News & Updates

We all know the effort it takes to pack up and move house . To make your life easier when packing and unpacking, or placing your treasured items into storage, take a look at the tips below.

Use Portarobes for more than clothes
Kennards Self Storage Portarobes are perfect for bulky, lightweight items such as comforters, pillows, and blankets, as well as clothes that need to remain hanging. Measure the clothes in your closets to see how many portarobe boxes you’ll need. Strategize portarobe use and fill the bottom of the box with shoes or clothing items that don’t need to be hung.

Make sure you pack the clothes tightly so they don’t move around and fall off of hangers. Finally, cover the shoulders of your clothes (a dry cleaning bag works well), then add a few purses or sweaters on top. You’ll have fewer boxes, and closet items remain together.

Keep things together
Insist on keeping things together when you or the movers are packing boxes. Keep bookends with books, light bulbs with lamps, and extension cords with appliances. Small, loose parts can be attached to the item they belong to with tape or placed in small envelopes, keep picture hooks with pictures, shelf brackets with a bookcase, a special wrench and bolts with the wall unit. Keep larger corresponding items (such as a cable TV cord) in resealable bags, and tape these to the underside or back of the item. As a backup, have a “Parts Box” open on the kitchen counter and fill it with cables, cords, parts, pieces, brackets, or nails that are removed from any items of furniture.

Pack ahead
Anything you can pack ahead will save you time on moving day. If it’s summer, get your winter clothes out of the way. You don’t really need 5 radios or TV’s around your house for the last few days there. Box up your shampoo and extra toothpaste and live out of a travel cosmetic case for the last week or two. Pare down cooking utensils and food supplies to bare essentials.

Use your luggage
Fill luggage and duffle bags with clothing, sheets, towels, and paper goods. Even for local moves you’ll be able to quickly spot your navy suitcase holding your favourite sweaters, whereas “Box #189” might remain elusive for days.

Safeguard valued items
It’s a good idea to keep valuable possessions, such as silverware, collections, or antiques, with you. If you have a long move and no room in your car, bury the items in a box titled “Misc. from kitchen pantry”. Either way, check your homeowner’s insurance to see how you are covered during the move, and if you need additional insurance from the mover. Also, find out what paperwork (receipts, appraisals, and photos) you might need to file a claim in case of loss.

Electrical Appliances
Kitchen appliances like the fridge, freezer and dishwasher should be cleaned thoroughly before moving, especially if they are going to be in storage for any amount of time. Bits of grease, dirt and moisture left in these appliances will attract further dirt and mould over time.

Fridges and freezers
Empty the fridge and/or freezer thoroughly, then clean it and leave the door open for at least 24 hours to ensure it is free of ice and moisture. Make sure the fridge is kept upright at all times, and leave it standing for 24 hours before you turn it on again. This will allow the refrigerant to settle. If you are storing your fridge the door should be secured slightly ajar and it is also a good idea to place a deodoriser inside to maintain freshness.

TV’s
These precious items should be protected with bubble wrap and placed in a Kennards plasma TV box. For TV’s that don’t fit in a box, Kennards box shop stocks moving protection blankets. You can use these to wrap your TV for further protection.

Dishwashers
Disconnect the hoses and thoroughly drain the dishwasher. Mop up any water left inside the appliance and wipe it dry. Wrap the dry hoses up in towels and place them inside the dishwasher to make sure they won’t get lost or damaged.

Washing machines
Clean and drain the machine thoroughly and place the hoses inside the machine. You may need a ‘washer kit’; this is a foam brace that stops the washer tub swaying during transportation.

Computers and printers
Back up all your files. Secure any loose parts on the computer or printer and remove the toner or ink cartridge, if possible. Make sure all peripherals are packed thoroughly to avoid damage.

Moving stereos and DVD players
Be sure to remove any discs from inside the player. Secure the CD/DVD player with transport screws located on the bottom of the unit, if it has them. Make sure the remote controls are packed with the appliance so they won’t go missing.

Packaging Dishes and Glassware
Use a 2ply box like Kennards medium heavy duty and place a layer of bubble wrap inside the bottom and top of boxes containing breakable. Wrap fragile items with Kennards packaging paper (newsprint can be dirty and can stain). Nest cups and plates together, stand plates, saucers, platters and casserole dishes on their edges, rather than laying them flat. Glassware should be wrapped with at least two sheets of wrapping paper. Fill any gaps in the cartons with scrunched up packaging paper, bubble wrap or linen items. This will keep them protected and prevent them from moving in transit. Label all fragile boxes.

Painting or prints
Should be covered with bubble wrap and packaged inside a picture box or collapsed 2ply cardboard boxes on each side and taped together. Choose a safe place to store to avoid damage during your move.

Click here to visit the Kennards Box Shop 

Reference List (cited)
http://interiordec.about.com/od/moving/a/org_movetips.htm
http://www.comparequotes.net.au/removalists/moving-appliances
http://moving.about.com/od/stepbystepguides/ht/pack_electronic.htm