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Professional Packers

Moving can be hard. Want to know the biggest reason why? Packing! Sorting through all your household items is a mind-numbing task that most people dread the thought of. That is why hiring professional packers makes so much sense. Especially for a long-distance move.

Hiring a professional packing team can guarantee the safety of your prized possessions because proper packing material and techniques will be used. Packing the right way involves many small steps that when done correctly can make your life easier and even save you money. Who doesn’t want that? Follow our packing tips to make the unpleasant and downright lousy job of packing a lot more bearable.

Consider Our 10 Packing Tips for A Long-Distance Move

Sara Colbert, a Montreal mother of four, was used to having her life under control (as much as one can with 4 kids!). So, when her husband, Jean, told her about a great job opportunity he had been offered in Vancouver, she was excited to move their family to the West Coast. Packing up their 5-bedroom home in the suburbs seemed like a daunting task. But being the capable and super-organized woman she was, Sara figured it was something she could handle with little issue.

That was her first mistake. Assuming she could do it all on her own. Moving, along with death and divorce, is considered one of the top 3 most stressful experiences in life. And for good reason. After a week of sorting through mounds of clothes, tons of toys, buckets of books, and a room full of a million other random things; Sara angrily announced to her husband, that either he hires professional packers, or he could move to Vancouver without her.

So, Jean, doing what any sane husband would do, did a bit of research online, and then called Total Distance Solutions, the number one moving company to offer professional packing services.

Jean was impressed with the fact that we offered fully insured packages, used only the best professional packing materials, and kept inventory lists and checklists to ensure all household items are cataloged and accounted for. It didn't hurt to read the hundreds of excellent customer reviews.

Therefore, Jean got a free online quote, was happy with the price, and booked them in. Following all the long-distance packing and moving tips, the professional packing team came in, took control of the situation, and packed up all items in an organized fashion. Sara could go back to managing her household; Jean was back in her good books and didn't have to sleep on the couch anymore.

If you find yourself in a similar situation as Sara, there are things you can do to prepare yourself for a long-distance move. Read on to learn more about our long-distance packing tips to help give you and your family some relief from the intimidating job of packing up your house for your move.

1. Selection – Prioritization of Your Goods to Pack

Professional Packers

Moving is an excellent opportunity to down-size by sorting through your things. Take for instance your master bedroom closet. Start looking through your clothing, anything you haven’t worn for the last year, throw in 2 piles; 1) to give away to goodwill; 2) sell the more expensive things online or at a consignment store. Repeat this in all the rooms of your house.

Moving unnecessary things to your new home will just increase your total moving costs and you will need more packaging materials, more boxes, and more manpower needed to move these items, etc. Not only will following these packing tips save you money, but it will also feel great to have a fresh start in your new home.

2. Boxes – Choosing the Right Moving Boxes and Their Size

Our professional packers will assess your belongings and select the right boxes for all your stuff. Shoes, books, and fragile items, all need their own special way of being packed. Keeping in line with our long-distance packing and moving tips, our packers know what to do.

We use special wardrobe boxes for clothing, and there we can put about 20-30 hangers in each. We will make sure that each item is safely hung and wrapped in protective material if it’s a fragile or delicate fabric. We don’t cut corners and will ensure each piece of clothing is handled with gentle care.

We like to use plastic containers for solid and heavy belongings. We don't take chances with your items. After years of experience, we know all the long-distance packing and moving tips.

We only use the very best quality boxes. Sure, there are cheap boxing materials out there, but they rip and tear and that will not do for our customer’s items. We take pride in using only the very best material for your precious effects.

3. Room by Room Packing and Notes on Boxes

One of the best packing tips is to tackle each room one at a time. This will allow you to feel in control of your move. Packing up too many rooms at once will soon make you feel out of control and overwhelmed. This is one of the most important packing tips.

Another of our long-distance packing tips is to write on each box which room it belongs to. Go out and buy yourself some colored markers and write on each box in a large, easy-to-read font.

You can also number boxes. For example, your kitchen may have a dozen boxes of dishes and pots and pans, and other small appliances. So, your boxes would read, "Kitchen 1, Kitchen 2, Kitchen 3, etc." Using different colored markers for different rooms is also another one of our useful packing tips.

