How To Protect Your Possessions When In Storage Or Transit

 

It is often said that moving home is one of the most stressful things you will ever do in life. However, there are things you can do to ensure the move goes as smoothly as possible. One thing you should plan ahead of time to make things easier on yourself, is how you will protect your possessions. Whether you are choosing to put them in storage or transporting them directly to your new home, there are numerous things that can go wrong. Below you will discover some of the best tips for protecting your possessions in storage/transit.  

Insuring Your Possessions

Did you know you can invest in moving insurance? Helping you to protect your possessions against loss and damage, it gives you complete peace of mind. It is important to compare different insurers to ensure you get the cheapest cover.  

Clever packing – Preparing the possessions for transit/storage

With a little clever packing, you can ensure your possessions don’t get damaged in transit. The following packaging materials can really help:

• Bubble wrap
• Clean newsprint
• Foam peanuts

All three of these materials help to add cushioning to prevent your possessions getting damaged in transit. Newspaper is often recommended, though it is important to make sure that it is clean. You will notice with a lot of newspaper, the ink rubs off. If you’re wrapping cushions and other fabric-based possessions, the ink could potentially ruin them. All delicate items should be wrapped in bubble wrap. The foam peanuts can help to add further protection. It is also worth noting that heavy items should be packed separately to light items. Marking ‘Fragile’ on boxes with delicate items in will also ensure anybody helping with the move will know to handle them with care.

Invest in strong packing tape

When it comes time to close the boxes, you should use a strong, specialised packing tape. A lot of people make the mistake of using either cellotape or masking tape. However, these materials aren’t typically strong enough to close the boxes properly.

Storing your possessions – Use a moisture barrier

If your possessions will be left in storage for a number of months, it is a good idea to invest in a moisture barrier. This mainly applies to storage units with a concrete floor. While great for keeping out pests, concrete floors do have a tendency to release water vapour and air when the earth surrounding it warms up. Without a moisture barrier this can cause problems with mildew on your furniture. Plastic sheeting is affordable and acts as a great moisture barrier.

Consider dismantling your furniture

It may be time consuming, but dismantling your furniture before you move is a good idea. Not only will this protect it from scratches, but it will also make transporting it a lot easier. If you do choose to do this, make sure you keep all accessories such as screws, nuts and bolts in a clear Ziploc bag and secure it to the furniture. Overall moving does bring many challenges and the risk of damage to your possessions is just one of them. The tips above will help you to minimise those risks and ensure your move goes as smoothly as possible.