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Moving Tips
There are three sections to the professional packing guide, please be sure to read cushioning your valuables along with labeling and acceptance.
Careful packing is one of the most important aspects of your move. Well packed household goods stand little chance of being damaged. Also packing room by room can help to make unpacking and storage much less of a chore. Whether you have South Jersey Moving do the packing or you do it yourself depends upon your circumstances. Some people simply do not have the time to devote to what can be an intimidating task. In such cases South Jersey Moving provides the finest in safe and professional packing services. However, for families on a budget, self packing can mean considerable savings.
Even if you choose to do the packing yourself, you might still consider having South Jersey Moving pack the more delicate or fragile items - items such as dishes, crystals, lamps etc. You enjoy the security of having these more costly items professionally packed while reducing your costs by doing the bulk of the job yourself.
All loose items must be boxed, such as lamps, stereo equipment, speakers, vcr's, dvd's etc. This is for the safety of the items and the shipment when on the truck. |
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Before You Move
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It is important to know who to trust when choosing a moving service. Here are a few tips, things you should ask of any moving company before you make your choice:
- Be sure the mover you choose actually have their own vehicle fleet.
- Check to see if they have a Dot/MC number.
- Get in touch with the company directly, avoid brokers
- Find out about years of experience or how long they have been in business.
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Residential Moving Tips
- Flammables- All items that are flammable or explosive must be transported by the customer and cannot be placed in the moving van. e.g. Aerosol Cans, Propane tanks, Thinners, Gasoline, etc.
- Engines- Gasoline Engines must be emptied.
- Garden hoses- They should be drained and the ends connected together. Place hoses in an empty trash can to avoid leakage.
- Dressers- Chest of drawers and dressers can be moved with their drawers full. Any items that could spill, break, or move around should be removed. E.g. Perfume. Cologne, Jewelry, Coins, Pens. Pencils, Paper Clips. Glass Items.
- Outdoor Items made of concrete, cement, or plaster can be moved however we do not accept responsibility for them. Changes in weather can cause external and internal cracks that can cause breaks and/or crumbling.
- Guns and/or Ammunition cannot be transported.
- Refrigerators and Freezers should be emptied prior to the time or move.
- Computers and electronic equipment should be disconnected and ready to move prior to loading. Small electronic components should be boxed.
- Items made of particle board or pressboard can be moved however we do not
accept responsibility for them. |
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Cushioning Your Valuables
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Now that you know the basics you can find out the best way to protect your valuables in transit. Don't forget to finish up with Labeling and acceptance.
The most important aspect of packing is good wrapping and cushioning material. Never use newspapers! Newspaper ink has a tendency to rub off on everything it touches and can be almost impossible to remove from items like fine china. Professional packers like South Jersey Moving use "newsprint" (unprinted newspaper) as cushioning material.
The amount of newsprint you use depends on the items being packed. Obviously, towels or sheets in carton requires no packing material at all. For dishes or fragile items, a layer of crumpled paper should be used to line the bottom of the carton to a depth of approximately four inches. Each item should be individually wrapped with crushed paper between items as needed.
Plates, saucers, flat china: Wrap individually and then bundle 2-3 together. Stand on end in carton, never lay flat. Use the large items as a bottom layer. Place crumbled paper as cushioning between each layer.
Bowls: Odd-shaped items and bowls, individually wrapped, should constitute the upper layers. Place on edge in carton with bottom facing up.
Cups and Glasses: Like bowls, Cups and glasses should go on top, rim down individually wrapped.
Glassware and Crystal: Always individually wrap and top layer. Never put one piece inside another. If items are particularly fragile, pack first in smaller carton, then large one with cushioning all around.
Books: Packs upright with open edges and bound ends alternating. If any have fragile covers, wrap in paper.
Clothing: Hanging items should go into wardrobe cartons. Clothing may stay in dressers if dressers are sturdy. All other folded clothing should be packed in medium (3.0 cu ft.) Cartons. Or clothing can be left in dresser drawers.
