If you’ve moved in the past, you know just how much work and commotion are involved in the process. You also know that when you tackle all that work on your own, accidents are par for the course. What typically accompanies those accidents? Yep, damage — either to the things you’re packing and moving or the home you’re moving out of or into.
But while relocation-related damage is remarkably common, it’s not inevitable. There are several things you can do to protect both your belongings and your dwelling, and at Ace Moving & Warehousing in Rochester, we’d like to fill you in on how you can do that.
Read on to learn simple and effective tips and tricks for preventing damage during your upcoming Rochester move.
1. Hire Professional Movers and Packers
Do you want the best protection for everything involved in your move? Then you need to hire a moving company for full packing services. No, this isn’t necessarily a simple tip or trick, but it is the most effective and reliable way to keep your belongings and home in top-notch condition.
Yes, accidents can happen even when you hire professional movers, but the risk is far lower than with a DIY move simply because the pros are, well, pros. They’re extensively trained in moving safety best practices and protective packing techniques, and they have a deep understanding of how to protect your home from damage, too.
What’s more, when you hire movers, you get valuation coverage for your belongings, which will reimburse you in the event any of your things do suffer damage during the move. So while the pros may not be able to provide an ironclad protection guarantee for your stuff, they will make it right if things go wrong.
2. Measure Door Openings, Stairwells, and Furniture
Your belongings may have fit into your current home without any problems, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the same will hold true when you get them to your new place. If you don’t want to deal with nicks in your furniture, beat-up paint, or damaged trim and drywall, make sure you measure before you move!
You may end up needing to leave some things behind if they’re too large to fit through the entrances or stairwells in your new place, but at least you’ll know in advance. That way, you can sell or donate those things before you relocate and save yourself some work on move day.
3. Cover Furniture With Moving Blankets
When you relocate, moving blankets are your friend. And although they may not seem totally necessary, they really do work wonders for keeping nice furniture protected from scuffs, tears, and other types of damage.
When you cover your items, be sure to cover them completely, and secure the blankets with durable packing tape. Alternatively, you can use plastic wrapping material, but it won’t provide quite as much protection as you’ll get with blankets.
4. Detach and Wrap Small Parts
If any of your belongings have small, detachable parts like handles or legs, those will likely be the first things to suffer damage in the back of a moving truck. But you can prevent that from happening by partially disassembling those items and wrapping their smaller components in plastic wrapping material or a blanket.
Keep all the parts together in a box or bag, or affix them to the larger item they belong to if they’re small enough that you can tape them to one side.
5. Use Corner Protection
Are you moving art or mirrors? Then you’ll definitely want to pick up some foam corner protectors and affix those to the corners of each item. You can also find specialty packing boxes that are designed to accommodate and protect fragile items like these. These boxes typically come with corner protection and a protective foam bag that helps insulate the item during transport.
Speaking of corners, you’ll also want to put up some sort of protective material on the corners in your home. That’s especially true if you’re moving large items through stairwells or through tight, awkwardly shaped spaces. You should be able to find cardboard, plastic, and foam corner protection at your local moving supply store or home improvement store.
6. Place Nonslip Runners and Coverings on Floors and Stairs
There’ll be lots of foot traffic in your house on the day of your move, and all those feet will likely track in dirt, sand, and tiny pebbles that can really do a number on your floors.
To keep your flooring protected from scratches and scuffs, lay down protective materials in any areas that need special protection. Be sure to select non-slip materials, or you could inadvertently put people’s safety at risk.
7. Use the Appropriate Size Box for the Job
Just because a moving box is huge doesn’t mean it’s meant to accommodate a ton of stuff. In fact, the opposite is usually true. When you’re packing, here’s a rule of thumb: The heavier the item, the smaller the box you should use.
Small boxes won’t buckle under the weight of heavy things because they’re compact enough to remain intact. On the other hand, a large box can easily break when you pack it with too much weight, and if that happens, everything inside can easily suffer damage.
For more packing tips, check out How to Avoid 5 Common Packing Mistakes That Can Complicate Your Move.
8. Leave Awkward Items to a Pro
Even if you don’t hire a moving company to help out with your entire relocation, you should definitely hire a pro to help out with very heavy, awkwardly shaped, and other tough-to-move items.
Pianos, hot tubs, large appliances, and even some furniture can be very difficult to move out of and into a home. If you don’t have experience doing this, you could easily injure yourself or seriously damage your belongings.
Contact Ace Moving & Warehousing for a Free Moving Quote
Are you planning a move from the Rochester area? Our team at Ace Moving & Warehousing would love to help you out! Since 1958, we’ve helped thousands of Twin Cities residents with our wide variety of professional moving services, and we specialize in local, intrastate, interstate, and international relocations.
Give us a call today at 507-288-3341 to learn more or request a fast quote online, and we’ll be in touch!