Steve Beck as he took on the most difficult duty of his career.
-
'Colorado's burning'
Coverage of the state's worst wildfires.
-
Columbine shootings
Coverage of the April 20, 1999, shootings at Littleton's Columbine High School.
-
The Crossing
Colorado's deadliest traffic accident killed 20 children on Dec. 14, 1961.
-
Osveli's journey
Osveli Sales left Guatemala for a better life. Two months later, he came home in a box.
-
Wake for an Indian warrior
Oglala Sioux bestow a tribute to the first tribal fatality in Iraq.