Food: Boxed dry food should be packed in medium (3.0 cu ft) cartons with openings taped shut to prevent spillage. Jars or canned goods should be packed in book (1.5 cu ft.) cartons with all jars wrapped and cushioned. Never pack or move perishable or frozen food, long distance.
Lamps: Lamp bases should be wrapped, cushioned and packed in dish-pack cartons (pole lamps in wardrobe cartons). Lampshades should be packed singularly in appropriate sized cartons. Be careful not to put too much paper in lampshade cartons as they dent easily. Cushion loosely. |
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Labeling
- Use a heavy marker pen for easy reading. On cartons top, list major items such as "Good China" Or "Crystal" On cartons side near the top, mark which room carton goes into. If carton contains fragile items, mark "FRAGILE" on all four sides. On cartons, containing fragile items or liquids, mark "THIS END UP" on carton top and put arrows pointing up on all four sides.
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Extraordinary Value Items
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All stocks, bonds, currency, jewelry, furs, stamps, coins, watches, securities, negotiable securities, insurance polices, cash and valuable papers should not be packed for transit or moved by the movers. Either transport these items yourself or make arrangements with your banker for their transfer.
Remember that all of your possessions are being loaded into the van and, by law, movers may not accept hazardous materials for shipment. |
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Restricted items include:
- Paints, thinners, oils and varnishes.
- Ammunition and firearms
- Bottled gas, propane, etc.
- Lamp oil
- All flammables, explosives and corrosives
- Motor fuels and oils
- Nail polish remover
- Bleach, sterno, all aerosol cans, matches
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Acceptance of Packing
- For your protection, South Jersey Moving drivers may require inspection of customer packed cartons. Any improperly packed cartons must be repacked by the mover (which adds to the cost of your move) or by you. To avoid delay, use the guidelines listed above. If you have any questions be sure to ask your local South Jersey Moving agent. He or she has all the answers!
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Packing Professionally
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Packing Cartons
All of these professional moving cartons may be purchased from your local A-1 South Jersey Moving agent. You also may be able to obtain cartons from a local grocery store. However, grocers usually slit cartons open along the sides. Instead of at the seams making them unusable for any packing. In any case be certain the cartons are adequate size and strength.
- Dish Packs (5.2 cu. ft.). These are extra thick "walled" cartons designed for dishes, glasses and other fragile items.
- Large (4.5 or 6.0 cu. ft). Very light bulky articles such as pillows, comforters and lampshades.
- Med (3.0 cu.ft.). Non-fragile or moderately heavy items, such as pots, pans, games, folded clothing, misc.
- Wardrobe cartons: with metal bar which holds up to 24 inches of closet hanging clothes.
- Book (1.5 cu. ft.). Smaller cartons designed for very heavy items such as books, Cds, DVDs, and canned goods.
- Mirror cartons: Narrow cartons which adjust in length and width to accommodate different sized mirrors, pictures and other fragile, flat items.
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Office Moving Tips
- Labeling -everything should be labeled, no matter how small or inconsequential. When a desk has a removable return, both pieces must be tagged.
- Tagging- Bundles of computer cable, Floor mats, white boards, trash cans, typewriters, individual computer components, and peripherals, etc must be all individually tagged.
- Tag items in locations that are easy for the movers to spot: for example
- Bookcases on top
- Storage Cabinets on front
- File top Cabinets on front
- Boxes on the ends, not top or bottom
- Contents -Empty completely the contents of the following articles- Desks. Table drawers, credenzas, shelving, storage cabinets and bookcases.
- Filing cabinets -Do not empty vertical (narrow types) file cabinets, they will be moved full. Empty all lateral (wide type) file cabinets.
- Connections -All mechanical and electrical disconnections must be made prior to the time of move.
- Personnel- Do not have a lot of extra personnel at your facilities on moving day. They will only get in the way of the movers.
- Leased equipment -Do not move photocopiers with toner installed. You must notify all service or lease agents that your are moving the photocopier or computer equipment that is under contract.
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