Packing Removal Boxes Properly
This may sound like an obvious comment but I would say more than half of the customer we move have not packed their removal boxes properly!
All boxes need to be full and their lids closed and taped shut. If the boxes aren't full then they will buckle, get crushed and lose shape when they are stacked in the van meaning they are likely to fall. If you have run out of things to put in a box then fill it with packaging (old newspapers, anything!) to make sure it is full and then close it up.
And please, DON'T, overfill boxes. We cannot stack boxes that aren't flat so when we turn up and see boxes all over the place with various objects sticking out the top of them in all directions we know for a fact that we will not be able to stack the van optimally. Also, this means that any items you have packed will not be secure and are liable to break during transit.
Black bin liners are ok if you are packing pillows and duvets as we are able to use these to pack into spaces and secure all the contents of the van, but please don't use black bags for anything else. We've encountered house moves where the whole contents have been packed in black bags! We've had coat hangers sticking out of them, pots and pans and crockery in them, all sorts!. As soon as you pick them up the bags are breaking, they're getting snagged on everything, this is NOT good practise at all and again, your items are liable to break during transit which is the responsibility of the customer and not the driver!
Please use boxes for their intended purposes. I.E Large boxes for lightweight items such as duvets, coats etc., medium boxes for general items such as pots and pans and small appliances and then small boxes for heavy items such as books and canned items from the kitchen. Do NOT use large boxes for books! Again, we've turned up for jobs where a very large box has been filled to the top with books. This is barely manageable for 2 people to carry between themselves and usually the bottom will fall out almost straight away due to the excess weight!
If you need boxes for your move then we suggest trying Teacrate Packaging. They have all the removal boxes you need along with packaging and tape, plus if you order on their website through clicking this link you will receive a discount.
So, the lesson to learn when moving house is to make sure everything is boxed up and boxed up properly! This means lids are shut and are flat. Take a look at the pictures below which are examples from various jobs we have done. We've turned up where every box is like this and as you can see, there is no way we can stack a van with boxes packed this way! Have a look around your boxes once you've have packed ready for your move. Do any of them look like the below? If they do, Re-Pack at once!!
Examples of badly packed boxes
As you can see from the picture above, not only are things sticking out all over the place so we can't stack items but one of the things sticking out is a mirror! How on earth are we suppose to transport this without it getting scratched or broken? All glass and mirrors need securely wrapping in bubble wrap or at least some old towels. Just bunging them in a box like this will never do!
Come on! I don't think this needs a comment!
