Clothing is one of the easier items to pack up for a move or storage. Still, you don’t want to get any of your clothes ruined when packing them up. Here are a few tips to make packing your clothes easier:

• Wardrobe boxes are an excellent solution for packing clothing. Wardrobe boxes typically have a rod on the top of the box, on which clothes can be hanged.
• Pack all your loose articles in bags, such as shoes, socks, undergarments, etc. If the wardrobe boxes are big enough, these bags can be stored at the bottom, beneath the hanging clothes. This helps conserve space.
• Your dresser drawers can also be used to pack your clothes in. If this is what you decide to do, take the drawers out of the dresser and move separately. This makes the dresser much lighter and easier to handle during the move.
• Remember, too many clothes in one container can make it too heavy very quickly. Use several smaller boxes, rather than one large one. Large cardboard boxes have a tendency to rip and collapse when over packed with too many clothes.
• Don’t stack any other boxes on top of those with clothing in them. This may crush the box and damage your clothes.

Follow these tips and your clothing will be safe during your move. If storing your clothes, remember to keep them in a dry, cool place. Avoid storing them anywhere that bugs and moisture can damage your clothing.

Packing up your kitchen for storage or for a move can sometimes be a daunting task. Pots, pans, glasses, dishes, and appliances all have to be securely packed and cared for to prevent damage. As intimidating as packing your kitchenware may seem, following these tips can make it much easier to deal with:

• Larger boxes are suitable for packing your kitchenware for moving or storage. Just be sure not to pack any boxes that will be too heavy to move. The larger boxes provide ample room for panhandles and such.
• Pack dishes flat in the box, with packing paper, foam, or similar packing material between each item. The packing material will help prevent the boxes contents from shifting and breaking.
• Wrap glasses and jars with padding and also fill the inside of the glass with packing material, which provides additional protection.
• Don’t pack any dirty dishes. Give each item a thorough cleaning before and after packing.
• Pack kitchen appliances in their original boxes when possible. This is the best way of preventing damage to your appliances.
• Label your boxes clearly. This will help keep your kitchenware organized and accounted for.

Your kitchen items require attention and care when packing them up for moving and storage. As long as you use a little common sense and double check to ensure your items are truly secure, your kitchenware should survive, no matter how long the move, or the amount of time in storage.

Moving from one home to another always puts a lot on one’s plate. Nevertheless, moving doesn’t have to be a bad experience. Here are a few things to keep in mind that may make your move a little smoother.

• Consider how you will provide the necessary means to actually move your belongings. Decide if you will hire a moving crew, rent a moving truck, or use a portable storage unit, such as SmartBox or PODS. Have your reservation made at least one month in advance.
• Prepare all of your change of address materials about one month in advance. The post office, utilities, insurance, DMV, and anyone you do business with should be notified with a change of address form. Be sure your friends and relatives have your new address before you leave, too.
• Start packing a couple weeks in advance. Start with the stuff you don’t use or won’t need until after you move. If possible, bring these things to the house early.
• Make sure you have all the packing supplies you will need before you get started. Boxes, tape, packing material, markers, labels, and box-cutters should all be readily at hand. Save your newspapers and such for a few weeks before you move.
• Use your head when you pack up your belongings. Work smarter, not harder. Be sure to use appropriate boxes and other packing materials when packing valuable or fragile items.
• Clean the new house before you move all your stuff in. No need for an explanation here. It’s common sense, but we all need reminders from time to time.
• After you have cleared out the old place, do a final walkthrough. Then do another, and another. Be sure to check all cabinets, closets, storage areas, etc.

Most importantly, be sure to have a plan. Keeping a checklist is a good idea. Use these tips as well as your own personal needs to create a personal checklist to keep you on track. Enjoy the new home!

Tables are one of the more awkward items you have to deal with when moving. Tables can take up a lot of space in your moving truck or storage container if not correctly packed. Here are some tips that may help:

• For large tables, such as dining room tables, disassemble everything you can. Take the legs off if possible. Keep any hardware from the table in a sealed bag or container so they won’t get lost. Taping a bag with the hardware in it to the underside of the table is a good idea.
• If the legs have been removed, wrap them in something that provides protection. Table legs can become damaged if not properly wrapped.
• Also cover the table top with a pad, moving blanket, or similar solution to prevent your tabletop from getting scratched.
• Stand the tabletop upright, against the wall of the storage container or moving truck. This also helps minimize any damage that may occur during storage and/or transport.

Following these tips will help ensure your table will come out of storage or moving in the same condition as it went in.

SMARTBOX is a moving/storage company that offers portable storage units, which are delivered to your home. The company then picks up the unit and will store it for you and deliver it to your new home when you are ready to move.

The SMARTBOX is designed to give ample protection to your belongings. The unit is mostly constructed of wood, with metal supports to provide added integrity. The wood construction helps protect your goods from being damaged by humidity and temperature changes. Similar storage units constructed from metal can trap humidity inside, damaging the contents.

To ensure no water can enter the Smartbox, the wood on the bottom is pressure-treated. This protects any groundwater from damaging your stored contents. The Smartbox is also covered with a heavy-duty water-proof cover to keep out rain and such.

There is no doubt that SMARTBOX will ensure your things will be protected from the elements.

Moving yourself? Do you know the proper way to lift and carry your moving boxes? Here is a quick rundown on how to make sure you don’t injure yourself when lifting and moving boxes.

Stretch before you start working. Stretching is one of the best ways to prevent a strain when lifting or carrying heavy objects. Stretch your neck, arms, legs, and back for about 20-30 seconds each.

Lift with your legs, not with your back. Don’t bend over to pick up a box, no matter how light you may think it is. Squat down, bending the knees, and make sure you have a firm grip on the box before carefully standing up with it. Do the same when setting a box down on the ground.

When carrying a box, keep it close to your body and center of gravity. Holding the box out away from your body will increase the chance of back injury, and may also cause you to momentarily lose your balance and fall. Never carry anything over your head.

When carrying a box, don’t twist at the waist. This is an easy way to throw out your back. Keep the box in front of you and turn with your feet.

Don’t carry more than one box at a time. Boxes can slide pretty easily when being carried while stacked up. If a box slides off, you may damage its contents or injure yourself or someone else. Use a dolly or hand truck to move multiple boxes at once.

Always have someone with you to help move boxes too heavy or too bulky to move by yourself. Don’t be reluctant to just ask for some help.