9707 99 Street
Westlock, AB
T7P 1Y5
Each year, nearly one in five Canadians will pack up and move. You can probably expect to do it yourself an exhausting 11 times during your lifetime. Whether you’re moving to change jobs, retire, improve your health, or to be closer to family, anyone who has done it knows that moving is a lot of hard work. Our tips can make this big job a little easier and more hassle-free. If you are wishing to save a few dollars and would like to do your own packing we offer the following suggestions.
Packing Basics
You should start packing as soon as the moving date has been established. Moving is too big of a job to leave until the last minute. Begin packing with out-of-season gear and other things you don’t use often and go from there.
- Pack in sturdy corrugated cardboard cartons. It can be tempting to collect cartons from the supermarket and the liquor store. Professional movers swear by boxes designed especially for moving. These boxes are guaranteed to be tough enough to hold up. These supplies can be purchased from us at Westlock Movers.
- Pack heavy items in small boxes and lighter items in larger boxes. Close the lids the way you would a box of cereal. Do not crisscross the tops. Seal with a single piece of packing tape. Only use packing tape as other tapes do not hold well.
- Use a heavy marker to number each box, write the name of the room it’s to go into and a list of its contents. Use a separate notebook with a record of each box and what is in it.
- Use Packing Paper for most wrapping, since stains from newspaper ink can be almost impossible to remove. Pad the bottom of each carton with crumpled paper before you begin.
- Pack boxes full but not too full Sealed tops should be flat. Try to keep the weight under 30lbs to avoid boxes from opening up from the bottom.
- Pack your cups carefully. Place a cup on a stack of packing paper handle to the right. Wrap two sheets of paper over it. Add a second cup handle to the left. Wrap and tape.
- Make dishes breakproof. Place the first plate on a stack of packing paper, lightly beyond the center of the sheet. Starting at a corner, fold two or three sheets of paper over the place to cover. Place a second plate on the first and cover, the third plate on top and cover it with the rest of the sheets of paper, wrap stacked plates in two more sheets of paper and tape. Place the stack of plates into the corner of a box the same way that you would in a cupboard.
- Keep delicate glass and stemware safe. Place a glass on a corner of the stack of packing paper, base to the right. Pick up a double thickness of paper and roll diagonally two full revolutions. Add a second glass base to the left. Continue rolling, folding in outside corners. Tape closed. Note: wrap very fragile or expensive stemware individually after stuffing bowls with a crumpled piece of packing paper.
- Clothes can stay in dressers, but any loose or heavy items should be removed. Do not tape drawers closed (may harm the finish of your dresser)
- Clothes in closets can be packed in wardrobe cartons. A specially designed box that allows clothes to hang during the move. These boxes are available through Westlock Movers.
- As the boxes develop, try to stack the boxes as close to the anticipated exit as close as possible. A great place may be behind a couch along a wall.
- Children’s plush toys, bedding, etc. can be packed in large plastic bags. These make great stuffers for the load.
- Freezer items can remain in the freezer. When freezers are transported, the fluids within the lines shift around. After we move the freezer to the desired location, wait at least 3-4 hours before plugging the freezer back in to avoid any breaks in the freezer lines.
What Should NEVER Go Into the Moving Van
Live animals and important papers such as car ownership, medical/dental records, school records, insurance policies, passports, birth certificates, and documents pertaining to the move should always be with you. So should your cash, credit cards, and jewelry. DO NOT PUT EXPLOSIVE OR FLAMMABLE GOODS IN THE VAN. Such items include:
- Paints (oil or water-based), lacquers, or enamels
- Gasoline, Kerosene, Oil (of any weight)
- Propane bottles of any size (full or empty)
- Matches or Lighters
- Aerosol Cans (paints, hairspray, cleaners)
- Bleach or Cleaners with any discoloring agents
- Snowblowers, Lawnmowers, rototillers (fluids need to be drained prior to the move)
- Fertilizers of any kind
- Fire extinguishers or any other contents under pressure
- Firearms and ammunition (guns in locked commercial safes can be transported)
- Alcohol/Contraband
What to Pack Last and Take With You!
- Enough clothes and toiletries to last till the van is unpacked
- First aid kit and prescription medicines.
- Live plants that can suffer in the heat and cold during transport
- Snacks, paper plates, and cups
- Children’s travel toys and activities, baby supplies.
- Pets, pet food, dishes, cat litter box
- ‘Open me first box’ including important documents, jewelry, cash, etc.
Countdown to Moving Day!
FOUR WEEKS
Choose a moving company. We sure hope you would choose WESTLOCK MOVERS. Get solid references (any qualified mover will be happy to supply this), talk to your mover about insurance costs, delivery, payments, etc. Get a floor plan of the house to preplan the layout of the furniture and dispose of any unwanted items. Be wary of “hidden expenses” and be careful: Just because you have been quoted the cheapest it does not mean they’re the best choice.
THREE WEEKS
Start packing. Ask Doctors and Dentists to recommend colleagues near your new home. Get copies of prescriptions, Transfer school, and insurance records.
TWO WEEKS
Arrange to have utilities disconnected in your old home and connected in the new one. Mail change of address cards.
ONE WEEK
Close bank accounts. Keep enough money to pay van driver if needed. Discontinue delivery services.
2 DAYS
Pack and label open me first box. Empty safe deposit box. Plan to carry with you.
1 DAY
Defrost and dry out the fridge. Professional packing will probably be done today. Finish your own packing. Remove mirrors from dressers.
MOVING DAY!
After a long day of moving the first thing you are going to want is your bed. When you get up in the morning pack the bedding from each bed into large plastic bags. Mark each bag from which bed it came from so it will be easy to find once the truck is unloaded. Heck, if you like… we will even make up the bed for you!