4. Wrapping the Boxes Containing Liquids

Our professional packers have been laboriously trained in how to correctly pack all household goods. Following our long-distance packing tips when it comes to liquids is essential. Items that contain liquids, like oils, shampoo, air conditioners, etc. need to be carefully wrapped in plastic and waterproof material to avoid leakage during the transportation process.

5. Do Not Overpack Moving Boxes

A lot of people get a little overzealous when packing and try to jam in as many items as possible in each box. This may seem like a way to speed up the process, but it’s actually a great way to damage your items and throw out your back trying to carry the box to the moving truck.

Our packing tips include making sure that the weight of each box is approximately 20-35lbs which can easily and safely be moved by our long-distance movers.

6. Packing the Kitchen - A Thorough Job

Professional Packers

There are so many types of objects in a kitchen. It’s one of the most challenging rooms to pack up and move. One of our long-distance packing tips is to use a lot of packaging materials to keep your kitchen items safe during transportation.

Another of our long-distance packing and moving tips is to use materials like:

  • packing paper
  • bubble wrap
  • plastic film
  • padding
  • medium and small-sized boxes (as to not make the boxes too heavy)
  • specially designed boxes for bottles, expensive wines, oils, etc.

We also carefully pack and wrap every single glass, fork, spoon, etc., and guarantee all boxes are properly sealed to confirm strength. The last thing anyone wants is the bottom of a box to open up and have all the items spill out.

7. What About Jewelry?

Along with personal documents and family heirlooms, jewelry is often some of the most valuable items a person has in their possession. Therefore, it only makes sense to want to keep these personal things safe during a move.

That is why Total Distance Solutions asks our clients to personally wrap and transport these priceless objects. Some things in life aren't worth taking risks on.

We understand that some jewelry has tiny details or intricacies and are very fragile and others have personal significance that makes them irreplaceable.  
Total Distance Solutions can provide the specialized packing material to be used, however, we feel it is in our clients' best interest to handle their valuables themselves. This is another one of our packing tips we hope you follow.

8. Taking Photos Before Packing

Another of our helpful long-distance packing tips is to take photos to certify your items arrive in the same condition they left in. This also helps to avoid any misunderstandings between the movers/transporters and/or the clients. Taking photos protects both the client and the movers.

There are two mandatory cases where we insist on taking photos.

1) When an item is chipped, damaged, or scratched prior to a move. This can include a variety of furniture, fragile objects like vases or artwork, appliances, etc.

2) When an item is in perfect condition, and you'd like to keep it that way throughout the moving process. Taking a photo will safeguard that the previous state is maintained, and the item is delivered in the same condition it was left in.

9. Not Neglecting Plastic Bags for Soft Items

Total Distance Solutions has many long-distance packing and moving tips that can help make packing up a home a relatively hassle-free process.

We use large plastic bags during long-distance moves, especially for soft items. This helps us load the truck efficiently and make the best use of space. Because there are so many boxes and large pieces of furniture in a typical move. There are often holes or spaces that we can easily fill with soft-bagged things.

This makes the move more ergonomic and also allows us to easily fit all your household possessions in the truck. The most common bagged items are stuffed toys, towels, and clothing that do not require to be hung in a wardrobe box.

10. Packing the Items of Your Garage and/or Shed

Some of our packing tips deal with your outdoor shed or a garage. A lot of people get frustrated when packing up tools and other sharp-edged materials. Our professional packers have all the tricks when dealing with awkward-shaped belongings. We use plastic wrap, thick packing paper, bubble wrap, and old blankets or towels to assure these items do not puncture any boxes or furniture they may come in contact with during the move.

If we place these items in boxes, we never leave any empty spaces. We will fill the box or plastic container with other small things to make the best use of the space. We wrap and carefully protect household small appliances and big tools like mixers, espresso machines, drills, saw benches, garage workstations, tool boxes, etc. We will even use cartons on either side of the item and wrap it securely to make certain the item isn't moving within the box during transport.

Let’s Get Started!

Professional Packers

Packing for a move is an undesirable job but hiring professionals will take the stress off your plate. Following our long-distance packing and moving tips will help guarantee that your items will safely arrive at their final destination.

Let’s get started! Call Total Distance Solutions now or click on the link for a free quote and let’s get your move underway!